The United Kingdom of Song #36: Oban

Another picturesque Scottish seaside town today, in the Firth of Lorn. Musically, it's the birthplace of folk singer Aiden O'Rourke and a couple of famous bagpipe players.

It's also the second town in this feature to get name-dropped by Everything But The Girl... although this one wasn't written by Tracey Thorn, but her other half Ben Watt, who also make a rare lead vocal showing here. Tracey provides gorgeous backing vocals, otherwise this song truly would be Everything But The Girl.

The highlands and the lowlands

Are the roots my father knows

The holidays at Oban

And the towns around Montrose

But even as he sleeps

They're loading bombs into the hills

And the waters in the lochs

Can run deep but never still

I've thought of having children

But I've gone and changed my mind

It's hard enough to watch the news

Let alone explain it to a child

To cast your eye 'cross nature

Over fields of rape and corn

And tell him without flinching

Not to fear where he's been born

Then someone sat me down last night

And I heard Caruso sing

He's almost as good as Presley

And if I only do one thing

I'll sing songs to my father

I'll sing songs to my child

It's time to hold your loved ones

While the chains are loosed and the world

Runs wild