Gallagher and Lyle
| Company type | Musical duo |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1972 |
| Founder | Benny Gallagher, Graham Lyle |
Area served | United Kingdom, United States |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
| Website | bennygallagher |
Gallagher and Lyle comprised the Scottish songwriting and performing partnership of Benny Gallagher and Graham Lyle, recognized for their blend of pop, soft rock, and folk rock genres.
Their career took a significant leap in 1968 when they were signed by the Beatles to compose material for artists under Apple Records. They went on to establish the band McGuinness Flint, contributing the 1970 UK chart success "When I'm Dead and Gone".
As a duo formed in 1972, Gallagher and Lyle released their fifth studio album, Breakaway, which included popular singles such as "Heart on My Sleeve" and "I Wanna Stay with You," both peaking at Number 6 on the UK Singles Chart. The album’s title track was later interpreted by Art Garfunkel in 1975, while their song "Stay Young" reached the top spot on the US Country charts through Don Williams.
Following their separation in 1980, they reunited sporadically between 2010 and 2018, primarily focusing on live performances.
Throughout their professional journey, Gallagher and Lyle worked alongside prominent musicians including Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Pete Townshend, Ronnie Lane, Ronnie Wood, Joan Armatrading, and Jim Diamond. Their songwriting has been embraced by artists such as Bryan Ferry, Ringo Starr, Elkie Brooks, Fairport Convention, and Joe Brown.
Career
The partnership between Gallagher and Lyle began in 1959 when they performed with the local Largs group The Bluefrets, crafting original songs. Gallagher contributed as co-writer to "Mr Heartbreak's Here Instead" for Dean Ford and the Gaylords (who later became Marmalade). By 1967, under the name 'Gallagher-Lyle', they released a single through Polydor and supported vocalist James Galt on two Pye Records singles.
After signing with Apple Records, they composed several tracks for Mary Hopkin, including "Sparrow" and "The Fields of St. Etienne". In 1970, they became founding members of McGuinness Flint, writing nine out of eleven songs on their debut album. This record featured UK Top 5 singles like "When I'm Dead and Gone" and "Malt and Barley Blues", with production by Glyn Johns. Following a second album, they departed to form their own duo in 1972.
Their first album as a duo was produced by Johns for Capitol Records. Subsequently, they signed with A&M Records, releasing three additional albums—Willie and the Lapdog, Seeds, and The Last Cowboy—all produced by Johns. Their fifth album, Breakaway, produced by David Kershenbaum, delivered UK chart successes "Heart on My Sleeve" and "I Wanna Stay with You," which also charted in the United States.
Although their smooth sound enjoyed a brief period of popularity, further commercial hits were scarce. They produced three more albums—Love On The Airwaves (which achieved silver certification), Showdown, and Lonesome No More—before disbanding in 1980. An unreleased Mercury Records project titled Living On The Breadline was recorded but never published; however, its track "A Heart In New York" appeared on their 1991 compilation Heart On My Sleeve – The Very Best of Gallagher and Lyle.
They collaborated with Ronnie Lane’s Slim Chance Band on the successful single "How Come" as well as the album Anymore for Anymore. Their extensive collaborations span work with Mary Hopkin, Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Pete Townshend, Ronnie Lane, Ronnie Wood, Elkie Brooks, Joe Egan, Andy Fairweather Low, Gary Brooker, Joan Armatrading, Ralph McTell, Sandy Denny, Fairport Convention, and Jim Diamond.
Numerous artists have recorded compositions by Gallagher and Lyle including Bryan Ferry, Colin Blunstone, Donavon Frankenreiter, Elkie Brooks, Fairport Convention, Fury in the Slaughterhouse, Joe Brown, Judith Durham, Little Anthony and the Imperials, Phil Everly, Ricky Nelson, Ringo Starr, Rita Coolidge, Status Quo, The Fureys, Lemon Jelly, and Jim Capaldi.
Reunion
The initial steps toward reuniting took place in 2007 when Gallagher and Lyle, working as session musicians, contributed to Canadian singer-songwriter Chris Tassone's album recorded at London's Abbey Road Studios. In April 2009, both attended the inauguration of the Largs Heritage Centre. Their official reunion was confirmed in 2010.
In October of that year, they organized two charity concerts in Largs to benefit Haylie House, a nearby residential care facility. This effort was followed by 'The Big Gig' charity event held in June 2011 at Glasgow's Barrowland Ballroom, where they shared the stage with performers such as Midge Ure, Jim Diamond, and Marti Pellow. Later that September, they participated in the MOARE Festival in Faversham, Kent, which was headlined by former Average White Band member Hamish Stuart.
Gallagher and Lyle launched their first tour since 1979 in 2012, playing nine shows across eight venues throughout Scotland. Their concerts at The Green Hotel in Kinross earned them the Mundell Music Award for Best UK Performance of the year, adding to their 2010 Tartan Clef Award recognizing Lifetime Achievement.
That same year, the duo contributed the track "I Was A Soldier" to the documentary "We Went To War," directed by Michael Grigsby, which features accounts from Vietnam War veterans.
In March 2016, they appeared at the Belfast Nashville Songwriters' Festival and later returned to The Green Hotel in Kinross for a series of four performances.
During the summer of 2017, Gallagher and Lyle took part in the 'Byre at The Botanics' concert season in St Andrews and performed at both the Belladrum Festival in Inverness and the Albany Theatre in Greenock.
