I'll be honest, I've had a bad day. It's Monday, it's cloudy, I was late to my class this morning, I didn't eat breakfast (so I'm really riding the hangry train), and it's not even noon yet.
Listening to music has always done wonders for my feels, whether I'm angry and in need of some hard rock or I'm sad and needing some build up, "You got this" jams. So, naturally, I turned to Spotify to knock me out of this poopy mood. One of my recently added songs is "(I'm Gonna) Burn Your Playhouse Down," by The Proclaimers.
As the band sung my sorrows away and caused giggles instead, I thought about how very few people actually know who The Proclaimers are. Sure, we Americans know the lines "But I would walk 500 miles / And I would walk 500 more." We can get down to that one song in "Shrek" where Shrek and Donkey are walking to Fiona's castle.
However, we unknowledgeable individuals from the US of A are wildly under-appreciating the incredible awesomeness this band is and what they have accomplished. Read on and get learned.
1. Twin powers
http://www.yorkbarbican.co.uk/whats-on/the-proclaimers-18/
This musical duo is formed between two brothers Craig and Charlie Reid. As one can safely assume, the two are indeed twins, which is probably why they work so well as a pair.
Think about it: Would you be able to work with your sibling for 31 years straight, constantly touring and recording in the studio, without killing them brutally with a psychopathic smile on your face? Probably not, hence the evidence of some awesome twin musical magic at work.
2. Scottish accents and attitudes
I've had the wonderful privilege to have gone to Scotland for two weeks one summer, and it was one of my favorite places I've ever been, hands down. Not only is it utterly gorgeous, as seen above, but Scotland has an incredibly unique attitude all its own.
I like to tell people that I couldn't go outside for five minutes without seeing a whiskey shop, someone wearing traditional Scottish wear, kilt and all, and hearing bagpipes. It seemed like the whole country was completely unafraid to let you know they were alive and well.
Listening to The Proclaimers is exactly like that. Not only are many, many of their songs about the wonders of Scotland, like "Sunshine on Leith," "Streets of Edinburgh," and, oddly enough, "Scotland's Story," but they are unabashedly Scottish while singing.
What icons.
3. Music made in the 80s, but not 80s music
https://www.rhino.com/article/out-now-the-proclaimers-lps
Formed in 1983 while the two brothers were at school, The Proclaimers had their first big break when they toured with The Housemartins in 1986. With just the two of them, their acoustic guitars, and their twin glasses, they were a far cry from the 80s pop that was popular.
However, their unique-ness has made them timeless, making their music wonderful no matter the decade made or listened. With over 30 years and 11 studio albums under their belt, the duo is still growing strong, touring and recording almost constantly, and they even have a musical made based on their songs.
I mean, how many musical groups can say that (besides ABBA, obviously)?
4. Hysterically unexpected music, but relatable AF
https://theirishvillage.ticketslover.com/dubai/events/the-proclaimers-live-in-dubai
Okay, I don't care what kind of humor you have, you can find something to laugh at in The Proclaimers's songs. Their music covers all sorts of topics, from homecomings to heartbreaks to heading out into the world, most of it having an unfailing optimistic sound. Why do you think I listen to them when I'm feeling blue? They're hilarious.
Take "I'd Ask the Questions." It's a fun little bop about ridiculous questions to ask someone if only they were still in the singers' lives. In contrast, "Don't Turn Out Like Your Mother" is a song pleading for a girl to not, you guessed it, turn out like her mother, ending with one of the brothers screaming, "And I won't turn out like my dad!"
"(I'm Gonna) Burn Your Playhouse Down." Even just reading the title inspires the giggles, but the song is basically "You've done me wrong, and now I'm legitimately going to set fire to your belongings."
Talk about hilarious but strangely relatable.
5. The embodiment of "Be yourself"
https://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2016/the-proclaimers-with-special-guest-greg-johnson/wellington
All of this boils down to that The Proclaimers are basically the poster band for "Don't care about what other people think, they're wrong." Their individuality made them transcend time, and a legendary song known around the world to this day is all because of their ingenuity.
Their songs feature a wonderfully unique style and lyrics that explain their lives, from growing up and living in Scotland to loving and learning their way through life.
One of their first singles (and one of my personal favorites), is "Throw The 'R' Away," which is an entire song about how they're Scottish, they're proud, and they're not going to change no matter the consequences. Craig Reid is quoted, saying he didn't see the point in writing songs that reflected their experiences and not singing them true to said experiences. It's this kind of fearless individuality that is not only relatable, it's a hope that everyone has in their own way.
So, next time you're feeling down, put some Proclaimers on shuffle, and I guarantee you'll soon be enveloped in Scottish accents, witty tunes, and a unique sense of self without having to walk 500 miles and definitely not 500 more.
