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Author Topic: Who is Billy McCann?  (Read 2034 times)

Guillaume

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Who is Billy McCann?
« on: December 29, 2012, 09:51:13 AM »
I was listening yesterday to the awesome "B Sides and abandoned tracks" and especially the beautiful, haunting "Drummy B"...
I'm a bit curious but who is Billy McCann?
Was/Is he a friend of Justin Sullivan?
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Barty

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Re: Who is Billy McCann?
« Reply #1 on: December 29, 2012, 09:42:55 PM »
Can't shed any light on this I'm afraid but I've always wondered who Candy is, as mentioned in Lovesongs, Master Race and Coming Up....

I'd always liked to think Billy McCann was a fictional character, possibly based on someone Justin knew during his period of time in Ireland (as the name sounds of Irish / Scottish decent)....this is one of the many beauties of NMA lyrics - they take you on imaginary journeys!

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Willard

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Re: Who is Billy McCann?
« Reply #2 on: December 31, 2012, 01:40:34 AM »
No clue on Billy McCann.

re Candy, and please pardon me as I am not British at all, but I always assumed Candy was a sort of general pet name used in Britain, like Sweetheart or Baby.
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Barty

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Re: Who is Billy McCann?
« Reply #3 on: December 31, 2012, 09:31:16 AM »
Quote from: Willard on December 31, 2012, 01:40:34 AM
re Candy, and please pardon me as I am not British at all, but I always assumed Candy was a sort of general pet name used in Britain, like Sweetheart or Baby.

I think it's more a North American petname (as is sugar and honey) and is not really used in common parlance in the UK (apart from the girl's name Candy). That said, it could easily have been used as a petname in the songs so you could well be right  :)

Looking at the lyrics, it's spelt with a 'C' in Master Race and a 'K' in Coming Up. It's not in the lyrics of Love Songs but, as you know, Justin does sing it towards the end of the song.
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Guillaume

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Re: Who is Billy McCann?
« Reply #4 on: December 31, 2012, 09:55:46 AM »
Quote from: Barty on December 29, 2012, 09:42:55 PM
I'd always liked to think Billy McCann was a fictional character, possibly based on someone Justin knew during his period of time in Ireland (as the name sounds of Irish / Scottish decent)....

In the sleeve notes of "B Sides" it is written:

"These weren't the original lyrics which everyone liked except Justin.
He decided to make it the song about Belfast that he'd been trying to write for years."

So maybe Billy McCann was a friend of Justin he knew in Belfast...who knows!
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Danny

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Re: Who is Billy McCann?
« Reply #5 on: December 31, 2012, 10:35:41 AM »
This topic has already come up at least 10 times (yes, I've been on this board and previous incarnations THAT long ;)), second only to 'what does Luhrstaap mean" and "what is 225" (to which someone once fantastically answered 'it's the number of times this question has been asked on this board' but I digress ;))... the generally 'accepted' answer the previous nine or however many there were was that Billy McCann represents a mix of various people Justin knew in his Belfast days rather than a single actual person with that name.

Of course, like with all the other big NMA questions the band have never officially confirmed (or denied),so don't shoot the messenger ok? ;)
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NickyG

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Re: Who is Billy McCann?
« Reply #6 on: December 31, 2012, 12:57:12 PM »
Quote from: Danny on December 31, 2012, 10:35:41 AM
This topic has already come up at least 10 times (yes, I've been on this board and previous incarnations THAT long ;)), second only to 'what does Luhrstaap mean" and "what is 225" (to which someone once fantastically answered 'it's the number of times this question has been asked on this board' but I digress ;))...
Would now be a good time to ask my 'intro to Brother' question again? Sorry Danny, I couldn't resist  ;D ;D
In the meantime as its new years eve I will just stick to wishing everyone a happy and optimistic 2013 instead. All the best  :)
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Guillaume

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Re: Who is Billy McCann?
« Reply #7 on: December 31, 2012, 01:12:27 PM »
Quote from: Danny on December 31, 2012, 10:35:41 AM
This topic has already come up at least 10 times (yes, I've been on this board and previous incarnations THAT long ;))

sorry for the 11th! ::) :D

And happy 2013 to everyone here including Billy McCann!! ;) 8)
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Scruff225

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Re: Who is Billy McCann?
« Reply #8 on: December 31, 2012, 08:34:00 PM »
Quote from: Danny on December 31, 2012, 10:35:41 AM
This topic has already come up at least 10 times (yes, I've been on this board and previous incarnations THAT long ;)), second only to 'what does Luhrstaap mean" and "what is 225" (to which someone once fantastically answered 'it's the number of times this question has been asked on this board' but I digress ;))... the generally 'accepted' answer the previous nine or however many there were was that Billy McCann represents a mix of various people Justin knew in his Belfast days rather than a single actual person with that name.

Of course, like with all the other big NMA questions the band have never officially confirmed (or denied),so don't shoot the messenger ok? ;)

We really should pin these questions to the top of the board!  :-\
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BillyMcann

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Re: Who is Billy McCann?
« Reply #9 on: January 17, 2013, 02:45:56 PM »
Quote from: Guillaume on December 31, 2012, 01:12:27 PM
Quote from: Danny on December 31, 2012, 10:35:41 AM
This topic has already come up at least 10 times (yes, I've been on this board and previous incarnations THAT long ;))

sorry for the 11th! ::) :D

And happy 2013 to everyone here including Billy McCann!! ;) 8)
:-
 ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
cheers
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c

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Re: Who is Billy McCann?
« Reply #10 on: January 30, 2013, 12:35:05 PM »
Quote from: Blink on December 31, 2012, 08:34:00 PM
Quote from: Danny on December 31, 2012, 10:35:41 AM
This topic has already come up at least 10 times (yes, I've been on this board and previous incarnations THAT long ;)), second only to 'what does Luhrstaap mean" and "what is 225" (to which someone once fantastically answered 'it's the number of times this question has been asked on this board' but I digress ;))... the generally 'accepted' answer the previous nine or however many there were was that Billy McCann represents a mix of various people Justin knew in his Belfast days rather than a single actual person with that name.

Of course, like with all the other big NMA questions the band have never officially confirmed (or denied),so don't shoot the messenger ok? ;)

We really should pin these questions to the top of the board!  :-\

especially as someone has now asked the "225 question" again!! :)
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