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S1 S1 34 The Mail on Sunday MARCH 15 • 2015 MARCH 15 • 2015 The Mail on Sunday 35 MUSIC MAN: Bill Martin wrote for Elvis, E is Scotland’s most since she sang it. I always want to tell far left, and met successful songwriter her to give me the money back. Accord- Frank Sinatra, and has penned top- ing to her manager, she made a lot of THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF but says selling hits for some of money from it. She hadn’t had a hit for A SPARKLING CAREER... Madonna the world’s biggest several records prior to that. should quit. by Peter Robertson Inset, with Billy recording artists, from ‘Puppet gave her a number one all On Elvis, who sang Bill’s ‘My Boy’ HElvis Presley to Van Morrison. over the world, yet she says it ruined Connolly in Proudly white-haired Glaswegian her career. She is always running it 1974 Bill Martin began his working life half a century in showbiz, Martin Richard was runner-up in 1968 down. She was lucky to get it – she Like a true in the shipyards, alongside lifelong might no longer be a household with Congratulations. wasn’t that talented. friends Billy Connolly and Sir Alex name, but he feels that his out- A new BBC documentary mark- ‘Anybody else could have sung it just Scotsman, I Ferguson, before getting a lucky standing success entitles him to a ing the 60th anniversary of the as well. Dusty Springfield was THE break in music. frankness that others would shy contest – which takes place in singer then. Cilla Black was a great decided to get a Today, the 76-year-old, who owns away from. Vienna this year – will feature singer. Lulu was good. Sandie was all suntan before I met properties in Portugal and London Sitting in the imposing surround- Martin. But when a concert right, but not as good as she thinks. and once lived in John Lennon’s ings of The Caledonian Club, a marking the milestone is staged in ‘I’ve never met her again since that ‘Elvis, and then he former home in Surrey, recalls his private members establishment London later this month, Ms Shaw Eurovision. I wouldn’t cross the road to extraordinary career in a candid for Scots or those with an ‘empa- – who has spent decades disparag- say hello to her.’ died that night. interview with The Scottish Mail thy for Scotland’ not far from his ing the pop tune that made her On the other hand, he says, Sir Cliff on Sunday. home in Belgravia, he says: ‘I famous – will be absent. Richard is ‘eternally grateful’ and the On stars who should stop singing More controversially, the man always believed I’d make it as a She has said: ‘I hated it from the pair remain friends. ‘Every time I meet who wrote such hits as Congratula- songwriter. I don’t know why. I’ve very first oompah to the final bang him, he says: “Thanks for giving me Madonna should tions and Puppet On A String got a little magic touch.’ on the big bass drum. I was instinc- Congratulations”.’ dishes withering home truths His two best known hits took tively repelled by its sexist drivel Referring to recent allegations of sex pack it in. A 56-’ about the stars he has worked with only 30 minutes to write but and cuckoo-clock tune.’ abuse made against the singer, Martin – and says Sir Paul McCartney became Eurovision classics. Pup- Consequently, there’s no love lost adds: ‘I feel sad that Cliff’s being year old woman and Madonna should quit perform- pet On A String was Sandie Shaw’s between the two. Martin says: hounded at the moment, near the end of Legendary Scots songwriter ing because they’re ‘past it’. After winning entry in 1967, while Cliff ‘She’s knocked the classic Puppet his career. I’ve been in his company and rolling about on a he’s a great guy. He doesn’t deserve that. It’s ridiculous. What happened to stage…. falling off innocent until proven guilty?’ ‘ Bill Martin’s waspish verdict Elvis Presley, George Harrison, Van the stage…. give Morrison, Cilla Black and The Bay City Rollers, and even the 1970 England me a break! World Cup Squad, are among the count- less top names to have recorded his on music’s biggest superstars songs. Martin has mingled with such global superstars as Frank Sinatra, Ava Gardner, Bob Hope and Danny Kaye. ’ He recalls: ‘When I went to Las Vegas to see Sinatra I was given a letter of introduction warning not to shake his hand – because he believed it spread germs – no 16:46PM 48 cameras and definitely no kissing. We said hello and, Mum as my wife was a good- A date with Elvis, looking blonde, he not only shook her hand he gave Hi, this is Mum. her a kiss.’ But one of his biggest regrets is failing to meet Thanks again for the with the king of rock ‘n’ roll – because he thought that his smart ! Scottish skin needed a bit more colour. He says: ‘Elvis Presley I IT! sang my song My Boy. I had a house in Beverly Hills then and I was going across to meet him. Like a true I took a selfie of Dad for you. Scotsman, I decided to get a suntan a run-in with Frank before I met him, and then he died that On his old shipyard pals Sir Alex night. There was no bigger star than Elvis and I regret never meeting him.’ Ferguson and Billy Connolly Do you want me to email it to It’s all a far cry from his humble you? origins in Glasgow, where he grew up in I still have a a tenement near Fairfield Shipyards. I’m doing it now. He says: ‘You heard the noise 24 hours Scottish accent, a day.’ Referring to his hit for the Bay City but I sound far Do you remember my email Rollers, he adds: ‘That’s how Shang-A- Lang came about.’ clearer than Alex password? ‘Our tenement was basically one room and a kitchen; my parents slept in there, ‘Ferguson will ever Sinatra... and why Why do you never use and my brother and I slept in the back. these? My father used to work in the shipyards be! Billy Connolly but he was a great piano player. ‘My mother could sing, and did every- became a welder, thing to keep us going by working at so many different jobs. There was happi- though he could ness and love.’ He adds: ‘I just wanted to be a song- have been anything writer and music publisher from the - even Prime age of ten. On my father’s sheet-music for the piano, I’d see names of compos- Minister ers and publishers and wonder who they Madge should shut up! were. I’d hear songs on the radio, write down the words to remember them, then find out who wrote them.’ my teenage sweetheart when I went to manager. They were massive and night I heard a noise and went down- songwriter Mort Shuman in 1991. He ever need. What is At 15, Martin became an apprentice Africa. We came back to London with sold about 138 million albums and stairs to investigate. says: ‘Kenny Lynch sang Mort’s song the point? A 56- marine engineer at The Alexander Ship- two lovely daughters.’ were number one in every country. ‘I was looking round the house and Save The Last Dance For Me and year old woman yard in Govan, where fellow Govan But then he met the woman’ who would For a while they could have recorded couldn’t find any damage when sud- Tim Rice pushed me in the ribs and rolling about on High School old boy Sir Alex Ferguson become his second wife, Jan, to whom the telephone book and got to number denly there was a crashing noise. I said: “Bill, you better write an even stage and falling off became a toolmaker. he has been married for 43 years. one. We wrote them good pop songs then found the framed Lennon letter bigger hit, because can you imagine the stage – give me a The future football legend was ‘bril- His marriage break-up led to the Cilla but they wanted rid of us and thought on the floor. I picked it up, went back when you go and they play Congratu- break!’ Happy Mother'sDay liant even then’ the songwriter says. ‘He Black song Surround Yourself With they could write better themselves. to bed, and when I woke up the next lations?”.’ Martin has won count- was a shop steward for the apprentices Sorrow. He says: ‘I broke a lady’s heart, ‘We got to number one with Slik morning my wife said “John Lennon He adds: ‘I’m driven by ambition. less awards including (for her,anyway). and he was certainly tough. Billy Con- and that’s what inspired my hit for Cilla. and Midge Ure, and Kenny. These was shot last night”. We never think we’re finished. I’ve an MBE. He remains nolly became a welder, though he could I wrote that in five minutes. George songs would have suited the Rollers ‘That had happened at the exact not written THE definitive hit. a proud Scot and have been anything – even prime minis- Martin [The Beatles’ producer] thought but people get greedy in the music same time as the noise.’ ‘But some are clinging to the retains his accent, ter.