Song travels from Coats gig all the way to Lourdes

Band’s poignant tune becomes pilgrimage anthem

An Elderslie band were left stunned after one of their songs made it all the way to the historic French town of Lourdes.

King of Birds played one of its hits from its debut album at a fundraiser last year — and had no idea it would travel so far.

The band members, who will be releasing their first track later this year, titled Eve of Destruction, were delighted when one of their songs was performed by a youth group choir in the historic town.

The song’s journey began at a fundraiser to save Paisley’s Coats Memorial Church, where Karen Parker, from the St Margaret of Scotland Youth Group, was there with fellow youth group leader Mhairi Canning to see headliner Eddi Reader.

When Karen heard support act King of Birds play May You Always Be Loved, she immediately thought the track would be the perfect song for the group’s imminent trip to the Pyrenees.

The St Margaret of Scotland Youth Group was founded in 1976 and is committed to working with sick people taking part in the Glasgow archdiocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes.

Each year, more than 80 young people give up their summer to go to Lourdes to work in the hospital there and help the elderly and the infirm.

A week or so after the Coats show, King of Birds was playing at The Brown Bull, in Lochwinnoch.

Karen and Mhairi went to the gig and approached singer Charlie Gorman to make her proposal. She asked Charlie if the group could use the song for the trip.

He told the Paisley Daily Express: “We were taken aback when Karen approached us and told us about the absolutely amazing work the St Margaret Youth Group does and even more astonished when she asked if they could use the track on their trip.

“We were absolutely delighted and honoured to be asked.”

Charlie duly sent the lyrics and music over to Karen and a couple of weeks later received a film of the group’s choir performing May You Always Be Loved in France.

Karen added: “When we heard the band play the song at Coats Memorial, I thought it was beautiful and that the lyrics really resonated with the values we hold at the youth group.

“I decided to approach Charlie and his brother Stirling to ask if they would be happy for us to perform the song.

“They have been fantastically supportive and helpful and we’re all really delighted with how it turned out.”