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.
I Only Want to Be with You
Bay City Rollers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't know what it is that makes me love you so.
I only know I never want to let you go
'Cause you started something, can't you see.
Ever since we met you've had a hold on me.
I happens to be true, I only want to be with you.
It doesn't matter where you go or what you do.
I want to spend each moment of the day with you.
Look what has happened with just one kiss.
I never knew that I could be in love like this.
It's crazy but it's true I only want to be with you.
You stopped and smiled at me,
Asked me if I'd care to dance.
I fell into your open arms,
I didn't stand a chance.
Now, listen, honey, I just want to be beside you everywhere.
As long as we're together, honey, I don't care
'Cause you started something, can't you see.
Ever since we met you've had a hold on me.
No matter what you do, I only want to be with you.
You stopped and smiled at me,
Asked me if I'd care to dance.
I fell into your open arms,
I didn't stand a chance.
Now, listen, honey, I just want to be beside you everywhere.
As long as we're together, honey, I don't care
'Cause you started something, can't you see.
Ever since we met you've had a hold on me.
No matter what you do, I only want to be with you.
No matter, no matter what you do, I only want to be with you.
No matter, no matter what you do, I only want to be with you.
I only know I never want to let you go
'Cause you started something, can't you see.
Ever since we met you've had a hold on me.
I happens to be true, I only want to be with you.
It doesn't matter where you go or what you do.
I want to spend each moment of the day with you.
I never knew that I could be in love like this.
It's crazy but it's true I only want to be with you.
You stopped and smiled at me,
Asked me if I'd care to dance.
I fell into your open arms,
I didn't stand a chance.
Now, listen, honey, I just want to be beside you everywhere.
As long as we're together, honey, I don't care
'Cause you started something, can't you see.
Ever since we met you've had a hold on me.
No matter what you do, I only want to be with you.
You stopped and smiled at me,
Asked me if I'd care to dance.
I fell into your open arms,
I didn't stand a chance.
Now, listen, honey, I just want to be beside you everywhere.
As long as we're together, honey, I don't care
'Cause you started something, can't you see.
Ever since we met you've had a hold on me.
No matter what you do, I only want to be with you.
No matter, no matter what you do, I only want to be with you.
No matter, no matter what you do, I only want to be with you.
The Bay City Rollers' hit song "I Only Want to Be with You" is a declaration of love and devotion. The singer is enamored with someone and cannot explain why they feel so strongly about them but they know that they never want to let them go. The singer believes that this person has started something within them that they cannot ignore, and they have been captivated by them ever since they met. They want to spend every moment of the day with this person and don't care where they go or what they do, as long as they are together. The lyrics paint a picture of overwhelming love and a strong desire for companionship.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't know what it is that makes me love you so.
I cannot explain why I love you so deeply.
I only know I never want to let you go.
All I know is that I never want to lose you.
'Cause you started something, can't you see.
Ever since we met, you ignited a spark in me.
Ever since we met you've had a hold on me.
From the moment we met, you've had a strong emotional grip on me.
It happens to be true, I only want to be with you.
The truth is, I only desire to spend my life with you.
It doesn't matter where you go or what you do.
Your location and actions are irrelevant to my love for you.
I want to spend each moment of the day with you.
Every moment of my day, I wish to spend by your side.
Look what has happened with just one kiss.
With one kiss, my world changed drastically.
I never knew that I could be in love like this.
I was not aware that love could make me feel this way.
It's crazy but it's true, I only want to be with you.
I may seem irrational, but it's true that I only want you by my side.
You stopped and smiled at me, asked me if I'd care to dance.
You caught my attention with your smile and asked me to dance.
I fell into your open arms, I didn't stand a chance.
I was powerless against your charm and fell into your embrace.
Now, listen, honey, I just want to be beside you everywhere.
My dear, I wish to be by your side wherever you go.
As long as we're together, honey, I don't care.
As long as we are together, nothing else matters to me.
No matter what you do, I only want to be with you.
Regardless of what you do, my heart only desires you.
No matter, no matter what you do, I only want to be with you.
No matter what, I only want you in my life.
