Gilbert O'Sullivan

O'Sullivan at a concert in Tel Aviv , 2009

Gilbert O'Sullivan (* 1. December 1946 as Raymond Edward O'Sullivan in Waterford ) is an Irish songwriter and singer, who was successful in the 1970s, especially early. His biggest hits were Alone Again (Naturally) , Clair and Get Down .

Career

Gilbert O'Sullivan, 1974

O'Sullivan played in various bands and wrote his first pieces during his school days. In the mid-1960s he recorded the first singles , but they were unsuccessful. Instead, The Tremeloes released two of his songs: You (1967) and Come On Home (1968). After further unsuccessful recordings, the breakthrough came in 1970 with Nothing Rhymed . The single rose to number 8 in the English charts .

The success was thanks to his new manager Gordon Mills, who had already built Tom Jones and Engelbert Humperdinck . The name change from Raymond to Gilbert is a tribute to the English operetta composers Gilbert and Sullivan .

The first album Himself was released in 1971 . In 1972 Clair was a number one hit in England. In the same year, Alone Again (Naturally) reached the top spot in the US singles charts . The second album Back to Front was also hugely successful. In 1973 O'Sullivan was named "Songwriter of the Year". The third LP I'm a Writer, Not a Fighter came out. In 1974 Get Down received the award "Best Song of the Year". In the GDR his hits were Get Down and Ooh Baby by Frank Sinatra gecovert , Get Down was as Amiga released single. The fourth album A Stranger in My Own Backyard was released in 1975, but sales began to decline.

In 1977 O'Sullivan sued his manager and label owner Gordon Mills because the record deal favored him excessively. A lengthy legal battle ensued. In May 1982 the Court awarded O'Sullivan £ 7 million in compensation. His career came to a standstill over this legal battle - there were no publications between 1982 and 1987.

Gilbert O'Sullivan made a notable comeback in the 1990s, particularly in Japan . He has since released a number of new CDs.

O'Sullivan lives with his wife and children on the British Channel Island of Jersey . He also has a second home in Bad Mitterndorf, Austria .

Discography

Albums

year	Title album	Top ranking, total weeks / months, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks / months, awards, notes)					Remarks
		DE	AT	CH	UK	US
1971	Gilbert O'Sullivan - Himself	DE23 (12 months) DE	AT7 (1 month) AT	-	UK5 (82 weeks) UK	US9 (29 weeks) US	First published: September 1971 chart entry DE, US 1972 / AT 1973
1972	Back to front	DE2 (14 months) DE	-	-	UK1 (64 weeks) UK	US48 (19 weeks) US
1973	I'm a Writer, Not a Fighter	DE5 (5 months) DE	-	-	UK2 gold (25 weeks)UK	US101 (10 weeks) US	First published: September 1973
1974	A Stranger in My Own Back Yard	DE38 (1 month) DE	-	-	UK9 silver (8 weeks)UK	-	First published: October 1974
2018	Gilbert O'Sullivan	-	-	-	UK20 (1 week) UK	-	First published: August 2018

gray hatching : no chart data available for this year

More albums

1977: Southpaw 1978: Gilbert O'Sullivan 1980: Off Center 1982: Life and Rhymes 1987: Frobisher Drive 1988: Another Side 1989: In the Key of G 1993: Sounds of the Loop 1995: Every Song Has It's Play 1997: Singer Sowing Machine

2001: Irlish 2003: Piano Foreplay 2005: Gilbert O'Sullivan 2006: A Scruff at Heart 2007: By Larry 2011: Gilbertville 2013: Every Song Has Its Play 2015: Latin ala G!

EPs

• 1972: Gilbert O'Sullivan
• 1972: What Can I Do / You / Disappear (Ray O'Sullivan Now Known as Gilbert O'Sullivan, release of his first recordings)
• 1972: Alone Again (Naturally)
• 1972: Clair
• 1977: 2 + 2 Vol. 23 (including Get Down , Alone Again , Clair and Matrimony )

Compilations

year	title	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes)					Remarks
		DE	AT	CH	UK	US
1976	Greatest hits	-	-	-	UK13 silver (11 weeks)UK	-	First published: December 1976
1981	20 golden greats	-	-	-	UK98 (1 week) UK	-	First published: August 1981
1991	Nothing But the Best	-	-	-	UK50 (4 weeks) UK	-	First published: April 1991
2004	The Berry Vest of Gilbert O'Sullivan	-	-	-	UK20th silver (6 weeks)UK	-	First published: March 2004
2012	The Very Best of Gilbert O'Sullivan - A Singer and His Songs	-	-	-	UK12 silver (6 weeks)UK	-	First published: March 2012
2016	The Essential Collection	-	-	-	UK11 (5 weeks) UK	-	First published: June 2016

gray hatching : no chart data available for this year

More compilations

1973: The Best Of 1973: Humble Beginnings of England's Gilbert O'Sullivan & Gerry Dorsey (with Gerry Dorsey) 1977: 20 greatest hits 1981: Spotlight on Gilbert O'Sullivan (2 LPs) 1981: 20 of the Very Best 1982: Historia de la Musica Rock, 88 1985: 20 Golden Pieces of Gilbert O'Sullivan 1986: Alone Again 1989: His 20 Most Beautiful Songs

