We Loved Them, Yeah Yeah, Yeah

Nov 9 2008

The Beatles In Scotland

WHAT'S it like to be buddies with a Beatle? A string of famous Scots can boast they were friends of the Fab Four - from comedian Billy Connolly to former motor racing champ Sir Jackie Stewart and SFA boss Gordon Smith. They all have great memories of John, Paul, George or Ringo.

JACKIE STEWART

JACKIE sat by his pool with 12-year-old son Paul at home in Lake Geneva, Switzerland.

The sounds of their favourite music wafted into the night sky.

The tunes were Beatle songs.

The only difference was the songs weren't coming from a stereo or radio. They were being strummed on guitar by close friend George Harrison.

It remains Jackie's most cherished memory of a friendship which began at the 1969 Monaco Grand Prix.

Sir Jackie recalled: "Paul brought out his guitar. George started to play all the Beatle hits...explaining the lyrics.

"I remember thinking this had to be one of the greatest privileges anybody could have - to enjoy a perfect evening with such a remarkable man."

George's friendship with Jackie grew into a two-way street of enduring affection.

When his career slipped into a creative funk in the mid-70s, the Beatle credited him with inspiring him to return to the studio. The result - 1979's eponymously titled George Harrison album - featured the song Faster, written as tribute to the Grand Prix racers.

When he filmed a video for the track, Jackie pulled off a masterstroke by suggesting he act as George's chauffeur as they hurtled round Silverstone in a Daimler.

Sir Jackie was in Scotland when he learned George had died of cancer in 2001. He said: "I saw him a month before he died. It was such a sad loss."

BILLY CONNOLLY

THE Scots comedian and singer once fronted a group that contained two Beatles. The Big Yin had a starring role in Water, a movie produced by George Harrison's Handmade Films.

In one scene a concert is held after mineral water is found on a Caribbean island. Connolly leads a band called The Rebels who perform a song called Freedom. It had Ringo Starr on drums and George on guitar - with star pals Eric Clapton and Jon Lord of Deep Purple playing along.

"I looked round and there were all my heroes. It was extraordinary," said Connolly, who became friends with George and his wife Olivia and visited their home. "The grounds were spectacular. I didn't feel so successful around George."

GORDON SMITH

THE words were out before Gordon had a chance to stuff them back in his mouth: "I play one of your songs on guitar."

The song was Blackbird - and the man sitting opposite the Rangers' footballer was Paul McCartney.

The former Beatle left the room and returned with an acoustic guitar. He ran through the whole finger-picking song chord perfect then said: "Is that how you play it?"

Paul was having a laugh but the moment will live with SFA chief Gordon until his dying breath. "I nearly died because I knew he'd ask me to play it."

It was the result of an unlikely friendship which had begun two years earlier when Gordon played for Rangers.

In December 1979 he and wife Marlene attended a Wings concert at Glasgow Apollo and got to meet the star backstage.

"Paul was very down to earth."

The following year Gordon moved clubs to Brighton FC, a team not far from Paul's home in East Sussex.

The couple got an invite from the McCartneys. Linda said: "Why don't you visit us?"

Several weeks later the family set off for their house.

Gordon was stunned by Paul's living arrangements. His lifestyle was far removed from typical rock star ostentation.

Gordon and Paul chatted about football. "He was thrilled I knew Kenny Dalglish.

"Linda said, 'I like Gordon McQueen of Man United'.

"I replied: 'I know him too'."