Lynsey de Paul facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lynsey de Paul
De Paul in 1974
Background information
Birth name	Lyndsey Monckton Rubin
Born	(1948-06-11)11 June 1948 Southwark, London, England
Died	1 October 2014(2014-10-01) (aged 66) London, England
Genres	Pop
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter, actress
Instruments	Vocals, piano
Years active	1971–2014

Lynsey de Paul (born Lyndsey Monckton Rubin; 11 June 1948 – 1 October 2014) was a talented English singer, songwriter, and music producer. She first wrote popular songs for other artists. Later, she had her own hit songs in the UK and Europe during the 1970s. Her first big hit was "Sugar Me", which reached the top 10 in the UK. In 1972, she became the first British female artist to have a number one song that she wrote herself (in Belgium, Spain, and the Netherlands).

Lynsey de Paul represented the UK in the 1977 Eurovision Song Contest. She had another chart-topping hit in Switzerland. She also had a successful career as a composer, winning two Ivor Novello Awards. She was also a record producer, actress, and TV personality.

Early Life and Education

Lynsey de Paul was born Lyndsey Monckton Rubin on June 11, 1948. Her parents were Meta and Herbert Rubin. Her family was Jewish and had roots in the Netherlands, Austria, and Germany. She had one brother named John.

Lynsey studied classical music with a special teacher from the Royal Academy of Music. She went to South Hampstead High School. After that, she attended Hornsey College of Art, which is now part of Middlesex University.

Music Career Highlights

Starting as a Songwriter

Lynsey de Paul started her career by writing songs for others. Three of her first songs were co-written with Don Gould. These songs, "Takin' It Easy" and "Bring Yourself Back To Me", were recorded by Jack Wild in 1971. Another song she co-wrote, "E.O.I.O.", was also recorded by Jack Wild in 1972.

When she was 18, she signed a contract with ATV-Kirshner music publishing. She joined a group of professional songwriters there. Her first major success came in 1972. She co-wrote "Storm in a Teacup" with Ron Roker. This song became a Top 10 hit in the UK for the Fortunes. Lynsey even performed the song on the BBC show The Two Ronnies.

She also wrote "On the Ride (You Do It Once, You Do It Twice)", a Top 30 hit in Malaysia and the Netherlands. Another song, "When You've Gotta Go", was a hit in Australia. All these early songs credited her as 'L. Rubin'.

Becoming a Performer

Lynsey de Paul was not planning to be a singer at first. She wrote the song "Sugar Me" for Peter Noone. But her boyfriend, Dudley Moore, suggested she record a demo. The record label boss, Gordon Mills, then encouraged her to sing it herself.

She changed her name from Rubin to de Paul. She explained that she took 'De' from her mother's maiden name, De Groot. 'Paul' was her father's middle name. "Sugar Me" was released and quickly became a Top 10 hit in the UK Singles Chart. It also reached number one in the Netherlands, Spain, and Belgium.

This made Lynsey de Paul a regular on British charts and TV for the next five years. Her next single, "Getting a Drag", reached the UK top 20. She was named the best female artist of 1972 by Record Mirror.

Lynsey de Paul on the TopPop TV show in 1973.

In March 1973, her first album, Surprise, was released. She wrote or co-wrote all the songs and also produced them. Later that year, she had another UK Top 20 hit with "Won't Somebody Dance With Me". This song was also popular in Ireland and the Netherlands. She won an Ivor Novello Award for this song, becoming the first woman to do so.

In February 1974, Lynsey de Paul was voted top female singer in the UK music weekly Disc Readers Awards Poll. She released "Ooh I Do" in May 1974, which was a hit in the UK, Belgium, Netherlands, Brazil, and Japan. She also wrote her first TV theme song, "Pilger theme", for the documentary series Pilger.

A second Ivor Novello Award came a year later for "No, Honestly". This song was the theme tune for the hit ITV comedy No, Honestly. It gave her another UK Top 10 hit. Her second album, Taste Me... Don't Waste Me, was her favorite. She continued to release singles like "My Man and Me", "Rhythm and Blue Jean Baby", and "Love Bomb".

Lynsey also kept writing songs for many other artists. Between 1972 and 1977, she wrote 14 UK Singles Chart hits. One notable song was "Dancin' (on a Saturday Night)", a hit for her co-writer Barry Blue. She also produced and arranged many of these songs. Her third album, Love Bomb, was released in 1975.

Eurovision and Later 1970s Success

Lynsey de Paul co-wrote "Rock Bottom" with Mike Moran. This song was chosen as the UK entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 1977. Lynsey made history as the first woman to perform her own song at Eurovision. The song came second in the contest. It became a Top 20 hit in many European countries, reaching number one in Switzerland.

After Eurovision, Lynsey and Mike Moran wrote other songs. They wrote "Let Your Body Go Downtown" (1977) for the Martyn Ford Orchestra, which was a UK chart hit.

Her song "Won't Somebody Dance With Me" was used in the 1978 film The Big Sleep. It was also sung by Gonzo in The Muppet Show. In 1977, Lynsey released another single, "You Give Me Those Feelings". She also wrote the theme music for the TV sitcom The Rag Trade and the variety show "Hi Summer". Her songs have been featured in many international films.

