Tim Maguire
"Tim Maguire" (sometimes spelled "McGuire" or "MacGuire") is one of Leon's most popular and enduring songs. The main character's name was probably inspired by the traditional song, "Mick Maguire", which had been included on the quasi-Galliards album, Tonight And Every Night (1962), on which Leon had of course played. In the original number, Mick Maguire's privilege is to sit by the fire at his sweetheart's house, but the hero of Leon's tale is much more a lover of flames, emerging as a pyromaniac whose exploits manage to destroy every citadel of authority he has the misfortune to encounter.
Inevitably, criticisms were leveled. The chairman of Staffordshire Fire Brigade contacted the BBC with a humourless demand that the song be banned for its inducement to arson, calling it "an encouragement to firebugs", although the broadcaster rarely stood their ground on the basis that Maguire's ultimate demise, in a fire of his own making, showed that no good would come of setting things alight.
On a different basis, Leon was also criticised by Ned Sherrin, producer of That Was The Week That Was, over the lyric's "deficient rhyming", by which he probably meant couplets such as "wash" and "box", and "older" and "bowler". Serious about his craft, Leon accepted that in "Tim Maguire" he had cheated, and resolved to work harder in future - fortunately he has never tinkered with the original words despite numerous re-recordings, and the song stands in its original, high-spirited form.
Inevitably, criticisms were leveled. The chairman of Staffordshire Fire Brigade contacted the BBC with a humourless demand that the song be banned for its inducement to arson, calling it "an encouragement to firebugs", although the broadcaster rarely stood their ground on the basis that Maguire's ultimate demise, in a fire of his own making, showed that no good would come of setting things alight.
On a different basis, Leon was also criticised by Ned Sherrin, producer of That Was The Week That Was, over the lyric's "deficient rhyming", by which he probably meant couplets such as "wash" and "box", and "older" and "bowler". Serious about his craft, Leon accepted that in "Tim Maguire" he had cheated, and resolved to work harder in future - fortunately he has never tinkered with the original words despite numerous re-recordings, and the song stands in its original, high-spirited form.
"Where more soberly respectable citizens exercise their democratic choice through the ballot-box, Tim McGuire prefers the tinder-box. An anarchic sort of rebellion perhaps but at least he sets fire to the right things and exits in a blaze of glory." - LR (sleevenotes to Smoke & Dust Where the Heart Should Have Been, 1967)
“I’d actually sung it to Ned Sherrin who pointed out, correctly, that some of the lines didn’t rhyme properly... despite its rhyming deficiencies, the song became quite popular, even getting itself played a number of times on BBC Radio One.” - LR (sleevenotes to The World Turned Upside Down (CD box set), p6)
“I’d actually sung it to Ned Sherrin who pointed out, correctly, that some of the lines didn’t rhyme properly... despite its rhyming deficiencies, the song became quite popular, even getting itself played a number of times on BBC Radio One.” - LR (sleevenotes to The World Turned Upside Down (CD box set), p6)
Recordings
Version 1 (1966)
Version 2 (1967) The Three City Four, with Ralph Trainer on lead vocals
Version 3 (1970)
Version 4 (1975) (as "McGuire")
Version 2 (1967) The Three City Four, with Ralph Trainer on lead vocals
Version 3 (1970)
Version 4 (1975) (as "McGuire")
Sheet music
- Songs For City Squares And Sceptical Circles p28 (as "MacGuire" (cover) and "Macguire" (page title))
- Look Here p70 (as "MacGuire")
- Bringing the News from Nowhere p112 (as "Macguire")