Bay City Rollers
The Bay City Rollers were a Scottish pop band of the 1970s. Their youthful,… Read Full Bio ↴The Bay City Rollers were a Scottish pop band of the 1970s. Their youthful, clean-cut image, distinct styling featuring tartan-trimmed outfits, and cheery, sing-along pop hits helped the group become among the most popular musical acts of their time. For a relatively brief but fervent period (nicknamed "Rollermania"), they were a worldwide sensation.
Bassist Alan Longmuir, his younger brother Derek Longmuir, a drummer, along with school mate, lead singer Gordon "Nobby" Clark founded the group in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1967, as The Saxons. Shortly afterwards, seeking a less English-sounding moniker, they chose a new name allegedly by throwing a dart at a map of the United States. The dart landed on the map in the state of Arkansas, but since "Arkansas Rollers" did not sound quite right, and might also lead to problems with pronunciation, they tried again and this time the dart landed near the community of Bay City, Michigan.
The Bay City Rollers were managed from early on by the imposing and controversial Tam Paton, himself a former big band leader. Paton was notorious for his rigid control over all aspects of the band's career, including the shuffling in and out of group members at a very high rate. Short term members from this period include David Paton (member 1969-1970) and Billy Lyall (member 1969-1971), who went on to be founding members of another successful Edinburgh band, Pilot.
The Bay City Rollers received their first break when prominent record executive Dick Leahy caught their act by chance in an Edinburgh club. After signing with Leahy's Bell Records, the band's first hit was "Keep on Dancing" (UK #9, 1971), a cover of a 1965 Gentrys hit, recorded at the suggestion of pop impresario and producer Jonathan King. (Singer Nobby Clark was backed on vocals on "Keep on Dancing" by King himself.) Upon this release's success, they made guest appearances on BBC-TV's Top of the Pops. The group then won a Radio Luxembourg-sponsored song contest with the tune "Mañana", which was later popular in parts of Europe and in Israel.
Several non-charting singles were released over the following two years. This period did see the addition of long term members Eric Faulkner and Stuart "Woody" Wood.
In late 1973 they narrowly missed the UK chart with "Saturday Night", one of many singles written and produced for the band by the highly successful songwriting duo of Scotsman Bill Martin and Irishman Phil Coulter.
By the end of 1973, Nobby Clark had become disillusioned by the band's lack of success and decided to move on. He was replaced as lead singer by Leslie McKeown.
The five members at the very end of 1973 - the Longmuir brothers, Faulkner, Wood and McKeown - are generally referred to as the "classic line-up". In early 1974 McKeown hastily re-recorded lead vocals of the group's forthcoming single, "Remember (Sha La La La)", which became a sizable hit and a lead in to a series of UK chart hits.
Beginning with "Remember" (UK #6), the Rollers' popularity exploded, and they released a string of very successful hits on the British charts. Following in succession were "Shang-a-Lang" (UK #2), "Summerlove Sensation" (UK #3), and "All of Me Loves All of You" (UK #4).
By early 1975, they were one of the highest-selling acts in Britain. That year saw a successful UK tour (which prompted newspaper headlines about "Rollermania"), and a 20-week UK television series, Shang-a-Lang.
A cover of the Four Seasons' "Bye, Bye, Baby", stayed at #1 in the UK for six weeks in the spring of 1975, selling nearly a million copies to become the biggest seller of the year, and the subsequent single "Give a Little Love" topped the charts that summer, their second #1 hit. At the peak of their popularity in the UK, comparisons were even made to The Beatles.
By this time, BCR fans had a completely distinctive style of dress, the main elements of which were ankle length tartan trousers and tartan scarves which they had copied from another Tam Paton Band "Bilbo Baggins".
As the group's popularity swelled to superstardom in the UK, a concerted effort was made by Arista Records (the record company that evolved from Bell) to launch the Rollers in America. New Arista head Clive Davis was instrumental in grooming and overseeing the project. His work paid off as in early '76, the Rollers reached #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 with "Saturday Night", the song which had missed the UK chart completely two years earlier. A second US hit came with "Money Honey" which hit #9, and finally reaching a lackluster 62 with a cover version of Dusty's love power. Prior to that, they made their American TV debut on Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell singing Saturday Night.