In 1979, she released her album Tigers and Fireflies. The title track, "Tigers and Fireflies", was a single that talked about her experiences with past managers.

1980s Activities

Lynsey de Paul spent four years in California in the late 1970s and early 1980s. She then returned to England. In the 1980s, she released one solo single, "Strange Changes", which was a hit on the UK disco chart. She also co-wrote "A Little TLC", which was covered by Sam Hui and won an award in Hong Kong.

She continued to write songs for various artists like Shirley Bassey and Heatwave. Lynsey also started producing records, acting in musicals, and drawing cartoons. She composed TV themes for shows like the BBC's The Olympian Way and Hearts of Gold.

In 1982, Lynsey made her acting debut on stage in the thriller Shriek!. The next year, she appeared on TV in The Starlight Ballroom. She also performed in pantomimes like "Cinderella's Star Night" and "Aladdin".

In 1983, Lynsey de Paul recorded two classical records of music by Handel and Bach. She also began composing and performing songs for children. This included an album of children's songs for Eurotunnel's mascot, Marcus The Mole. She also acted in the children's film Gabrielle and the Doodleman.

She composed jingles for radio stations. In 1983, she appeared at the Conservative Party conference. She sang a song she wrote for the event: "Vote Tory, Tory, Tory/For election glory."

In 1984, Lynsey de Paul performed at the Royal Variety Performance for Queen Elizabeth II. In 1985, she was a judge on the TV talent show New Faces. She was also a regular panelist on shows like Call My Bluff and Blankety Blank. She hosted TV shows such as Club Vegetarian and Living Room Legends.

1990s and Beyond

In 1992, Lynsey de Paul released a self-defence video for women called Taking Control. She presented the video and showed self-defence techniques. She also co-wrote and produced the theme song for it. She presented a documentary about women's self-defence, Eve Fights Back, which won an award. A book based on the program was also published.

In 1994, she released her first album in 15 years, Just a Little Time. It included new songs and updated versions of her classic hits. She also released a new single, "There's No Place Like London", which she had written for Shirley Bassey. This song featured many famous stars and raised money for charity.

In 1995, she co-wrote a children's album called How Do You Do - I'm Marcus for the opening of Eurotunnel. In 1996, her song "Martian Man" was featured on a CD single by the group Mice.

In 1998, Lynsey created and presented the TV series Women of Substance. In 1999, she was featured on the cover of Saga Magazine. She discussed her early life, songwriting, and her belief in self-defence for women.

2000s and Final Years

In 2005, Lynsey de Paul received a Gold Badge Award for her contributions to music. She also became a director on the board of the Performing Rights Society (PRS) in 2006.

She was a talented cartoonist and worked as the resident cartoonist for OK! magazine in 2006. She also drew cartoons for Chic magazine.

In 2007, Lynsey briefly returned to acting. She played Sheila Larsen in the TV drama series Kingdom. In 2008, she appeared on a celebrity version of Come Dine with Me.

In 2011, Lynsey had her own program on Sky called Lynsey's Love Songs. She also interviewed songwriters like Gilbert O'Sullivan and Mike Batt for Vintage TV. She was a member of the UK jury for the Eurovision Song Contest 2012.

In 2012, Lynsey de Paul co-hosted the Marc Bolan 35th anniversary concert. This was a charity event for the PRS for Music Members Benevolent Fund. She also appeared in the play Hollywood Love, playing the role of Hedda Hopper. From 2013 until her death, she was a regular guest on the Simon Lederman Show on BBC Radio London.

Two double CD collections of her songs, Sugar and Beyond and Into My Music, were released in March 2013. Lynsey personally oversaw this project.

Personal Life

Lynsey de Paul never married. She was romantically involved with several famous people, including Dudley Moore, Ringo Starr, James Coburn, and David Frost. She received five marriage proposals.

She was a supporter of animal rights and shared her home with a three-legged cat named Tripod.

Lynsey de Paul put her career on hold from the late 1990s to 2001 to care for her mother.

Death

Lynsey de Paul passed away on October 1, 2014, at her home in Mill Hill. She suffered a brain haemorrhage. Her niece, Olivia Rubin, said her death was "completely unexpected." Friends remembered her as a talented and generous person. She was buried at Hendon Cemetery.

In 2015, PRS for Music created an annual Lynsey de Paul prize. This award helps new female singer-songwriters.

Discography

Chart Singles

Albums Released

• 1973: Surprise
• 1974: Taste Me... Don't Waste Me
• 1975: Love Bomb
• 1979: Tigers and Fireflies
• 1994: Lynsey de Paul
• 1996: Just a Little Time
• 2013: Sugar and Beyond (collection of songs)
• 2013: Into My Music (collection of songs)

Songs Written for Other Artists

Lynsey de Paul wrote many hit songs for other artists, including:

• 1972: "Storm in a Teacup" (for The Fortunes)
• 1973: "Dancin' (on a Saturday Night)" (for Barry Blue)
• 1974: "School Love" (for Barry Blue)
• 1974: "Central Park Arrest" (for Thunderthighs)
• 1977: "Let Your Body Go Downtown" (for Martyn Ford Orchestra)

Images for kids

• 

  De Paul in 1974

See also

In Spanish: Lynsey de Paul para niños