Mystery YouTube bus singing sensation revealed

Today the Evening News can reveal David McKenna, 61, is the so-called “bus conductor” who whipped up more than a dozen passengers into a musical frenzy with renditions of Flower of Scotland and My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean on the No 30 bus earlier this month.

The grandfather-of-five, whose exploits have already clocked up 12,000 views on YouTube after being captured on a mobile phone, said a rare night on the tiles and a little Dutch courage provided the impetus for off-the-cuff sing-along. “We got on the bus after having a night at the Musselburgh and Fisherrow Welfare Club at the back of 11pm,” said Mr McKenna.

“I wasn’t really drunk but I was a little merry and there were a few people from the club there so I started off singing a little of Flower of Scotland. A few people were joining in but when the bus picked up from Queen Margaret University a crowd of youngsters came on – I think they were mostly French – and they started off with us.

“It really kicked off when they got on. I remember singing La Marseillaise with them –I don’t know the words but I sang along to the tune.

“It was all very friendly with a really great atmosphere. I think the students were just starting their night out while we were on our way home.”

Footage of a jovial Mr McKenna holding his hands aloft and milking applause from fellow passengers appeared online on February 3.

But the night-shift worker at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, who was given a send-off of Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye by the buoyant students, knew nothing of his growing notoriety until an article appeared in the News on Saturday.

“When I saw it I thought it was quite good, though I was a wee bit embarrassed, actually,” he said.

“I didn’t know anything about it until my daughter said ‘you’re in the paper’.

“I even got a phone call from my brother in Australia who keeps up with the Evening News online saying ‘I’ve seen you in the News’.”

Mr McKenna said he doesn’t often sing in public as a rule, except at Easter Road with the “Hibs choir”.

Tom Frenzel, 18, who was among the student party on the bus, said: “We wanted to give him a proper send-off, as we did for nearly all the passengers on the bus.

“It was a brilliant atmosphere and sort of overwhelming in a way.”