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Songs That Weren't To Be

by Aidan Moffat

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SONGS THAT WEREN’T TO BE

LOST SONGS AND DEMOS FROM WHERE YOU’RE MEANT TO BE

These are the lost songs and demos from Where You’re Meant To Be, including 4 previously-unheard-by-anyone tunes, newly remixed studio versions of songs from the live set, and some of the demos that kicked them all off. If these are of interest to you, then I expect you’ve already bought the live album and the DVD – not to mention coming to the gigs or going to the cinema – so the album is available at an unbelievable BARGAIN PRICE! (Yes, it used to be pay-what-you-want, but that's over now, sorry. Blame the Tories.)

Here are the “sleeve” notes:


1. IT’S A LONELY LIFE TO LEAD

PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

Before I decided to rewrite old, familiar folk songs, the plan was to compose completely new originals in the folk and bothy style, and this is the very first piece I wrote. The old ballads are often referred to as “drinking songs” because they’re usually sung in pubs by revellers, so I had this idea that I’d write drinking songs in a more literal sense, which would attempt to address Scotland’s relationship with The Bevvy itself. I gave up after the second one (which you’ll hear later) when I realised that tampering with the classics was a more engaging challenge (or folly, depending on your point of view), but I recorded both of them during the first sessions in 2013. They were always intended to be unaccompanied duets with James Graham, but then I asked Michael John to add a bit of accordion to make them a little bit lovelier.


2. I’M A ROVER (STUDIO VERSION)

PREVIOUSLY RELEASED ON THE WHERE YOU’RE MEANT TO BE 7"

The sensible thing to do for the original tour in 2014 would’ve been having an album to sell at the gigs, and that was indeed the intention. We recorded three songs in the studio – all included here – until I realised that the only remotely authentic way to record them was in front of an audience, and the studio sessions were abandoned. We released the rough mixes on the Where You’re Meant To Be 7” EP, but they’ve since been remixed and remastered for your optimum aural pleasure.


3. THE MACARONI PIE SONG (DEMO)

PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

This song about Scotland’s diet wasn’t finished in time for the 2014 tour, but I finished it afterwards with the intention of performing it at the film premiere and any similar festival events. So I recorded a demo sometime in late 2014 or early 2015 and then forgot all about it until a couple of weeks ago when I was looking through my hard-drive.


4. THE CITY TONIGHT (DEMO)

PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

The original demo, where I sing a completely wrong melody at the end of the choruses.


5. ROY’S WIFE FROM GOVANHILL

PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

This version of Roy’s Wife from Aldivallcoh was only ever performed at the Glasgow gigs because that’s where Govanhill is. I live nearby and witnessed a rather public “domestic” in the street as I passed through one afternoon, and it inspired this mercifully brief (and slightly drunken) rant.


6. ABDUCTION LULLABY (STUDIO VERSION)

PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

The second of the three studio versions, recorded very early on when I was still trying to get my head round the singing.


7. SQUEEZEBOX #2 (REJECTED SOUNDTRACK)

PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

An early attempt at incidental music for the movie. I’ve got about 40 minutes’ worth of these wee pieces on my drive, all of which were roundly rejected by director Paul Fegan – and rightly so, the end result was great and his ideas were better. You wouldn’t believe the amount of work that goes into a film only to end up getting chucked. Never mind, though – just keep your eyes peeled for the MORE You’re Meant To Be 10th Anniversary Box Set in 2026! Including DVD and BluRay with 6 hours of extras and deleted scenes, 3 vinyl LPs, 5 CDs, a 60-page hardback book and an exclusive, engraved whisky glass. I’m joking, of course, but now that you mention it …


8. BIG KILMARNOCK BUNNET (DEMO)

PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

My original reference for this song was John Steven’s unaccompanied version, apparently recorded in the pub, so I thought I’d try to emulate that. Did my own backing vocals and everything.


9. A NICER CUNT YOU’LL NEVER KNOW

PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

The second of the two drinking songs with James and Michael John, this one’s about one of those friends who’s a “good cunt” until he has a few too many. We’ve all got one. Some of us might even be one.


10. JOCK McGRAW (STUDIO VERSION)

PREVIOUSLY RELEASED ON THE WHERE YOU’RE MEANT TO BE 7"

The last of the remixed studio versions. Still my favourite.


11. THE PARTING SONG (DEMO)

PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

There’s only one song we could end with, of course, so here’s the Parting Song demo from 2013, replete with off-key whistling at the end. I was just adding a placeholder for Jenny’s fiddle solo but she actually tried to replicate it and it came out great – she must be some kind of genius. I really like this version, but I’m glad Sheila Stewart never heard it. I was in enough bother as it was.



So there you go. All that’s left to say is thank you for your support of the Where You’re Meant To Be project, from the gigs to the album, to – of course – the film. As I said above, it was a lot of work, most of which you’ll never hear or see – but the final product is something we’re all very proud of. It’s November 2017 now, more than four years since we started, and I’ve only just come back from our last festival screening, where the film won its seventh award. It’s all downhill from here.

Sláinte mhaith!

credits

released November 16, 2017

Stevie Jones: guitar, piano
Jenny Reeve: fiddle, voice
Michael John McCarthy: accordion
James Graham: voice
Me: voice, drums

Tracks 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 10 recorded and mixed by Paul Savage at Chem19

Mastered by Geoff Allan

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Aidan John Moffat Glasgow, UK

Singing songs and making noise since 1996. See also: Arab Strap; Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat; L. Pierre; Aidan Moffat & the Best-Ofs; Aidan Moffat & RM Hubbert, Nyx Nótt ... and probably a few others I've forgotten.

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