Lyrics © Roba Music Verlag GMBH, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Sentric Music, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ivor Raymonde, Michael Hawker
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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@redwork7230
LYRICS FOR MY LOVE:
I don't know what it is that makes me love you so
I only know I never want to let you go
'Cause you started something, can't you see
That ever since we met, you've had a hold on me?
It happens to be true
I only want to be with you
It doesn't matter where you go or what you do
I want to spend each moment of the day with you
Look what has happened with just one kiss
I never knew that I could be in love like this
It's crazy but it's true
I only want to be with you
You stopped, you smiled at me
And asked me if I cared to dance
I fell into your open arms
I didn't stand a chance
Now listen, honey
I just want to be beside you everywhere
As long as we're together, honey, I don't care
'Cause you started something, can't you see
That ever since we met, you've had a hold on me?
No matter what you do
I only want to be with you
You stopped, you smiled at me
And asked me if I cared to dance
I fell into your open arms
I didn't stand a chance
Now listen, honey
I just want to be beside you everywhere
As long as we're together, honey, I don't care
'Cause you started something, can't you see
That ever since we met, you've had a hold on me?
No matter what you do
I only want to be with you
No matter, no matter what you do
I only want to be with you
Whoo
No matter, no matter what you do
I only want to be with you
@user-kx3nx6cp1q
Muy buena rola!!!🎶🎧🎼...WOW, AQUÍ LA VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL DE LUISMI
Si tú me hubieras dicho siempre la verdad
Si hubieras respondido cuando te llamé
Si hubieras amado cuando te amé
Serías en mis sueños la mejor mujer
Si no supiste amar
Ahora te puedes marchar
Si tú supieras lo que yo sufrí por ti
Teniendo que olvidarte sin saber porqué
Y ahora me llamas, me quieres ver
Me juras que has cambiado y piensas en volver
Si no supiste amar
Ahora te puedes marchar
Aléjate de mí
No hay nada más que hablar
Contigo yo perdí
Ya tengo con quien ganar
Ya sé que no hubo nadie que te diera lo que yo te di
Que nadie te ha cuidado como te cuidé
Por eso comprendo que estás aquí
Pero ha pasado el tiempo y yo también cambié
Si no supiste amar
Ahora te puedes marchar
Aléjate de mí
No hay nada más que hablar
Contigo yo perdí
Ya tengo con quien ganar
Ya sé que no hubo nadie que te diera lo que yo te di
Que nadie te ha cuidado como te cuidé
Por eso comprendo que estás aquí
Pero ha pasado el tiempo y yo también cambié
Si no supiste amar
Ahora te puedes marchar
Si no supiste amar
Ahora te puedes marchar
@conniebrown1432
When I hear this song, Its still 1976. I'm still 14, sitting in my bedroom, listening to my Rollers albums and staring at my Tiger Beat posters. RIP, Les. You are one if my favorite childhood memories 💖
@jaanak4279
Connie, I feel same. I was 14 years old 1976, listening BCR in my bedroom. It was great music!
Jaana, Finland
@hans-peterbauer1734
I feel same too. My childhood. Listen to them in the Radio.i was 11 years. Peter from Germany
@timeaftertime8005
I was 11 my cousin was 13 we fought about who was going to marry Les, ;) BayCity Rollers were all the rage in Australia, never saw them live but did manage to see Les in the 90s solo, still gorgeous, still amazing. Gone too young. #RIPlLes
@rosemarymurray8256
I feel the same way ! I had posters and pictures all over my bed room walls it was great times , the rollers made me very happy, I still love you eric it's now over 40 years 🥰
@JeanCuillerier
EXACT THAT IS WHAT MUSIC IS MADE FOR...I M CRAZILY HAPPY FOR YOU...TRULY AM
]
@michaelschwab9806
Who's listening to the great Bay City Rollers in 2023.. aw yes..take me back to the mid 70s..love this band!
@NigerianCrusader
Im just here cuz colin slater was in charge of this band
@juliebradwell8430
They were the best group and so were the 70s😊
@alisonsavill8191
The good old days when you understood what people were singing good memories