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Gilbert O'Sullivan (born Raymond Edward O'Sullivan, on 1 December 1946, in Waterford, Ireland) is a singer-songwriter, best known for his early-1970s hits "Alone Again (Naturally)", "Clair" and "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. It was Mills who redesignated him Gilbert O'Sullivan, a pun on Gilbert and Sullivan, but the eye-catching visual image comprising pudding-basin haircut, cloth cap and short trousers, was O'Sullivan's own idea, reportedly hated by Mills but O'Sullivan insisted on going with it, at least for a couple of years, after which a more modern look took over in which he often wore a sweater bearing a large 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 U.S., spending six weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 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.[citation needed] 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.
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January 6th, 2009 at 08:16:36 Aloneness is not lonliness.Its beautiful.Oh its so beautiful.You will know what beautiful means!
January 6th, 2009 at 08:39:35 O'Sullican my friend you are a genius no matter what we always end alone..but still cheers and HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!!!
January 6th, 2009 at 09:02:34 Muy buena melodia y la letra tiene tanto significado, es cierto al fin y al cabo uno termina solo otra vez!
January 6th, 2009 at 09:25:33 I am proud to say i go to St Josephs Catholic College Swindon!
January 6th, 2009 at 09:48:32 puchica que cancion mas bella
January 6th, 2009 at 10:11:31 Tiempos estos en los que no conocía al pequeñin... TAMAL!!! TAMBBH!!!
January 6th, 2009 at 10:34:30 Incredible, a song that never fails to make me cry a little.
January 6th, 2009 at 10:57:29 I don't know why all these years i thought it was the BeeGees who sang this song...lol lol...now I know...nice song..
January 6th, 2009 at 11:20:28 Que tema más hermoso.!!!!!Lauchito....te quiero.... Jorge.
January 6th, 2009 at 11:43:27 the best song...a love it
January 6th, 2009 at 12:06:26 the melody is beautiful, I used to love this song as a child, but now hearing the words, I have to say it's got somewhat whining words. I mean, we all know life is tough, but there's too much self pity here in my test.
January 6th, 2009 at 12:29:25 Going to you in 2009 to see Gilbert again.He's brilliant, a must see.
January 6th, 2009 at 12:52:24 daaamn thats deep =(
January 6th, 2009 at 13:15:23 I loooove this song. They just don't make them like this anymore.
January 6th, 2009 at 13:38:22 If it's a whole album of Gilbert O'Sullivan tunes, you'll probably enjoy it.
January 6th, 2009 at 14:01:21 That's what he was doing.Capturing the events of ordinary life,which is universal and critical,musically. He should've been left to get on with it.That could've been amazing.
January 6th, 2009 at 14:24:20 When I was very young I saw my aunt cring alone in a half lit room while she was listening to this song. I thought understood how she was feeling because I also loved her husband very much. he looked like a giant to me but so loving and caring. He past at such an early age and her with to babies. Still sad all these years later.
January 6th, 2009 at 14:47:19 wow he attended the same school as me in swindon but now its called st josephs catholic college! nicee stuff xxxx
January 6th, 2009 at 15:10:18 They have on Itunes, but you have to buy a whole album for 10 bucks. =(
January 6th, 2009 at 15:33:17 WOW finally I find this wonderful thanks
January 6th, 2009 at 15:56:16 What a depressing song! Beautiful, but horribly depressing. Everytime I hear it I have to fight back tears. Reminds me of a quote from E.M. Forester: "He stared at the ceiling with wrinkled mouth and eyes, understanding nothing except that man has been created to feel pain and loneliness without help from heaven."
January 6th, 2009 at 16:19:15 I got :)
January 6th, 2009 at 16:42:14 Lindisimo!!!!!
January 6th, 2009 at 17:05:13 i like this song in the 70s and i still like today brings back the old days from the 70 thanks for this video
January 6th, 2009 at 17:28:12 If only they had it on iTunes.. if only they had it at the library.. if only they had it anywhere...