Ally's Tartan Army

Ally's Tartan Army was a novelty record released by Scottish comedian Andy Cameron on the Klub Records (KRL) label to mark the Scottish football team's qualification for the 1978 World Cup in Argentina. The "Tartan Army" are Scotland's fans; "Ally" was team manager Ally MacLeod. The single sold over 360,000 copies and reached #6 in the charts.

The tune of the chorus was based on "God Save Ireland", an Irish patriotic song which had been adopted as a football chant by Celtic F.C. fans. The tune has since been recycled by fans of many teams, altering the lyric "We're on the march wi' Ally's Army" as appropriate (for example, "We all follow Man United"). It became "We're all part of Jackie's army" in "Put 'Em Under Pressure", a Republic of Ireland song for the 1990 World Cup.

The B-side of Cameron's original record was "Ah want tae be a Punk Rocker", a satire of the then-current punk rock movement written by Peter Nardini:

"Ah want tae be a punk rocker but ma mammy wullny let me
She says if ah'm a punk she'll throw me oot and hit me
A want tae be a punk rocker but ah'm feart tae be a punk
Cos ma mammy wullny let me be a punk

A want tae go intae a cafe an make them aw feel seeck
Wi' a great big rusty safety pin stickin through ma cheek
A want tae really be a scunner and dae things that are awfy
like pick ma nose and dip it in ma coffee

A want tae listen tae John Peel cos he plays aw thur hits
and thur full o' sex appeal like Fiona Richmonds lips
A want tae be a punk when thur music is forgotten
I'll still be there tae strangle Johnny Rotten."

External links

* [http://www.rampantscotland.com/songs/blsongs_ally.htm Traditional Scottish Songs - Ally's Tartan Army]
* [http://www.glesga.ukpals.com/media/glesgasongs3.htm Glesga Songs - Ah want tae be a Punk Rocker]