The dark side of the band's unending schedule of tours and appearances was the great amount of stress the band members felt. By early '76, the strain of success (and the discomfort of a mature man in a teen band) had taken its toll on bassist Alan Longmuir, who decided to leave the group. He was replaced for 7 months by 17 year old Ian Mitchell - the first band member born outside of Edinburgh, Scotland (he was from Northern Ireland). With Mitchell, the group released an album titled Dedication, and hit the charts with a cover version of the Dusty Springfield song "I Only Want To Be With You", which reached US #12, as well as "Yesterday's Hero" and "Dedication".
As the Rollers' popularity waned, the shuffling of personnel continued: Mitchell quit the band, replaced by Pat McGlynn. The group's commercial success began to decline towards the end of the 1970s. In 1977, they covered an unsuccessful 1973 single by String Driven Thing, "It's a Game" to give them their final UK Top 20 hit (#16 in the spring), but "You Made Me Believe in Magic" could only make #34 in the summer. It managed to just crack the top ten in the United States, but this would be their final major success there too. Summer of 1977 saw the group release the It's a Game album and world tour as a four-piece group - McKeown, Wood, Faulkner and Derek Longmuir.
In 1978, Alan Longmuir reunited with the band for the recording of Strangers in the Wind. The release of this LP was timed to coincide with the debut of the Rollers' US television show "The Krofft Superstar Hour" later renamed "The Bay City Rollers Show" on the NBC network. The show was a poor match for the band. Their time in the teen-idol spotlight was slipping away and their music had matured and become more sophisticated compared to the bubblegum hits they had released in '75-'76. The show and album were each dismal failures.
Les McKeown left to pursue a solo career after an on-stage fight with Faulkner in Japan.The Rollers fired Tam Paton in 1979. South African-born Duncan Faure was hired to replace McKeown as lead vocalist and the band shortened its name to The Rollers. Three albums were issued under this name, including Voxx (1980) and 1981's Ricochet, before the group disbanded.
During the 1980s and 1990s, there were various short-lived revivals featuring some of the original members, including a New Year's Eve 1999 concert. Interest was rekindled in Britain by television documentaries about the group and a television-advertised compilation of greatest hits, which entered the UK charts on release in 2004 at its #11 peak.
Currently, there is one touring version using the group's name: Les McKeown's Legendary Bay City Rollers.
Alan Longmuir died on 2 July 2018 in an Edinburgh hospital after contracting an illness while on holiday in Mexico. He was 70.
Bassist Alan Longmuir, his younger brother Derek Longmuir, a drummer, along with school mate, lead singer Gordon "Nobby" Clark founded the group in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1967, as The Saxons. Shortly afterwards, seeking a less English-sounding moniker, they chose a new name allegedly by throwing a dart at a map of the United States. The dart landed on the map in the state of Arkansas, but since "Arkansas Rollers" did not sound quite right, and might also lead to problems with pronunciation, they tried again and this time the dart landed near the community of Bay City, Michigan.
The Bay City Rollers were managed from early on by the imposing and controversial Tam Paton, himself a former big band leader. Paton was notorious for his rigid control over all aspects of the band's career, including the shuffling in and out of group members at a very high rate. Short term members from this period include David Paton (member 1969-1970) and Billy Lyall (member 1969-1971), who went on to be founding members of another successful Edinburgh band, Pilot.
The Bay City Rollers received their first break when prominent record executive Dick Leahy caught their act by chance in an Edinburgh club. After signing with Leahy's Bell Records, the band's first hit was "Keep on Dancing" (UK #9, 1971), a cover of a 1965 Gentrys hit, recorded at the suggestion of pop impresario and producer Jonathan King. (Singer Nobby Clark was backed on vocals on "Keep on Dancing" by King himself.) Upon this release's success, they made guest appearances on BBC-TV's Top of the Pops. The group then won a Radio Luxembourg-sponsored song contest with the tune "Mañana", which was later popular in parts of Europe and in Israel.
