Sheffield Song of love to adopted city from Scottish singer Jimmy McWilliams

A singer known as “Scotland’s cavalier of song” has looked back at the time he hit the headlines for writing a song in tribute to his adopted city of Sheffield.
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Retro Club member Derek Bown found a cutting of a Star story about The Sheffield Song and sent it in.

It turns out that the singer, Jimmy McWilliams, is still touring the country performing in theatres and remembered all about the song. Jimmy has lived in Aldam Way, Totley for many years.

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He said: “It was 1986. Apart from singing, I’m retired from it now but I was a painter and decorator and I worked for myself.

Some of the lyrics for The Sheffield Song by Jimmy McWilliams, 1986Some of the lyrics for The Sheffield Song by Jimmy McWilliams, 1986
Some of the lyrics for The Sheffield Song by Jimmy McWilliams, 1986

“I served as an apprentice in Scotland and I was invited to come to Sheffield in 1964. I came here at the invitation of a variety agent and I worked the clubs when it was clubland.

“I was painting the outside of a house in Beauchief on a very pleasant summer’s day and I was singing to myself.

“I thought ‘there are songs about all the famous cities Chicago and Copenhagen, Paris and London and I Belong to Glasgow. I wonder if it’s possible I could write something for Sheffield?’

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“I got the first line and I found before the end of the day I was scribbling into notebooks in between climbing up and down the ladder.

Entertainer Jimmy McWilliamsEntertainer Jimmy McWilliams
Entertainer Jimmy McWilliams

“I got it together and I had a concert at St Oswald’s Church hall on the weekend, Saturday afternoon, taking people down memory lane and singing old songs. I was raising money for the Guide Dogs for the Blind and the lord mayor was invited.

“He came and I had The Sheffield Song ready. We sang it and I did get a nice round of applause.”

The next day, Jimmy got a phone call from Star reporter Dominic Cheetham, asking for permission to print the song lyrics. That caught the attention of YTV in Leeds.

Jimmy McWilliams on the Jimmy Cricket Show 2019Jimmy McWilliams on the Jimmy Cricket Show 2019
Jimmy McWilliams on the Jimmy Cricket Show 2019
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“They said, we’ve seen this piece about you. Is there any chance of you coming over and singing on Calendar? so I did that. It inspired other songwriters around Yorkshire and Lincolnshire to send songs in about their towns.

“We ended up with songs about Huddersfield, Halifax and Leeds and one about litter in Doncaster.”

Jimmy, who had also been on TV in Opportunity Knocks, appeared several more times.

He also printed copies of his song, arranged by his accompanist Elizabeth Bowring, and sold them for £1.

Jimmy McWilliams with presenter Richard Whiteley in the Yorkshire TV studio in October 1986Jimmy McWilliams with presenter Richard Whiteley in the Yorkshire TV studio in October 1986
Jimmy McWilliams with presenter Richard Whiteley in the Yorkshire TV studio in October 1986
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He was delighted when someone came up recently to show him their copy.

Jimmy, who has had a long and successful singing career, said why he wrote the song.

“I owe a lot to Sheffield. These were the people who helped me, enjoyed my singing and they’ve encouraged me.”

On May 15 you can hear him with The Sheaf Singers at Central United Reformed Church, Sheffield. His website is www.jimmy-mcwilliams.co.uk

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