From the 2004 “All Over This Town” album. “…A brilliant and witty evocation of growing up in 1960s Edinburgh, listening to Radio Luxembourg and wanting to be like Bob Dylan…”
Mississippi MacDonald
In 2004, Nick asked me to play guitar on the All Over This Town record – I was honoured to have the opportunity to do this and delighted to be able to spend time with him in the Studio. I had a brand new and shiny Candy Apple Red Nashville Telecaster which I used on two tracks, “All Over This Town”, and “American Accent”. Of the time that I spent with Nick in London and Scotland, one of my favourite memories was that session, and particularly standing at the mixing desk and hearing the extraordinary and beautiful harmonies on “The Heart”, on the same record.
Nick was someone who I admired hugely – his warmth, humour and world class musicianship. It was wonderful to be with him and to learn from him and I think of him and listen to his music often.
After Nick passed, I wanted to record “American Accent” with my band. We put together a new arrangement – part acoustic to start with, and then with as much “electric gospel” as we could for the outro – horns, hammond organ, backing singers and of course, a Candy Apple Red electric guitar. I remember standing in the studio at the mixing desk playing the outro, and wishing that he could be there to hear it.
American Accent
I loved it then and I love it noo,
The Country and the Cajun and the Delta Blues
There’s nothing like the tapping of a blue suede shoe,
When it’s done in an American Accent.
I loved the Memphis and the Nashville sound
I tuned to “Lux” when the lights were down
I sang like Elvis on my paper round
And I sang in an American accent
Chorus:
Doesn ‘t matter if it’s fast or slow
Kind of high or way down low
They’ll never play it on the radio
Unless you sing in an American accent
They’ll never play it on the radio
Unless you sing in an American accent
I bought a guitar when I was just 14
I wanted to be groovy on the party scene,
Looking kind of chubby in my Parker’s jeans
I sang in an American accent
Bobby Dylan he was all the rage,
The denim-clad hero of the modern age
Guess I was going through an awkward stage
When I sang in an American accent
I sang a song on the BBC…
They let me keep the tape for free
I played it back: it didn’t sound like me
I sang in an American accent
Opened the curtains and I looked outside
Saw the reality I could not hide:
This isn’t Memphis, this is Morningside
And I don’t have an American accent
Nick Keir 