Several non-charting singles were released over the following two years. This period did see the addition of long term members Eric Faulkner and Stuart "Woody" Wood.
In late 1973 they narrowly missed the UK chart with "Saturday Night", one of many singles written and produced for the band by the highly successful songwriting duo of Scotsman Bill Martin and Irishman Phil Coulter.
By the end of 1973, Nobby Clark had become disillusioned by the band's lack of success and decided to move on. He was replaced as lead singer by Leslie McKeown.
The five members at the very end of 1973 - the Longmuir brothers, Faulkner, Wood and McKeown - are generally referred to as the "classic line-up". In early 1974 McKeown hastily re-recorded lead vocals of the group's forthcoming single, "Remember (Sha La La La)", which became a sizable hit and a lead in to a series of UK chart hits.
Beginning with "Remember" (UK #6), the Rollers' popularity exploded, and they released a string of very successful hits on the British charts. Following in succession were "Shang-a-Lang" (UK #2), "Summerlove Sensation" (UK #3), and "All of Me Loves All of You" (UK #4).
By early 1975, they were one of the highest-selling acts in Britain. That year saw a successful UK tour (which prompted newspaper headlines about "Rollermania"), and a 20-week UK television series, Shang-a-Lang.
A cover of the Four Seasons' "Bye, Bye, Baby", stayed at #1 in the UK for six weeks in the spring of 1975, selling nearly a million copies to become the biggest seller of the year, and the subsequent single "Give a Little Love" topped the charts that summer, their second #1 hit. At the peak of their popularity in the UK, comparisons were even made to The Beatles.
By this time, BCR fans had a completely distinctive style of dress, the main elements of which were ankle length tartan trousers and tartan scarves which they had copied from another Tam Paton Band "Bilbo Baggins".
As the group's popularity swelled to superstardom in the UK, a concerted effort was made by Arista Records (the record company that evolved from Bell) to launch the Rollers in America. New Arista head Clive Davis was instrumental in grooming and overseeing the project. His work paid off as in early '76, the Rollers reached #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 with "Saturday Night", the song which had missed the UK chart completely two years earlier. A second US hit came with "Money Honey" which hit #9, and finally reaching a lackluster 62 with a cover version of Dusty's love power. Prior to that, they made their American TV debut on Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell singing Saturday Night.
The dark side of the band's unending schedule of tours and appearances was the great amount of stress the band members felt. By early '76, the strain of success (and the discomfort of a mature man in a teen band) had taken its toll on bassist Alan Longmuir, who decided to leave the group. He was replaced for 7 months by 17 year old Ian Mitchell - the first band member born outside of Edinburgh, Scotland (he was from Northern Ireland). With Mitchell, the group released an album titled Dedication, and hit the charts with a cover version of the Dusty Springfield song "I Only Want To Be With You", which reached US #12, as well as "Yesterday's Hero" and "Dedication".
As the Rollers' popularity waned, the shuffling of personnel continued: Mitchell quit the band, replaced by Pat McGlynn. The group's commercial success began to decline towards the end of the 1970s. In 1977, they covered an unsuccessful 1973 single by String Driven Thing, "It's a Game" to give them their final UK Top 20 hit (#16 in the spring), but "You Made Me Believe in Magic" could only make #34 in the summer. It managed to just crack the top ten in the United States, but this would be their final major success there too. Summer of 1977 saw the group release the It's a Game album and world tour as a four-piece group - McKeown, Wood, Faulkner and Derek Longmuir.
In 1978, Alan Longmuir reunited with the band for the recording of Strangers in the Wind. The release of this LP was timed to coincide with the debut of the Rollers' US television show "The Krofft Superstar Hour" later renamed "The Bay City Rollers Show" on the NBC network. The show was a poor match for the band. Their time in the teen-idol spotlight was slipping away and their music had matured and become more sophisticated compared to the bubblegum hits they had released in '75-'76. The show and album were each dismal failures.
