Support ESC Insight on Patreon

Click here to support ESC Insight on Patreon

Eurovision Insight Podcast: In-Depth With Songwriter Bill Martin Written by on August 21, 2017 | 3 Comments

Eurovision fans will know Bill Martin (along with Phil Coulter) as the man behind the UK’s first victory at the Song Contest. His new book ‘Congratulations: Songwriter To The Stars‘ comes out at the end of the month. Ewan Spence catches up with the Govan-born Martin to talk about his career and his memories of Eurovision Click here to follow us in iTunes and keep up to date with Eurovision during the summer of 2017 and beyond.

Bill Martin (c) getting into trouble in the seventies, but can you name his Tartan Army? (image: billmartinsongwriter.com)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Bill Martin’s musical career stretches over fifty years, from his first taste of success with Adam Faith to his upcoming collaborations with artists including Celine Dion. For ESC Insight readers, two of his biggest hits are going to be instantly recognisable (Sandie Shaw’s ‘Puppet On A String‘, and Cliff Richard’s ‘Congratulations‘).

Ewan caught up with Bill at his show in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, to talk about his career, winning the Eurovision Song Contest for the UK, his other involvements with the Song Contest, and who he’d get to sing Scotland’s first Eurovision song…

Eurovision Insight Podcast: In-Depth With Songwriter Bill Martin

Ewan Spence shares a drink with songwriter Bill Martin to talk about his Eurovision memories, with ‘Puppet on a String’, ‘Congratulations’, ‘Let Me Be The One’, ‘All Kinds Of Everything’, and more…

Sandie Shaw and Bill Martin (image: billmartinsongwriter.com)

Sandie Shaw and Bill Martin (image: billmartinsongwriter.com)

You can follow Bill’s latest endeavours at his website, www.billmartinsongwriter.com.

As the summer continues, keep up to date with all of the Eurovision news by subscribing to the ESC Insight podcast and our daily shows. You’ll find the show in iTunes, and a direct RSS feed is also available. We also have a regular email newsletter which you can sign up to here.

About The Author: Ewan Spence

British Academy (BAFTA) nominated broadcaster and writer Ewan Spence is the voice behind The Unofficial Eurovision Song Contest Podcast and one of the driving forces behind ESC Insight. Having had an online presence since 1994, he is a noted commentator around the intersection of the media, internet, technology, mobility and how it affects us all. Based in Edinburgh, Scotland, his work has appeared on the BBC, The Stage, STV, and The Times. You can follow Ewan on Twitter (@ewan) and Facebook (facebook.com/ewanspence).

Read more from this author...

You Can Support ESC Insight on Patreon

ESC Insight's Patreon page is now live; click here to see what it's all about, and how you can get involved and directly support our coverage of your Eurovision Song Contest.

If You Like This...

Have Your Say

3 responses to “Eurovision Insight Podcast: In-Depth With Songwriter Bill Martin”

  1. Martin says:
    August 22, 2017 at 09:36

    Answer to your picture question – Rod Stewart and Denis Law…

    I have to admit that I don’t always make it through your extended interviews but this was truly a superb listen, Bill Martin is a god amongst songwriters! Sounds like a very entertaining time was had by all…

  2. Eurojock says:
    August 30, 2017 at 22:05

    I agree with Martin – a really fascinating podcast. Interesting about Bill’s comments about the appeal of Puppet on a String in the climate of 1967. For all Puppet’s merits I (and I imagine Eurovision posterity) would rather have had ‘All You Need is Love’.

    PS- The Rod Stewart and Denis Law picture probably comes from the recording of Scotland’s 1974 World Cup Anthem where Bill (or Phil) penned the immortal lyric ‘Yabadabadoo we’ll support the boys in blue.’

Leave a Reply