Gilbert O'Sullivan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gilbert O'Sullivan
O'Sullivan on TopPop in 1974
Background information
Birth name	Raymond Edward O'Sullivan
Born	(1946-12-01) 1 December 1946 (age 78) Waterford, Ireland
Genres	Pop soft rock easy listening
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter
Instruments	Vocals piano
Years active	1967–present
Labels	Current Union Square (2007–2010; 2013–present) Former MAM (1967–1978) CBS (1978–1986) Ultraphone (1986–1988) Dover (1989–1990) Park Records (1991–2000) EMI (2000–2007) Victor (2007) Hypertension (2011–2013)

Raymond Edward "Gilbert" O'Sullivan (born 1 December 1946) is an Irish singer and songwriter. He became very famous in the early 1970s with popular songs like "Alone Again (Naturally)", "Clair", and "Get Down". His music often features his unique, rhythmic piano playing and lyrics that observe everyday life, often using clever wordplay.

Gilbert O'Sullivan was born in Waterford, Ireland. As a child, he moved to Swindon, England. He started his music career in 1967. Around the world, he has had 16 songs in the top 40 charts, including six songs that reached number one. His first number one hit was "Nothing Rhymed" in 1970. Throughout his career, he has released 19 studio albums. In 1972, the music magazine Record Mirror named him the top male singer in the UK. He has also won three Ivor Novello Awards, including "Songwriter of the Year" in 1973.

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Raymond Edward O'Sullivan was born on 1 December 1946 in Waterford, Ireland. He was one of six children. His mother owned a sweet shop, and his father worked as a butcher. When Raymond was seven, his family moved to Battersea, London, for his father's job. A year later, they settled in Swindon, Wiltshire.

It was in Swindon that Raymond started playing the piano. He once said, "I come from a working-class background, but we always had a piano." His parents believed that if one of their children could play, they might earn some money from it. Raymond took piano lessons for a short time but preferred to play by ear, meaning he could play songs just by listening to them, without needing to read music. Raymond's father passed away two years after they moved to Swindon.

Later, a friend named Davies, who would go on to start the band Supertramp, taught O'Sullivan how to play both drums and piano. Learning drums influenced his piano style, making it very rhythmic. O'Sullivan explained, "My left hand is hitting the high hat and the right hand is the snare." He began writing his own songs, greatly inspired by the Beatles for their songwriting and Bob Dylan for his performing style.

Starting a Music Career

O'Sullivan's unique 'Depression-era street urchin' look in 1971

In 1967, O'Sullivan moved from Swindon to London to pursue his dream of a music career. He wanted to stand out, so he created a memorable look. This included a bowl cut hairstyle, a cloth cap, and short trousers. O'Sullivan said his love for silent films, like those starring Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin, inspired this image.

He signed a five-year contract with April Music, a publishing company for CBS Records. Stephen Shane, a manager there, noticed him and suggested changing his name from Ray to Gilbert. This was a playful nod to the famous light opera duo Gilbert and Sullivan. He received an advance payment of £12, which he used to buy a piano. He was then signed to CBS Records by A&R manager Mike Smith, who also worked with bands like the Tremeloes.

His first single, "Disappear," was released in November 1967 under the name "Gilbert." It did not become a hit, nor did his second single, "What Can I Do," released in April 1968. He then moved to the Irish record label Major Minor in 1969, but his third single, "Mr. Moody's Garden," was also unsuccessful.

O'Sullivan then sent some demo tapes to Gordon Mills, who managed famous singers like Tom Jones. Mills signed O'Sullivan to his new label, MAM Records. Mills reportedly disliked O'Sullivan's unique look, but O'Sullivan insisted on keeping it at first. His distinctive style, which some compared to the Bisto Kids, attracted a lot of attention. O'Sullivan explained in 1971 that he wanted to get people interested in his look so they would then like his music.

Finding Success and International Fame

O'Sullivan in 1972, with his new 'college-like' image

At the end of 1970, O'Sullivan finally had his first big hit in the UK with "Nothing Rhymed." This song also reached number one in the Netherlands, earning him his first gold record. In 1971, he had more hits with "Underneath The Blanket Go" (another number one in the Netherlands), "We Will", and "No Matter How I Try." The last song won "Best Ballad or Romantic Song" at the Ivor Novello Awards in 1972.