Les McKeown left to pursue a solo career after an on-stage fight with Faulkner in Japan.The Rollers fired Tam Paton in 1979. South African-born Duncan Faure was hired to replace McKeown as lead vocalist and the band shortened its name to The Rollers. Three albums were issued under this name, including Voxx (1980) and 1981's Ricochet, before the group disbanded.
During the 1980s and 1990s, there were various short-lived revivals featuring some of the original members, including a New Year's Eve 1999 concert. Interest was rekindled in Britain by television documentaries about the group and a television-advertised compilation of greatest hits, which entered the UK charts on release in 2004 at its #11 peak.
Currently, there is one touring version using the group's name: Les McKeown's Legendary Bay City Rollers.
Alan Longmuir died on 2 July 2018 in an Edinburgh hospital after contracting an illness while on holiday in Mexico. He was 70.
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Bay City Rollers Lyrics
09 Please Stay If I got on my knees And pleaded with you Not to…
10Jenny Gotta Dance Looks like an angel dances like a devil Jenny ah Who's tha…
Ain't It Strange Four o' clock in the morning And I'm here waiting for…
All of Me Love All Of You Shoo be doo ay, I got something to say Shoo be…
All of me loves all of U Shoo be doo ay, I got something to say Shoo be…
All Of Me Loves All Of You Shoo be doo ay, I got something to say Shoo be…
All Of The World Is Falling In Love All of the world is falling in love The sound of…
Angel Angel Hey boy that girl she's gonna break your heart in…
Angel Baby They tried to say it's just a teenage love affair, Angel…
Another Day in New York City Listen to the radio A voice on the early show says…
Another Rainy Day In New York City Listen to the radio A voice on the early show says…
Are You Cuckoo Are you cuckoo? Are you? Are you cuckoo? Me too Are you…
Are You Cuckoo%3F Are you cuckoo? Are you? Are you cuckoo? Me too Are you…
Are You Cuckoo? Are you cuckoo? Are you? Are you cuckoo? Me too Are you…
Back On The Road Again Spend my life making out in a limousine Checking out all…
Back On The Street You've been high on love I've been on my knees I've been…
Be My Baby The night we met I knew I needed you so And…
Because I Love You When you close your eyes Will you think of me and…
Bringing Back The Good Times Singing sha la la la la la Shoo be doo aye We're…
Bye Bye Baby If you hate me after what I say Can't put it…
Bye Bye Barbara Barbara was a good girl, uh-huh Get you in the mood,…
Bye Bye Bye If you hate me after what I say Can't put it…
Dance Dance Dance Yea we've been strangers living in a wonderland Seems you'v…
Dedication I phoned the local station I kinda like the things they're…
Derek's End Piece And you know darlin' that every time I heard them say, Our…
Don Well it's been building up inside of me for Oh, I…
Don't Let The Music Die Yesterday when I was young I played the game and never…
Don't Stop Believing Don't stop the music I don't want to lose her I just…
Don't Worry Baby Well it's been building up inside of me for Oh, I…
Doors Bars & Metal (la la la la la la) (la la la la la…
Eagles Fly Born on a highway On a freeway ride Eagles come riding in…
Elevator Laughing at their situation, backs against the wall Waiting …
Every Tear I Cry Don't turn away When I call to you 'Cause I can't take…
Give a Little Love It's a teenage dream to be seventeen And to find you're…
Give It To Me Now Whatever you got and you got a lot It's just what…
Give To Me Now Whatever you got and you got a lot It's just what…
Hello & Welcome Home Hello, hello, my love That was a time to remember When lov…
Here Comes That Feeling Again When you see her there do you stop and stare? Does…
Hey! Beautiful Dreamer Hey! beautiful dreamer, Dream your life away, Look in your e…
I ONLY WANNA I don't know what it is that makes me love…
I Only Wanna Dance With You No I just don't wanna dance, With her tonight, 'Cause I'm fe…
I Only Want T Be With You I don't know what it is that makes me love…
