Remembering when Edinburgh man’s spoof 80s music video about Cameron Toll shopping centre went viral

Thousands of songs go viral on sites like YouTube and TikTok, but few ever made us laugh as much as one local man’s love letter to an Edinburgh shopping centre.

Comic video artist Danny Macleod had everyone in stitches with his video and tongue-in-cheek song ‘Cameron Toll (best shopping centre in the land)’. Shared on Facebook in August 2020, the track went viral with over 43,000 views.

Danny, who is originally from Gracemount, created an alter ego character by the name of Loud Macleod. Out of boredom, the then 38-year-old started making spoof pop videos for family and friends during lockdown – and he was shocked by the incredible response to his songs online.

Cameron Toll is an 80s-inspired pop ditty to the shopping centre where he spent much of his youth, that sees Danny busting some moves in a garish purple and blue tracksuit in the self-made video. The 80s theme is kept up with use of dated period graphics which self-taught Danny created in his own bedroom.

Speaking to the Evening News back then, Danny admitted he was taken aback by the response to the song online. “The most common reaction from people is, ‘what the hell have I just watched?’,” he said. “I have a musical background, but it was lockdown that started me doing the crazy stuff.

“During lockdown I started thinking about my mum and friends in Edinburgh, whom I couldn’t get home to see. The whole cabin fever kicked in and I started doing these daft videos. It’s nice to give folk an escape.”

Danny is still making the occasional hilarious video, which you can see on his YouTube account, https://www.youtube.com/@itsloudmacleod. Meanwhile, take a look at his now-classic Cameron Toll tune, and let us know your thoughts in the comments section before you go.