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Episode 09 David Scott

David Scott photo by Stefan Kassel

Musically speaking, songwriter David Scott of The Pearlfishers is well-versed and fluent in the romantic languages of the classic composers like Bacharach, Wilson, McCartney and McAloon. 

In addition to making records with The Pearlfishers, David is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Creative and Cultural Industries at the University Of The West Of Scotland, and the Program Leader for their MA in Songwriting and Performance. 

Photo by Stefan Kassel

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  Album Artist Songwriter Producer Song
Love and Other Hopeless Things

(2019)

The
Pearlfishers
Bill DeMain
David
Scott
David
Scott
Once I Lived In London
Bill DeMain gave this lyric to David Scott and asked him to write the music.  We covered the song from Bill's point of view during his own interview.  In David Scott's episode, we dive deep into the music side of things.
MayFair

(2009)

Swan
Dive

 

Bill DeMain,
David Scott
Brad
Jones
Once I Lived In London
Compare The Pearlfisher's version of this song with co-writer Bill DeMain's version, released ten years earlier with Swan Dive.
Open Up Your Coloring Book

(2014)

The
Pearlfishers
David
Scott
David
Scott
Diamanda
A sunny marriage of two styles.  The A-section is composed of accented, eighth-note, electric piano chord stabs.  The B-section changes the meter to half-time and adds a wall of long-tone, stacked vocals.  A catchy tag wraps things up.
Open Up Your Coloring Book

(2014)
 

The
Pearlfishers
David
Scott
David
Scott
Her Heart Moves Like the Sea Moves
In this touching piano ballad, notice how the short title phrases are preceded by similarly short setup lines, but in varying quantities each time around.
Up With the Larks

(2007)

The
Pearlfishers
David
Scott
David
Scott
With You On My Mind
Randy Newman, eat your heart out.
Up With the Larks

(2007)

The
Pearlfishers
David
Scott
David
Scott
The Umbrellas of Shibuya
A playfully sweet piano waltz, with ornamental strings, a lovely melody and lyric, and a bridge backed with layered vocal harmony.
Sky Meadows

(2003)

The
Pearlfishers
David
Scott
David
Scott
Todd Is God
If this title plants thoughts of early Todd Rundgren in your mind, you won't be disappointed.
The Strange Underworld of Tall Poppies

(1997)

The
Pearlfishers
David Scott David
Scott /
Brian
McAlpin
Even On a Sunday Afternoon
Rickenbacker guitars support and share this jubilant chorus melody, with a Ray Davies-styled vocal on the verse.
The Young Picnickers

(1989)

The
Pearlfishers
David
Scott
David
Scott /
Brian
McAlpine
An Ordinary Day Out In the Suburbs
The Pet Sounds influence is strong in this one.
The Young Picnickers

(1989)

The
Pearlfishers
David
Scott
David
Scott /
Brian
McAlpine
Battersea Bardot
Harpsichord, autoharp, organ, and "electric balloons" -- the sounds of Christmas.
 

(Title / Artist / Album)

OPENING MEDLEY

Diamanda / The Pearlfishers / Open Up Your Coloring Book

An Ordinary Day Out in the Suburbs / The Pearlfishers / The Young Picnickers
Even On a Sunday Afternoon / The Pearlfishers / The Strange Underworld of Tall Poppies
Todd Is God / The Pearlfishers / Sky Meadows

Is It Any Wonder / The Pearlfishers / Across The Milky Way
 

Another Sunflower / The Pearlfishers / Love and Other Hopeless Things
 

With You On My Mind / The Pearlfishers / Up With the Larks

Once I Lived In London / The Pearlfishers / Love and Other Hopeless Things

Nowhere Man / The Beatles / Rubber Soul

Could Be a Street, Could Be a Saint / The Pearlfishers / Love and Other Hopeless Things

CHRISTMAS MEDLEY
Snowboardin' / The Pearlfishers / A Sunflower at Christmas
Battersea Bardot / The Pearlfishers /

 

Winter Roads / The Pearlfishers / A Sunflower at Christmas
 

I Can't Believe You Met Nancy / The Pearlfishers / Sky Meadows

 

When Love Was a River / The Pearlfishers / Open Up Your Coloring Book

 

Fighting Fire With Flowers / The Pearlfishers / Up With The Larks

 

Attacked By Mountain Cats / The Pearlfishers / Open Up Your Coloring Book

 

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