I Was Eleven When I started out the band I wasn't even a teenage…
If You Were My Woman If you were my woman And I was your man If you…
Inside A Broken Dream Turn the pages of a broken dream Smiling faces, have they…
It The clown came down to meet me With a smile upon…
It's A Game The clown came down to meet me With a smile upon…
It's For You It's the way that you share your love with me,…
Its a Game The clown came down to meet me With a smile upon…
Jenny Jenny I love you in the sunshine Jenny I love you…
Jenny Gotta Dance Looks like an angel dances like a devil Jenny ah Who's that…
Just A Little Falling in love with you was such a simple game, Having…
Keep on Dancing Keep on dancing, Keep on doin' the jerk. Shake it, shake it,…
La Bell Jeane Feel the air this night is for romance, Taste the wine…
Lay your love on the line I ain't gonna crash, I ain't gonna burn I ain't gonna…
Let I can't sleep nights Wishing you were here beside me Can't h…
Let's Go Let's go, let's go Let's go hugging and a-kissing in the…
Let's Pretend I can't sleep nights Wishing you were here beside me Can't…
Life on the radio Life on the radio Anytime at all you call me Live on…
Love Power When I walk down the street Don't have to care about…
Love Brought Me Such A Magical Thing It's not because your eyes say something to me It's not…
Love Fever Some kind of evil woman is bringing me down now She…
Love Is Why can't we be like before Has someone else gone and…
Love Me Like I Love You Do you love me like I love you Or is this…
Love Me Like I Love You* Do you love me like I love you Or is this…
Love Power When I walk down the street Don't have to care about…
Lovely To See You Lovely to see you, it's really nice to be back…
Mama Li Who's that walkin' down the Main street Who's that lookin'…
Manana Manana Mana-na-na-na-na-na Manana Mana-na-na-na-na-na, Ma…
Marlena Oh you dream of a silver stallion Riding high on the…
Marlina Oh you dream of a silver stallion Riding high on the…
Mary Anne Ba, Ba, Ba, Ba, Ba, Ba, Ba, Ba, Ba, Ba, Ba,…
Maryanne Ba, Ba, Ba, Ba, Ba, Ba, Ba, Ba, Ba, Ba, Ba,…
Maybe I'm a Fool Maybe I'm a fool to love you Baby I'm a fool…
Maybe I'm a Fool to Love You Maybe I'm a fool to love you Baby I'm a fool…
Money Honey Money, Money, Money Can make you turn your head now Money, M…
Money Honey* Money, Money, Money Can make you turn your head now Money,…
Money Money Money, Money, Money Can make you turn your head now Money, M…
My Lisa Lisa, one more time for old time's sake Come save me,…
My Teenage Heart Why must my teenage heart keep sharing you Why must my…
No doubt about it I don't know what it is about you There's something special…
Once Upon A Star La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, La, la,…
Playing In A Rock 'n' Roll Band I had a dream when I started out Get out of…
Playing In A Rock And Roll Band I had a dream when I started out Get out of…
Please Stay If I got on my knees And pleaded with you Not to…
Rebel Rebel Doo doo doo-doo doo doo doo doo Doo doo doo-doo…
Remember Chimmy-cherry-some, we used to make up songs, remember Sha-l…
Remember " Chimmy-cherry-some, we used to make up songs, remember Sha-…
Remember (Sha La La La) Shimmy Shammy Shong We used to make up songs, Remember Sha l…
Remember Sha La La La Shimmy shammy shong We used to make up songs remember Sha la…
Ride Come in My love I want you any way you are And get…
Rock & Roll Love Letter Dear sister poet, dear brother poet too These tears that wo…
Rock 'n Roll Love Letter Dear sister poet, dear brother poet too These tears are word…
Rock 'N Roller I get my kicks from rock and roll A twelve bar…
Rock 'n' Roll Honeymoon Baby I'm a knockin' So you better get your rockin' boots…
Rock 'n' Roll Love Letter Dear sister poet, dear brother poet too These tears are wor…
Rock 'n' Roll Love Letters Dear sister poet, dear brother poet too These tears are word…
Rock 'N' Roller I get my kicks from rock and roll A twelve bar…
Rock And Roll Honeymoon Baby I'm a knockin' So you better get your rockin' boots…