O'Sullivan released his first album, Himself, in August 1971. Critics liked it, comparing his songwriting style to Paul McCartney and Randy Newman. He didn't tour much for the album but appeared on British television, including a BBC concert.

In 1972, O'Sullivan became famous worldwide with his song "Alone Again (Naturally)". This emotional song reached number 3 in the UK. In America, it was a huge hit, staying at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for six weeks and selling almost two million copies. It also topped the charts in Canada and Japan. This song was nominated for two Grammy Awards in 1973: Song of the Year and Record of the Year.

Around this time, O'Sullivan changed his image. He stopped wearing his old look and adopted a more modern, "college-like" style, often wearing a sweater with a large letter 'G'. This change was intentional, as he wanted to avoid being seen as a novelty act in the US.

He followed up "Alone Again (Naturally)" with "Clair", which reached number 2 in the US and number 1 in the UK, Norway, France, and Canada. His second album, Back to Front, also had a hit song called "Out of the Question".

In 1972, O'Sullivan sold over ten million records, making him a top music star. He was named the number one male singer of 1972 by Record Mirror and won "British Songwriter of the Year" in May 1973.

His third album, I'm a Writer, Not a Fighter, came out in 1973. It showed a new sound with more rock music and funk influences. The main single from this album, "Get Down", reached number one in the UK, Belgium, and Germany. It was O'Sullivan's third song to sell over a million copies.

Gilbert O'Sullivan had about five years of great success with MAM Records. During this time, he had many top 10 singles and albums in the UK, US, Netherlands, and other countries. By 1974, his sales started to slow down. His fourth album, A Stranger In My Own Back Yard, did not reach the top five in the UK. One of its songs, "A Woman's Place," caused some discussion because of its lyrics.

In June 1975, O'Sullivan had his last top 20 hit for a while, called "I Don't Love You But I Think I Like You."

Later Career and Impact

After a break, Gilbert O'Sullivan returned to his old record label, CBS, in 1980. His single "What's in a Kiss?" reached No. 19 in the UK in 1980, becoming his first UK top 20 hit in five years.

O'Sullivan is also known for a very important court case in 1991. He sued the rapper Biz Markie for using a small part, or "sample," of his song "Alone Again (Naturally)" without permission. O'Sullivan won the case, and the court ruled that he should receive all the money from the song. This case made it much more expensive and difficult for other artists to use samples of songs without permission, changing the rules for hip hop music and sampling forever.

Gilbert O'Sullivan has continued to record and perform music into the 21st century. He is especially popular in Japan. His album A Scruff at Heart was released in 2007. He performed at the 2008 Glastonbury Festival and at London's Royal Albert Hall in 2009. In 2011, his album Gilbertville was released, which included a song about the 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center.

In March 2012, a collection of his best songs, Gilbert O'Sullivan: The Very Best Of – A Singer & His Songs, reached No. 12 on the UK Albums Chart. In 2015, he toured Ireland and released his album Latin à la G!.

On 24 August 2018, O'Sullivan released his 19th studio album, also called Gilbert O'Sullivan. This album entered the UK Albums Chart at No. 20, which was his first studio album to chart in the UK top 20 in over 40 years. His 20th album, Driven, came out on 22 July 2022 and reached No. 26 in the UK.

In December 2023, the local council in Waterford decided to give O'Sullivan the "Freedom of the City & County" award. He received this special honor in person on 27 March 2024.

Personal Life

Gilbert O'Sullivan chose not to date much during the peak of his career. He worried that it might stop him from writing songs. In January 1980, he married his Norwegian girlfriend, Aase Brekke. They had their first daughter, Helen-Marie, later that year, and their second daughter, Tara, two years later.

He currently lives in Jersey.

Album Discography

Images for kids

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  O'Sullivan on TopPop in 1974

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  O'Sullivan sporting his 'Depression-era street urchin' look in 1971

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  O'Sullivan in 1972

See also

• List of artists who reached number one on the UK Singles Chart
• List of artists who reached number one in the United States
• List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Adult Contemporary chart
• List of performers on Top of the Pops