London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Feb 22, 2025

How Dylan marked the life of Liverpool 'ferryman' Gerry Marsden - The Leigh G Banks Preservation Society

How Dylan marked the life of Liverpool 'ferryman' Gerry Marsden - The Leigh G Banks Preservation Society

Gerry and the Pacemakers singer Gerry Marsden has died at the age of 78. His family said he died after a short illness not linked to Covid-19. Gerry’s band was one of the biggest successes of the Merseybeat era, and in1963 their first three songs hit the top of the charts. The band’s second best …
Gerry and the Pacemakers singer Gerry Marsden has died at the age of 78.

His family said he died after a short illness not linked to Covid-19.

Gerry’s band was one of the biggest successes of the Merseybeat era, and in1963 their first three songs hit the top of the charts.

The band’s second best known hit, Ferry Cross The Mersey, came out in 1964. And it was a track that Bob Dylan seems to have always remembered.

The single was released in America in 1965 and soon after that Dylan played Liverpool where he was captured on film sitting in a doorway in Dublin Street, close to Liverpool’s Dock Road, surrounded by local children.

He was playing Liverpool’s Odeon Theatre that evening.

Dylan was always drawn to the New Yorkian decay of Britain’s North-west cities like ‘The Pool’ and Manchester and did many publicity shoots on the streets.

There is also a tape circulating of him actually singing The Leaving Of Liverpool.

Later, when he was playing the Echo Arena in 2009 Bob joined a conducted tour of John Lennon’s childhood home, Mendips.

I don’t think Gerry and Bob ever actually met but (please tell me if you know different) but he mentioned him and played Ferry Cross the Mersey as he went Around The World in a 2008 edition of his Theme Time Radio show.. Bob also played Celia Cruz’s Africa, When The Swallows Come Back To Capistrano by The Ink Spots and Whole Wide World by Wreckless Eric.

But an equally important recognition came in his sprawling Murder Most Foul last year when Gerry and his Pacemakers got another poetic mention:

Hush little children you’re gonna stand

The Beatles are coming they’re going to hold your hand

Slide down the Bannister go get your coat

Ferry cross the Mersey and go for the throat

There’s three bums coming all dressed in rags

Pick up the pieces and order the flags

Gerry Marsden was made an MBE in 2003 for services to charity after supporting victims of the Hillsborough disaster.

At the time, he said he was “over the moon” to have received the honour.

Probably his best-known record was his version of You’ll Never Walk Alone which became an anthem amongst Liverpool football fans.


#bobdylan #gerrymarsden #liverpool #johnlennon #pacemakers #
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Good News: Senate Confirms Kash Patel as FBI Director
Officials from the U.S. and Hungary Engage in Talks on Economic Collaboration and Sanctions Strategy
James Bond Franchise Transitions to Amazon MGM Studios
Technology Giants Ramp Up Lobbying Initiatives Against Strict EU Regulations
Alibaba Exceeds Quarterly Projections Fueled by Growth in Cloud and AI
Tequila Sector Faces Surplus Crisis as Agave Prices Dive Sharply
Residents of Flintshire Mobile Home Park Grapple with Maintenance Issues and Uncertain Future
Ronan Keating Criticizes Irish Justice System Following Fatal Crash Involving His Brother
Gordon Ramsay's Lucky Cat Restaurant Faces Unprecedented Theft
Israeli Family Mourns Loss of Peace Advocate Oded Lifschitz as Body Returned from Gaza
Former UK Defense Chief Calls for Enhanced European Support for Ukraine
Pope Francis Admitted to Hospital in Rome Amid Rising Succession Speculation
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, at the age of 83, Declares His Retirement.
Whistleblower Reveals Whitehall’s Focus on Kabul Animal Airlift Amid Crisis
Politicians Who Deliberately Lie Could Face Removal from Office in Wales
Scottish Labour Faces Challenges Ahead of 2026 Holyrood Elections
Leftwing Activists Less Likely to Work with Political Rivals, Study Finds
Boris Johnson to Host 'An Evening with Boris Johnson' at Edinburgh's Usher Hall
Planned Change in British Citizenship Rules Faces First Legal Challenge
Northumberland Postal Worker Sentenced for Sexual Assaults During Deliveries
British Journalist Missing in Brazil for 11 Days
Tesco Fixes Website Glitch That Disrupted Online Grocery Orders
Amnesty International Critiques UK's Predictive Policing Practices
Burglar Jailed After Falling into Home-Made Trap in Blyth
Sellafield Nuclear Site Exits Special Measures for Physical Security Amid Ongoing Cybersecurity Concerns
Avian Influenza Impact on Seals in Norfolk: Four Deaths Confirmed
First Arrest Under Scotland's Abortion Clinic Buffer Zone Law Amidst International Controversy
Meghan Markle Rebrands Lifestyle Venture as 'As Ever' Ahead of Netflix Series Launch
Inter-Island Ferry Services Between Guernsey and Jersey Set to Expand
Significant Proportion of Cancer Patients in England and Wales Not Receiving Recommended Treatments
Final Consultation Launched for Vyrnwy Frankton Power Line Project
Drug Misuse Deaths in Scotland Rise by 12% in 2023
Failed £100 Million Cocaine Smuggling Operation in the Scottish Highlands
Central Cee Equals MOBO Awards Record; Bashy and Ayra Starr Among Top Honorees
EastEnders: Four Decades of Challenging Social Norms
Jonathan Bailey Channels 'Succession' in Bold Richard II Performance
Northern Ireland's First Astronaut Engages in Rigorous Spacewalk Training
Former Postman Sentenced for Series of Sexual Offences in Northumberland
Record Surge in Anti-Muslim Hate Crimes Across the UK in 2024
Omagh Bombing Inquiry Concludes Commemorative Hearings with Survivor Testimonies
UK Government Introduces 'Ronan's Law' to Combat Online Knife Sales to Minors
Metal Detectorists Unearth 15th-Century Coin Hoard in Scottish Borders
Woman Charged in 1978 Death of Five-Year-Old Girl in South London
Expanding Sinkhole in Godstone, Surrey, Forces Evacuations and Road Closures
Bangor University Announces Plans to Cut 200 Jobs Amid £15 Million Savings Target
British Journalist Charlotte Peet Reported Missing in Brazil
UK Inflation Rises to 3% in January Amid Higher Food Prices and School Fees
Starmer Defends Zelensky Amidst Trump's 'Dictator' Allegation
Zelensky Calls on World Leaders to Back Peace Efforts in Light of Strains with Trump
UK Prime minister, Mr. Keir Starmer, has stated that any peace agreement aimed at ending the conflict in Ukraine "MUST" include a US security guarantee to deter Russian aggression
×