Phil Coulter on music, Derry, Donegal – and life

SINGER, songwriter, musician and composer Phil Coulter embarks on an Irish tour this week. He plays The Alley Theatre, Strabane this Saturday, 9th November and  An Grianan, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal on  Wednesday, 13th November.

He appears at the National Concert Hall in Dublin on November 27th

Full tour dates here

PHIL Coulter’s composing and song-writing spans several genres. He has written probably one of the finest songs to have emerged from the Troubles — The Town I Loved So Well.

In 1965, he met Scotsman Bill Martin and the two formed a stratospherically successful songwriting team that lasted more than ten years — with Coulter largely composing the music, and Martin the lyrics.

Their first big success was Sandie Shaw’s 1967 Eurovision-winning entry, Puppet on a String, which became an international hit and was covered more than a 100 times.

This was followed in 1968 with Congratulations — which has even more cover versions. Sung by Cliff Richard, it came second in the Eurovision Song Contest.

A further Eurovision entry in 1975, Toi, was co-written by Phil Coulter and Pierre Cour for Luxembourg. It was performed by Coulter’s future wife Geraldine Branagan in Stockholm, coming in a creditable fifth.

Aside from their Eurovision forays, in England Coulter and Martin’s songwriting success continued. After both Puppet on a String and Congratulations had made it to No. 1 numerous other Top 10 hits followed for artists such as the Bay City Rollers, Kenny, Slik, and Cilla Black.

He has also written the ‘neutral’ anthem Ireland’s Call used by sports teams drawn from across the island of Ireland

What projects are you working on at the minute?

We’re currently on our annual National Tour throughout the country………thirty something dates from Ballymascanlon to Bantry Bay.  That will take us right up to New Year’s Eve. Think I’ll sleep through most of January!

Which piece of music always sends a shiver down your spine?

There are a couple of film scores written by the great Marl Knopfler, Cal and Local Hero. We recorded an orchestral arrangement of both which we all just loved playing…but better than that…David Putnam, who produced both films, reckoned that our version was his favourite. I’ll settle for that!

Which musician has most influenced you?

There have been so many, because you always learn from musicians that re better than you. One of my earliest heroes was Henry Mancini. I was lucky to have become friendly with Hank, as they called him, and he was a great encouragement to me in my earliest days. What a gent!

Which of your own compositions are you most proud of?

Professionally I’d have to say being the only non-American songwriter to have written a top 3 record for Elvis Presley with the song My Boy would rank pretty high. Personally The Town I Loved So Well would be the song I’d like to be remembered for. Scorn Not His Simplicity would be a close second.

When you hear Ireland’s Call on a match day does it give you goose pimples?

When I’ve been at a game in the Aviva, especially with a couple of my kids, it’s nice to think that when I’ve fallen off the perch they’ll still be singing my song.

What do you think of the choice of six songs for the EU Songbook (The Fields of Athenry, Grace, Song for Ireland, Whiskey in The Jar (traditional)Ag Críost an Síol, I’ll Tell Me Ma)? Surely The Town I Love So Well should be there?

The songs in the EU songbook are all fine songs. It’s not up to me to say that The Town should be in there. I’m happy that the song has passed into the public domain and has become a staple in Irish music

What’s on your smartphone playlist at the minute?

Was a huge fan of a series on TG4 called Blath na h-Oige, where young ‘sean nós’ singers were featured.

What are your Irish roots — are you Derry-born and bred?

Born in Derry in 1942, while the Second World War was still raging across Europe. I grew up in an era of air raid shelters and rationing. In my later years Derry was in many ways the microcosm of what was happening in the North. There were tough times but thank God Derry is enjoying a bit of a rebirth.

You went to St Columb’s in Derry. Why do you think it has produced so many high achievers such as yourself?

I came across a photo when I was researching for my memoir Bruised Never Broken taken after one of our concerts in the Kennedy Centre in DC. In the pic were Brian Friel, John Hume, Seamus Heaney, Seamus Deane….all ex St Columb’s boys. We agreed that the one thing we learned from the college was a work ethic.

What is your favourite place in Ireland?

Derry may be The Place I Love So Well, but Donegal would be like my spiritual home. I still love to visit Lough Swilly. It’s like going back to the well.

Have you a book that has been a major influence on you?

The Great O’neill, the story of Hugh O’Neill, Earl of Tyrone…the Great O’Neill Written many years ago by Sean Ó Faolain, it’s a brilliantly constructed story and as relevant today as it ever was.

Which living person do you most admire?

Alex Ferguson.  I’m a soccer fan and he was the greatest manager in the history of the game.

Which trait in others do you most admire?

I admire people who are comfortable in their own skin and super talented people who are modest about their talent.

What would be your motto?

Don’t let the old man in.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?

Don’t sweat the small stuff.

In terms of inanimate objects, what is your most precious possession?

My very first gold record for Puppet on a String in 1967.  That  one got the bank manager off my back and my poor mother off her knees.

What’s best thing about where you live?

We live in Bray, County Wicklow, which is right on the sea. Our favourite thing is to go for a walk along the promenade first thing in the morning. I actually prefer the winter mornings when we’re well wrapped up against the cold and we have to lean into the wind when it’s howling and dodge the spray coming off the crashing waves.

. . .  . and the worst?

One of our neighbours has hens, including a cockerel who welcomes in the dawn and then keeps going all day. Glad I don’t own a shotgun!

What’s the greatest lesson life has taught you?

That it’s too short to bear grudges.

What do you believe in?

I believe in God and I believe in living the best life I can without standing on anybody’s toes.

What do you consider the greatest work of art?

Missa Papae Marcelli, an eight part polyphonic Mass composed in the sixteenth century by Palestrina. I studied it at university and it has stayed with me for all these years.

Who/what is the greatest love of your life?

My wife Geraldine and all my kids. More than any music or songs, my greatest achievement is to have brought a large family into the world.

Full tour dates here