Scottish Singer-Songwriter Sings A Song O’ Scotland

Image of Alex McEwan (Credit: Kat Bawden)

Glasgow-born singer Alex McEwan released his new track Hold Your Hands Out to Me in March, a song which uses niche techniques to capture fond memories of childhood in Scotland.

‘Hold Your Hands Out to Me’ was written entirely by McEwan, and was produced with fellow musician, Graham Noon. It is also one of the first songs McEwan has released after a hiatus spanning over a decade.

When asked about the inspiration behind the song, McEwan said: “Fond memories of growing up in Scotland were particularly triggered during the lockdown, when I hadn’t been home for a couple of years. So it was just natural to try to evoke that image of Glasgow and the West Coast.”

The Old Man of Storr, Isle of Skye (credit: Giuseppe Milo)

Rooted in Scotland both lyrically and melodically, the song features accordion playing from Alan Dunn, references to mushy peas, as well as the famous Scottish street names; Sauchiehall Street, Kelvingrove and Byres Road.

McEwan takes this projection of the Scottish landscape one step further with his unconventional inclusion of Scottish spoken dialogue: “Son, you’re lost”.

Commenting on this artist choice, McEwan said: “The line itself was inspired by the thought of walking around Glasgow after being away for a while and appearing a bit like it’s all new to me again. The woman is a bit of a comforting figure repeating to me familiar words from childhood when I might wander off.”

McEwan has been a musician for some time now, having first picked up a guitar in Glasgow when he was 13 years old.

When asked if there was anything that still surprises him about his craft, he said: “ Yes I think it’s the way in which new tunes can still just come and through the magic of collaboration we come up with a finished record with a sound and lyrics that resonate with people.”

Whilst the song is Scotland-centred, it also has a universality to it. “This song is about leaving home and ‘finding your way’ perhaps after making mistakes and having regrets about the past,” says McEwan. “But hey, we all make mistakes, and don’t beat yourself up too much.”

You can stream the song here:

https://open.spotify.com/track/5pTyXyjb6EhIoQceG3pmp8?si=e55fddc3f8444ca2