Barbara gave the following interview about her schooldays to the The Independent newspaper on 11th July, 2002. Barbara is interviewed by Jonathan Sale.
PASSED/FAILED : "I HATED PIANO LESSONS"
Barbara Dickson appeared in the Willy Russell musicals 'John Paul George Ringo...and Bert' and 'Blood Brothers'. Hit singles include "Another Suitcase In Another Hall" and "I Know Him So Well". She starred in the TV series 'Band Of Gold' and the musical 'Spend, Spend, Spend'.
The album 'For The Record' is out now.
HYMN AND HER: When my mother was pregnant with my brother, she tried to send me to a kindergarten at the age of three, but the principal said I wasn't a very nice little girl because I put my fingers in my ears during the morning hymn. I was fine about Camdean Primary School in Rosyth (Fife) at first, but not quite so happy about going every day; I thought you just had to go there once. There were lovely teachers and I remember being taught "real" joined-up handwriting.
AMOEBIC DISINTEREST: When I got to the age of eight, I went to another school, Pitcorthie Primary, as we moved to a new council estate in Dunfermline, three miles away. I always enjoyed school, really; I liked being around other people. But I just didn't try very hard and I have the attention span of an amoeba. I never seemed to do any homework. I had very good parents, terribly respectable, but I must have said to them, "I've finished" - five minutes after starting my homework.
THIRD DEGREE BURNS: They had sent me to a music teacher when I was five. I liked the piano, but hated the lessons. The problem was that if you didn't practise, the game was up; and the game was up for me every week. My music teacher at Pitcorthie must have thought, "This girl can sing," because at 10 I had to sing a verse - solo - of "The Boatie Rows" by Robert Burns. I was so frightened that the words are still emblazoned on my brain.
I wish I'd concentrated. My parents had selected Dunfermline High, a grammar school, and I sat my 11-plus - and failed. There was really nothing one could do. I was rather knocked back; it didn't occur to me that I'd end up in a comprehensive. From the age of 10, I'd wanted to be a teacher but now I think I jacked in the whole idea of having a decent job. There was "nothing down for me", as they say in Liverpool (my mother is a Scouser) to mean that there's no hope. I thought,"I'm going to have to live on my wits."
SHORTHAND STORY: Woodmill Junior High School was not a secondary modern; the first two years included children who were going on to grammar school. But "Highers" (A-Levels) were not an option at the school and I threw in the towel. I wanted to learn Latin; I wasn't even taught French. I studied "commercial subjects", which were: shorthand (I could do "Dear Sir" and "Yours faithfully" but nothing in between); accountancy (Boring! Boring! Who wants to balance the books?); and typing (I can type like a wizard).
AMONG MY OWN FOLK: Having said all that, it was a new, state-of-the-art school, the teachers were very good and the facilities were fantastic. I went through my secondary education enjoying history, English, art and music. Sandy Saddler, the music teacher, was wonderful and gave me the interest in folk music, which made me active as a performer: all it needs is one guitar and one voice. He played folk music to me - murder ballads and indecency songs - and basically the kernel of my career was put in place at the age of about 13. I just picked up the baton of music and ran with it.
AM I MY BROTHER'S SINGER?: As for my brother, he is a sculptor in Toronto and 'The Stone of Folly', his animated film for which he made all the characters and background, has just won the Jury Prize at Cannes. Mind you, he did pass his 11-plus.
