Sleeve Notes
This production of workers' songs, from an idea stirring in the minds of The Laggan as they sang with other groups in many parts of the world, is being sponsored by the General Council of the Scottish Trades Union Congress.
The record of songs and ballads from many lands received the go ahead after the Scottish folk group had approached the STUC's Entertainment and Arts Sub Committee.
It was at once agreed that the record must have a truly international flavour, but that at the same time it should have a distinctive Scottish tang: that's why it was decided it should be labelled: "I am the Common Man" after the poem by Joe Corrie, the Scots poet and author.
The project was tackled enthusiastically by the Laggan who specialise in traditional and political songs of the working people at home and abroad.
They have played in various European countries and in 1973 at the Festival of Political Song in East Germany, in competition with groups from all parts of the world, their recording of "The Wark o' the Weavers" reached No. 1 in the 'Hit Parade'.
Their recordings have been released in, among other countries, France, USA, Ireland, GFR and the GDR and, of course, The Laggan are well known for their TV and radio programmes in this country.
The four-man line-up is: John McDermott — banjo, harmonica — a machine operator to trade; Tony Patton — guitar, mandolin, harmonica and vocals — a housepainter; his brother Billy — fiddle, mandolin, banjo, guitar, bazooki and vocals — honours student at Strathclyde University; Arthur Johnstone — lead vocal — an engineering shop steward and a stewards' representative on Glasgow District Committee of the AUEW.
The record project is the third venture in less than a year undertaken by the STUC's Entertainment and Arts Sub Committee. They sponsored the highly successful "Gala Performance" for trade unionists and their families in the Theatre Royal, Glasgow las June, and backed the equally successful birthday celebration concert for the Scots poet Hugh MacDiarmid in Edinburgh in August.