The Proclaimers are known in this country mostly for their one hit “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)”, but they are quite seriously one of the most underrated bands of all time. Their best-known song, of course, is an eloquently simple celebratory love song, but they are perfectly capable of tackling weightier subject matter when the situation calls for it. This song serves as a kind of companion to one of their biggest hits in the U.K., “Letter From America”. In that song, this quintessentially Scottish band describes the experience of the Scottish people who immigrated to other lands. This song, on the other hand, is about all the people who have immigrated to Scotland from all the other countries in the world. It speaks with admiration of how they managed to build a life there and how much they contribute to their newfound home, and ultimately concludes “They’re all Scotland’s story, and they’re all worth the same”. Given recent real-world events on both sides of the Atlantic, I thought it was an appropriate time to shine a spotlight on this relatively obscure effort by the band, since its message seems particularly important in today’s ideological climate.
Verdict: An inspirational classic whose message is more important now than ever.