Gilbert O'Sullivan

Gilbert O'Sullivan (born Raymond Edward O'Sullivan, on 1 December, 1946, in Waterford, Ireland) is a singer-songwriter, famously known for his morose ballad "Alone Again (Naturally)" and his boogie pop number "Get Down".

Biography

Early in his life, his family moved to Swindon, England, where he attended St. Joseph's Comprehensive school. Here he began to develop an interest in music and art. At Swindon Art College in 1963, he met Rick Davies who would later become a member of the progressive rock band Supertramp. During these years, O'Sullivan experimented with songwriting, writing his first song, "Ready Miss Steady."

O'Sullivan signed a five-year contract with CBS in 1967. However, after two unsuccessful singles with CBS, and one with the Irish label Major Minor, he sent some demo tapes to Gordon Mills, the manager of Tom Jones and Engelbert Humperdinck, whereupon he signed with Mills' label, MAM Records. At that time, O'Sullivan created the self-image of a "Bisto Kid", with pudding-basin haircut, cloth cap and short trousers, reportedly hated by Gordon Mills but O'Sullivan insisted on going with it, though he did replace it few years later in favour of an endless series of collegiate-styled sweaters, embossed with the letter 'G'. At the end of 1970, O'Sullivan achieved his first UK top 10 hit with "Nothing Rhymed", which reached No. 8 (No. 1 in The Netherlands), and enjoyed nearly five years of major success. This run incorporated thirteen more hit singles, six of which reached the UK Top 10, plus four Top 10 albums, including Himself (1971), Back To Front (1972), I'm A Writer Not A Fighter (1973) and A Stranger In My Own Back Yard (1974). In 1972 his international star raised, after his self penned ballad, "Alone Again (Naturally)," a No. 3 hit in Britain, became a chart-topper in the USA, spending six weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard chart and selling nearly two million copies there.

He also landed two consecutive UK chart toppers, with the songs "Clair" (1972); and "Get Down" (1973), which reached No. 2 and No. 7 respectively in America. However, things later turned sour, as O'Sullivan discovered his recording contract with MAM Records, greatly favoured the label's owner. A litigation followed, with prolonged argument over how much money his songs had earned and how much of that money he had actually received. Widely reported in the media, this may have been the first high-profile case of its kind. Eventually the court found in O'Sullivan's favour, the judge describing him as "a patently honest and sincere man," who had been treated shabbily. He had won, but the court battle had put his recording career on hold. Sometime before the case had come to court, he had returned after a five year chart absence in 1980, with a new contract with his old label, CBS. The first single of the new contract - "What's In A Kiss" - reached No. 19 in the UK. But then the hits completely dried up, and due in part to the court case, O'Sullivan released no new material between 1982 and 1987. Apart from a minor hit single in 1990 and a compilation album in 1991, O'Sullivan was absent from the charts until another compilation album returned him to the Top 20 in 2004. For years O'Sullivan spoke in a bad light about his fall from fame, once saying that "no-one cares" what he has to say anymore, until the internet came along and he got in contact with some fans on his website.

However, O'Sullivan continues to record and perform to the present day, and enjoys some success in Japan.

