The Finest Song About Liverpool

A "reply" from Ian Prowse on Twitter has made me think about this. I've always considered Pete Wylie's anthemic "Heart as Big as Liverpool" because of the fact that it's anthemic .

It is a truly great song regardless of it's connections to Liverpool in it's subject and composer. It should be in everyone's music collection and I think has become ingrained in my Liverpool associations (I worked there on and off for many years).

I also love the video and wish there was some way of having a video rotation at the top of this post. Pete Wylie always does over the top so well and this video features his lovely daughter and is just so totally uplifting and wonderful, you cannot listen to this and not be totally moved. Having said that Pete Wylie has been responsible for many such songs and his back catalogue is well worth investigating.

John Peel (Tom Ravenscroft’s sadly departed dad) put Pete Wyli’s song as number one and Ian Prowse as number two but these are both top notch songs.

"Does This Train Stop On Merseyside" does take it up a notch. First of all it is a great song, and very simple to play, with a great chorus, but it is also a wonderful four minute history of Liverpool , with references to slavery , locations , the Maryland Pyramid , Hillsborough and much more. It triggers questions in your mind about the city in an excellent way , so much that Ian Prowse and his band Amsterdam actually did a documentary about it.

My favourite rendition is Ian's solo performance in Liverpool cathedral though it was originally released by his band Amsterdam (who , when I first saw them I went and bought their two available albums, they were that good) . I am going to share those lyrics here , as well as the documentary.

When I first saw Ian , I thought what a complete twonk pretending he’s Bruce Springsteen (the way he dressed and his stance). Well he proved to be an absolute master , a lot more like Bruce Springsteen that I thought.

One of the great things about this and where it scores over “Heart As Big As Liverpool” is the historical line and the fact that it is so simple to play , a total stroke of genius from Ian Prowse.

I think overall Ian Prowse wins this one but you are talking a 9.9 versus a ten, both superb songs.

"Mckenzie's soul lies above the ground

In that pyramid near Maryland

Easyjet is hanging in the air

Taking everyone to everywhere

...Whoa

See slave ships sailing into port

The blood of Africa's on every wall

Now there's a layline runs down Mathew Street

It's giving energy to all it meets

...Whoa

Hey, does this train stop

Does this train stop on Merseyside

Whoa

Hey, does this train stop

Does this train stop on Merseyside

Whoa

Alan Williams in the Marlboro Arms

Giving his story out to everyone

Famine boats are anchored in the bay

Bringing the poor and deperate

...Whoa

Hey, does this train stop

Does this train stop on Merseyside

Whoa

Hey, does this train stop

Does this train stop on Merseyside

Boston babies bouncing on the ground

The riggers beaming out to every town

Whoa... Yeh... Yeh

Why don't you remember

Whoa... Yeh... Yeh

Why don't you remember

Can't concieve what those children done

Guess theres a meaness in the soul of man

Yorkshire policemen chat with folded arms

While people try and save their fellow fans

Hey, does this train stop

Does this train stop on Merseyside

Whoa

Hey, does this train stop

Does this train stop on Merseyside