Rock and Roll Love Letter Dear sister poet, dear brother poet too These tears that wor…
Rock and Roll Loveletter You say you wanna rock and you say you wanna…
Rock N I get my kicks from rock and roll A twelve bar…
Rock N Roll Honeymoon Baby I'm a knockin' So you better get your rockin' boots…
Rock N Roll Love Letter Dear sister poet, dear brother poet too These tears are word…
Rock n Roller I get my kicks from rock and roll A twelve bar…
Rock N' Roll Honeymoon Baby I'm a knockin' So you better get your rockin' boots…
Rock N' Roll Love Letters Hey sister poet dear, brother poet to These tears and words…
Rock'n Roll Love Letter Dear sister poet, dear brother poet too These tears are wor…
Rock'n'Roll Love Letters Dear sister poet, dear brother poet too These tears are word…
Roxy lady I heard you call my name You looked all right Well that's…
Saturday Night S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y night! S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y night! S-A-T-U-R-D-A-…
Saturday Night (Original Version) S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y night S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y night S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y …
Saturday Night: 00:02:49 Saturday night Saturday night Saturday night Saturday nig…
Saturday Nite S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y night! S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y night! S-A-T-U-R-D-A-…
Set the fashion You don't understand me you tell me I'm wrong But I…
Shang a Lang We were rippin' up We were rockin' up Roll it over and…
Shanghai'd in Love Sail across horizons as the ocean sails towards the Eastern…
She'll Be Crying Over You You may not feel, that she means so much to…
Shoorah Shoorah For Hollywood Listen while I sing you a song It used to make…
Stoned Houses #2 I've never been, I never wanted to go Another line and…
Strangers In The Wind Headin' out of the city life, Suitcase full of dreams Trying…
Summer Love Sensation Now the sun's sitting high in the sky And the love…
Summerlove Sensation Now the sun's sitting high in the sky And the love…
Sunshine Of Your Love I ain't gonna crash, I ain't gonna burn I ain't gonna…
Sweet Virginia Headin' south on the Macon trail Kickin' dust inside some co…
That's Where the Boys Are Out in the night I like to be where the boys…
The Bump One two three bump One two three bump There's a new dance…
The Disco Kid Down town Brooklyn there's a party goin' on, If there's a…
The Pie When I say I love you, you just act like…
The Way I Feel Tonight Turn the music way down low Let me see you in…
There Goes My Baby There goes my baby which someall a gone. And when I…
This is your life You, you pighead in a crowd Never dress too loud This is…
Tomorrow's Just A Day Away I'll love you forever Every moment I'm in you Each time we'r…
Too Young to Rock & Roll Too young to rock 'n' roll Ya shaking it all over…
Turn On The Radio Make an early air ride then you crash your car Tripping…
Washington's Birthday Dry your eyes, Mrs. Washington Through all the years have p…
We Can Make Music Come on come on Julie touch me with your fingers Let…
When I Say I Love You When I say I love you, you just act like…
When Will You Be Mine I've been hurt by you I've been loved by you When oh…
When Will You Be Mine? I've been hurt by you I've been loved by you When oh…
Where Will I Be Now Darlin' You don't have to worry 'bout what people say Darlin…
Who'll Be My Keeper Driving around in a racing car Talking on the telephone Sitt…
Won't You Come Home With Me Caroline must have faced trying to smile For awhile, she sig…
Wouldn't You Like It Wouldn't you like to come and spin me Round, round, round. …
Write A Letter I'm hoping you'll write a letter I tried to make a…
Yesterday When I walk down the street, See the people who stop…
Yesterdays Hero When I walk down the street, See the people who stop…
You made believe in magic I believed all love had gone Had no strength to carry…
You're A Woman Baby it's good to see your face again It's been some…