They made another appearance at the Belfast Nashville Songwriters' Festival in March 2018. On 13 March 2018, it was announced that their fan pages would be closed; since then, the duo has remained inactive.
Stage musical
The musical "Caledonia USA," inspired by songs from Gallagher and Lyle, debuted in Largs in April 2016. Originally called "When I'm Dead and Gone," it was retitled following the creation of a new song written especially for this production by the duo.
References in popular culture
The song "When I'm Dead and Gone" was featured on the soundtrack of the 1999 British film East is East.
British novelist Lisa Jewell included a mention of "I Wanna Stay With You" in her 2010 book After The Party.
In the early 1980s, broadcaster Kenny Everett presented a visual rendition of "Heart on My Sleeve" on his BBC television program.
The Variety Club of Great Britain utilized "Heart on My Sleeve" as part of its promotional campaign for the Gold Heart Appeal.
Electronic music duo Lemon Jelly incorporated a sample of "I Wanna Stay With You" into their track "'75 aka Stay With You" from their album '64-'95.
Studio albums
| Date | Title | UK | AUS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Gallagher and LyleA | - | - |
| 1973 | Willie and the Lapdog | - | - |
| 1973 | Seeds | - | - |
| 1974 | The Last Cowboy | - | - |
| 1976 | Breakaway | 6 | 67 |
| 1977 | Love on the Airwaves | 19 | 83 |
| 1978 | Showdown | - | - |
| 1979 | Lonesome No More | - | - |
Compilation albums
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 1980 | 20 Beautiful Songs: The Best of Gallagher and Lyle |
| 1991 | The Very Best of Gallagher & LyleB |
| 1995 | The Best of Gallagher & Lyle |
Live albums
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 1999 | Live in ConcertC |
| 2004 | The River SessionsD |
Charted singles
| Year | Title | AUS[1] | CAN 100 [2] |
CAN AC [2] |
IRE |
NZ |
UK |
US |
US AC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | "Heart on My Sleeve" | 58 | 60 | 28 | 2 | 32 | 6 | 67 | 17 |
| "I Wanna Stay with You" | 48 | 90 | 46 | 5 | - | 6 | 49 | 27 | |
| 1977 | "Breakaway" | - | - | - | 7 | - | 35 | - | - |
| "Every Little Teardrop" | 67 | - | - | 5 | - | 32 | 106 | 46 | |
| 1983 | "Breakaway" (reissued) | - | - | - | 10 | - | - | - | - |
| 1991 | "Heart on My Sleeve" (reissued) | - | - | - | - | - | 98 | - |
A: Originally re-released in 1973 by A&M; known as Benny Gallagher and Graham Lyle in certain markets.
B: Features the previously unreleased track "A Heart in New York," recorded during the Mercury period.
C: Performance captured by the BBC Radio.
D: Recorded live for Radio Clyde in the year 1974.
Except for their debut, all original studio albums issued under A&M Records and Mercury Records were reissued on CD by River Records in 2004, albeit with diminished audio fidelity. In 2016, Universal Music Japan released limited edition CDs of the first four albums—including the debut—featuring bonus tracks, which enhanced access to rare A&M B-sides and Polydor singles. Unreleased material still includes B-sides such as "Golden Boy," "Sunny Side Up," "Take the Money and Run," along with the non-album A-side "Living On The Breadline" from 1980.
With McGuinness Flint
- McGuinness Flint (1970, Capitol)
- Happy Birthday, Ruthy Baby (1971, Capitol)
- McGuinness Flint: The Capitol Years (compilation album) (1996, Capitol; containing some non-album selections)
- McGuinness Flint in Session at the BBC (2009, BBC; including performances by the lineup after Gallagher and Lyle's departure)
With Ronnie Lane's Slim Chance
- Anymore For Anymore (1974, GM; reissued in 1998 by See For Miles with additional non-album tracks "How Come" and "Done This One Before")
Collections featuring rare early recordings:
- Footsteps to Fame, Vol.2 (1991, Repertoire)
- Soul For Sale (1998, Sequel)
- Ripples, Volume 8 (2002, Sanctuary)
- An Apple A Day (2006, RPM)
- Fairytales Can Come True (2007, Psychic Circle)
- Treacle Toffee World (2008, RPM)
Graham Lyle
- Something Beautiful Remains (2003, Hypertension)
Note: The solo single by Lyle titled "Marley"/"Down The Subway" (1983) along with the Lyle-Livsey Band's single "Taking Off"/"Taking Off (Instrumental)" (1984) have yet to be issued on CD.
Lyle McGuinness Band
- Acting On Impulse (1983, Cool King/Polydor)
- Elise, Elise (1997, Diamond Recordings; this is a re-release of Acting On Impulse featuring extra non-album tracks and the previously unreleased Gallagher/Lyle song "Fighting For The Cause")
External links
- 20th-century Scottish male singers
- Scottish male singer-songwriters
- Scottish musical duos
- Scottish multi-instrumentalists
- Musical groups established in 1972
- Musical groups disestablished in 1980
- Musical groups reestablished in 2010
- Musical groups disestablished in 2018
- Scottish folk rock groups
- Scottish soft rock music groups
- Grammy Award winners
- People from Largs
- British male musical duos
- British rock music duos
- A&M Records artists
- 21st-century Scottish male singers