Discography

Singles

*Disappear/You (Nov 1967)
*What Can I Do/You (Apr 1968)
*Mr. Moody's Garden/I Wish I Could Cry (May 1969)
*Nothing Rhymed/Everybody Knows (Oct 1970) - UK No. 8, US No. 114, NED No. 1
*Underneath The Blanket Go/Doing The Best I Can (Feb 1971) - UK No. 40, NED No. 1
*We Will/I Didn't Know What To Do (Jul 1971) - UK No. 16, NED No. 23
*I Wish I Could Cry/Mr. Moody's Garden (re-issued with the two sides reversed, Aug 1971), NED. No 18
*No Matter How I Try/If I Don't Get You (Back Again) (Nov 1971) - UK No. 5, NED No. 13
*Alone Again (Naturally)/Save It (Feb 1972) - UK No. 3, US No. 1, NED No. 21
*Ooh-Wakka-Doo-Wakka-Day/But I'm Not (May 1972) - UK No. 8, NED No 6.
*Clair/What Could Be Nicer (Mum, The Kettle's Boiling) (Oct 1972) - UK No. 1, US No. 2, NED No. 3
*Alone Again (Naturally)/Save It/No Matter How I Try/If I Don't Get You (Back Again) (1972 - EP)
*Clair/What Could Be Nicer/Ooh-Wakka-Doo-Wakka-Day/But I'm Not (1972 - EP)
*I Wish I Could Cry/Mr. Moody's Garden (2nd re-issue, Jan 1973)
*Get Down/A Very Extraordinary Sort Of Girl (Mar 1973) - UK No. 1, US No. 7, NED No. 3
*Ooh Baby/Good Company (Aug 1973) - UK No. 18, US No. 25, NED No 18
*Why Oh Why Oh Why/You Don't Have To Tell Me (Nov 1973) - UK No. 6
*Happiness Is Me And You/Breakfast Dinner And Tea (Feb 1974) - UK No. 19, US No. 62
*A Woman's Place/Too Bad (Aug 1974) - UK No. 42
*Christmas Song/To Cut A Long Story Short (Nov 1974) - UK No. 12
*You Are You/Tell Me Why (Jan 1975) - UK No. 53 unofficially (not part of published chart)
*I Don't Love You But I Think I Like You/That's A Fact (May 1975) - UK No. 14
*I'll Believe It When I See It/Just As You Are (Aug 1975) - UK No. 52 unofficially (not part of published chart), NED No. 11
*You Never Listen To Reason/Call On Me (Oct 1975)
*Doing What I Know/I, Of Course, Replied (Apr 1976)
*To Each His Own/Can't Get You Out Of My Mind (Oct 1976)
*Matrimony/You Don't Have To Tell Me (1971 album track belatedly released as a single, Nov 1976), NED No. 4
*My Love And I/Call On Me (May 1977)
*You Got Me Going/As Long As I Can (Jul 1977)
*Miss My Love Today/Our Own Baby (Feb 1978)
*Christmas Song/Clair/Nothing Rhymed (Nov 1978 - EP)
*What's In A Kiss?/Down, Down, Down (Aug 1980) - UK No. 19
*I Love It But/Help Is On The Way (Nov 1980)
*Hello, It's Goodbye/Break It To Me Gently (Jan 1981)
*Can't Get Enough Of You/Or So They Say (Mar 1981)
*A Minute Of Your Time/In Other Words (Jun 1982)
*Bear With Me/Don't Bother At All (Sep 1982)
*Lost A Friend/You Better Run (1989)
*Lost A Friend/Get Down/We Will '87 (1989 â€" CD)
*So What/In A Nutshell (Feb 1990) - UK No. 70
*So What (Italo)/So What (Ital)/So What (Original Version) (1990 â€" 12" single)
*At The Very Mention Of Your Name/What You See Is What You Get (Jun 1990)
*Can't Think Straight (duet with Peggy Lee)/Sometimes/Divorce Irish Style (1992 â€" CD)
*Are You Happy?/Nothing Rhymed (live)/Or So They Say (live) (Nov 1993 â€" CD)
*Dear Dream/Dear Dream (dance mix)/Sometimes (alternate version)/Dear Dream (dance mix full version) (Nov 1995 â€" CD)
*Ain't No Telling (What Tomorrow Will Bring)/Doesn't It Make You Sick/Break A Leg (Oct 1998 â€" CD)
*Say Goodbye/Sex Appeal/Clair (performed by Shoreditch Ogre) (Jul 2001 â€" CD)
*Two's Company (Three Is Allowed)/I Have My Coat To Keep Me Warm/There Are Others (Jun 2002 â€" CD)
*Ooh Baby (Radio Mix)/Ooh Baby (Vocoder Mix)/Ooh Baby (Vocal Mix)/Ooh Baby (Radio FX Mix) (Dec 2002 â€" CD)

Albums

Himself (Aug 1971) - UK No. 5, US No. 9, NED No. 2Intro/January Git/Bye-Bye/Permissive Twit/Matrimony/Independent Air/Nothing Rhymed/Too Much Attention/Susan Van Heusan/If I Don't Get You (Back Again)/Thunder And Lightning/Houdini Said/Doing The Best I Can/Outro
Back To Front (Oct 1972) - UK No. 1, US No. 48, NED No. 6Intro/I'll Hope You'll Stay/In My Hole/Clair/That's Love/Can O Go With You/But I'm Not/Outro/I'm In Love With You/Who Was It?/What Could Be Nicer (Mum The Kettle's Boiling)/Out Of The Question/The Golden Rule/I'm Leaving/Outro
I'm A Writer Not A Fighter (Sep 1973) - UK No. 2, US No. 101, NED No 13 I'm A Writer Not A Fighter/A Friend Of Mine/They've Only Themselves To Blame/Who Knows, Perhaps, Maybe/Where Peaceful Waters Flow/Ooh Baby/I Have Never Loved You As Much As I Love You Today/Not In A Million Years/If You Love Me Like You Love Me/Get Down
A Stranger In My Own Back Yard (Oct 1974) - UK No. 9 Number 4/A Woman's Place/No More/It's So Easy To Be Sad/My Father/The Marriage Machine/If You Ever/The Thing Is/Just Like Me/Victor E/I Wonder Would You Mind/15 Times/Nothing To Do About Much/Can't Get You To Love Me/Always Somebody
Greatest Hits (Nov 1976) - UK No. 13Alone Again (Naturally)/Clair/Christmas Song/We Will/Nothing Rhymed/Why Oh Why Oh Why/Get Down/Matrimony/Ooh-Wakka-Doo-Wakka-Day/No Matter How I Try/Ooh Baby/Out Of The Question
Southpaw (Nov 1977)Intro/You Got Me Going/No Telling Why/Tomorrow Today/The Best Fun I Ever Had/I Remember Once/Intro/I Of Course Replied/That's Where I Belong/My Love And I/If I Can't Have You All To Myself/Miss My Love Today
Off Centre (Oct 1980)I Love It But/What's In A Kiss/Hello It's Goodbye/Why Pretend/I'm Not Getting Any Younger/Things That Go Bump In The Night/Help Is On The Way/For What It's Worth/The Niceness Of It All/Can't Get Enough Of You/Break It To Me Gently/Or So They Say
20 Golden Greats (1981) - UK No. 98Nothing Rhymed/No Matter How I Try/We Will/Alone Again (Naturally)/Ooh-Wakka-Doo-Wakka-Day/Clair/But I'm Not/Hello It's Goodbye/Underneath The Blanket Go/Get Down/What's In A Kiss/Matrimony/Ooh Baby/Why Oh Why Oh Why/Happiness Is Me And You/A Woman's Place/Christmas Song/Susan Van Heusan/Can't Get Enough Of You/I Don't Love You But I Think I Like You
Life & Rhymes (Oct 1982)Live Now Pay Later/Bear With Me/You Don't Own Me/A Minute Of Your Time/Is It A Crime?/Got To Be That Way/Has Been/I Promise Honest/Wonder Why/Looking (A Tale Of Two Meanings)/If I Know You/At Least I'm Honest
Frobisher Drive (1987) (Germany Only)So What/If I Start With The Chorus/What Am I Doing Here With You?/We Will (New Version)/Stick In The Mud/The Way Things Used To Be/I Don't Trust Men With Earrings In Their Ears/Lost A Friend/Forever Wondering/At The Very Mention Of Your Name
In The Key Of G (Nov 1989)Lost A Friend/At The Very Mention Of Your Name/What Am I Doing Here With You?/If I Start With The Chorus/So What/The Way Things Used To Be/I Don't Trust Men With Earrings In Their Ears/Gordon Bennett/To The Extreme/Stick In The Mud
Nothing But The Best (1991) - UK No. 50Nothing Rhymed/Matrimony/We Will/No Matter How I Try/Permissive Twit/Alone Again (Naturally)/Ooh-Wakka-Doo-Wakka-Day/Out Of The Question/Clair/Get Down/A Friend Of Mine/Ooh Baby/Why Oh Why Oh Why/Happiness Is Me And You/A Woman's Place/Christmas Song/I Don't Love You But I Think I Like You/What's In A Kiss
Sounds Of The Loop (Apr 1992)Are You Happy?/Not That It Bothers Me/Sometimes/It's Easy To See When You're Blind/Having Said That/Can't Think Straight (Duet With Peggy Lee)/The Best Love I Never Had/Divorce Irish Style/Came And Went/I'm Not Too Young/I Can Give You/Can't Think Straight (Japanese Version)
By Larry (Apr 1994) (also known as 'The Little Album')That's/When To Today/Shy/That's Why I Love You/My Advice To You/Hold On To What You Got/Came To See Me Yesterday/Mr And Mrs Regards/It Ain't For Me/I Don't Mind/As A Rule/My Front Door Is/Because Of You/The Window Cleaner's Mate (Some formats featured two bonus tracks: What Am I Doing Here With You/What You See Is What You Get)
The Best Of Gilbert O'Sullivan: Live In Japan (Apr 1995)Nothing Rhymed/No Matter How I Try/Clair/At The Very Mention Of Your Name/Matrimony/Or So They Say/Get Down/What's In A Kiss/A Friend Of Mine/A Woman's Place/Alone Again (Naturally)/Hold On To What You Got/Miss My Love Today/We Will/Dear Dream/Thunder And Lightning/Came To See Me Yesterday/Is It A Crime?/Tomorrow Today/Where Peaceful Waters Flow(Another format titled 'Tomorrow Today: Gilbert O' Sullivan Live In Japan' included 'Not That It Bothers Me'/'It's Easy To See When You're Blind'/'Can't Get Enough Of You'/'Got To Be That Way' in place of four tracks on the above release)
Every Song Has It's Play (May 1995)Overture/Showbiz/Dear Dream/I Wish I Could Cry/Nothing To Fear/Pretty Polly/Can't Find My Way Home/Dishonourable Profession/You Don't Own Me/If I Know You/Nobody Wants To Know/Young At Heart (We'll Always Remain)/I've Never Been Short Of A Smile/Showbiz (Reprise)/If You Commence Before The Start
Singer Sowing Machine (Nov 1997)Heaven's Above/In Bed By Ten/Sex Appeal/You Better Believe It/Please Don't Let My Weakness Show/I'll Be The Lonely One/Con-Lab-Lib/Doesn't It Make You Sick (Mortar And Brick)/Not So Great Britain/I Don't Care/I'm About/Break A Leg/Say Ireland/An End....
Irlish (Oct 2001)Have It/A Sight For Sore Eyes/Where The Hell Have You Been/Me/Say Goodbye/Don't I Know It/How I Say That I Love You/Passport Photos/Water Music/Fine By Me/Two's Company (Three Is Allowed)/Love Being Faxed By You/Easier Said Than Done/Me (Reprise)
Piano Foreplay (2003)It Never Rains But It Pours/Barking Up The Wrong Tree (Such Is Life)/Make My Day/God Forbid/Conversation With The Flying Plates/I Gave Mine To You/A Love So/You Me And The Garden Post/Parrish/What's It All Supposed To Mean?/Answers On A Postcard (Please)/Will I Do?/World Of Work
The Berry Vest Of Gilbert O'Sullivan (Mar 2004) - UK No. 20Nothing Rhymed/Alone Again (Naturally)/Clair/Get Down/We Will/No Matter How I Try/Matrimony/Out Of The Question/Ooh-Wakka-Doo-Wakka-Day/Who Was It?/Ooh Baby (Radio Remix)/Miss My Love Today/What's In A Kiss/So What/Can't Think Straight (Duet With Peggy Lee)/Doesn't It Make You Sick (Mortar And Brick) (Remix)/Happiness Is Me And You/Two's Company (Three Is Allowed)/What's It All Supposed To Mean?/Mr. Moody's Garden
A Scruff At Heart (Due for release in August 2006)Take Your Foot Off My Toe/A Proper Fool/My Place Or Yours/Don't Let It Get To You/You Can't Con-crete/Taking Sides/I'm In Love With Love (Again)/Force Of Habit/One Door Closes/Just So You Know/Let's Not Go There/Can't Say Fairer Than That/Love You Out Of Trouble/I Know What I Would Do

Trivia

Two of O'Sullivan's more famous songs, "Alone Again (Naturally)" and "Get Down", were used in the opening and closing credits (respectively) of the Japanese Anime Maison Ikkoku. Because the songs where used without authorisation it caused a minor uproar and only episode 24 featured them, after which the previous songs replaced them. Because of copyright reasons they haven't been included with any home video releases outside of Japan.

External links

* Official Gilbert O'Sullivan Page
*Gilbert O'Sullivan on magazine covers