1991: Original Collection 71–77 (box with 5 CDs) 1992: Todo Gilbert O'Sullivan (Sus mejores canciones) (2 CDs) 1992: The Best of Gilbert O'Sullivan 1993: Naturally, Best Of 1995: Rare Tracks 2004: Caricature: The Box (box with 3 CDs) 2010: The Best of… Live in Concert 2012: The Very Best of Gilbert O'Sullivan a Singer and His Songs

Singles

year	Title album	Top ranking, total weeks / months, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks / months, awards, notes)					Remarks
		DE	AT	CH	UK	US
1970	Nothing Rhymed Himself	-	-	-	UK8 (11 weeks) UK	-	First published: October 30, 1970
1971	Underneath the Blanket Go The Best Of	-	-	-	UK40 (4 weeks) UK	-	First published: February 26, 1971
	We Will The Best Of	-	-	-	UK16 (11 weeks) UK	-	First published: July 2, 1971
	No Matter How I Try The Best Of	-	-	-	UK5 (15 weeks) UK	-	First published: November 12, 1971
1972	Alone Again (Naturally) The Best Of	DE33 (5 weeks) DE	-	-	UK3 (12 weeks) UK	US1 gold (18 weeks)US	First published: February 18, 1972
	Matrimony Himself	DE28 (6 weeks) DE	-	-	-	-	First published: May 1972
	Ooh-wakka-doo-wakka-day The Best Of	DE35 (6 weeks) DE	-	-	UK8 (11 weeks) UK	-	First published: June 9, 1972
	Clair back to front	DE12 (22 weeks) DE	-	-	UK1 (14 weeks) UK	US2 gold (16 weeks)US	First published: October 6, 1972
1973	Out of the question back to front	-	-	-	-	US17 (5 weeks) US	First published: February 1973
	Get Down I'm a Writer, Not a Fighter	DE1 (26 weeks) DE	AT3 (3 months) AT	CH2 (17 weeks) CH	UK1 (13 weeks) UK	US7th gold (15 weeks)US	First published: March 9, 1973
	Ooh baby I'm a Writer, Not a Fighter	DE8 (16 weeks) DE	-	CH3 (10 weeks) CH	UK18 (7 weeks) UK	US25 (10 weeks) US	First published: August 31, 1973
	Why, Oh Why, Oh Why Gilbert O'Sullivan Greatest Hits	DE36 (3 weeks) DE	-	-	UK6th silver (14 weeks)UK	-	First published: November 2, 1973
1974	Happiness Is Me and You Alone Again	-	-	-	UK19 (7 weeks) UK	US62 (7 weeks) US	First published: February 1, 1974
	A Woman's Place A Stranger in My Own Backyard	-	-	-	UK42 (3 weeks) UK	-	First published: August 9, 1974
	Christmas Song Gilbert O'Sullivan Greatest Hits	-	-	-	UK12 (6 weeks) UK	-	First published: November 22, 1974
1975	I Don't Love You but I Think I Like You Alone Again	-	-	-	UK14 (6 weeks) UK	-	First published: May 30, 1975
1980	What's in a Kiss Off Center	-	-	-	UK19 (9 weeks) UK	-	First published: August 22, 1980
1990	So What In the Key of G	-	-	-	UK70 (3 weeks) UK	-	First published: 1985 Republished: February 1990

gray hatching : no chart data available for this year

More singles

1967: Disappear (as Gilbert; release: November 24th) 1968: What Can I Do (as Gilbert; release: April 11th) 1969: Mr. Moody's Garden (as Gilbert; released May 30th) 1971: I Wish I Could Cry (released August 13th) 1971: Susan van Heusen 1974: Going Home 1975: You Are You (released January 24th) 1975: I'll Believe It When I See It (released August 8th) 1975: You Never Listen to Reason (released October 17th) 1975: The Marriage Machine 1976: Doing What I Know (release: April 9th) 1976: To Each His Own (released October 8th) 1976: I, of Course, Replied 1977: My Love and I (release: May 20th) 1977: You Got Me Going (release: July 22nd) 1977: No Telling Why 1978: Miss My Love Today (released January 27th)

1980: I Love It But (out November 21) 1981: Hello, It's Goodbye (released January 9th) 1980: Can't Get Enough of You (No tengo suficiente) (release: March 27th) 1982: A Minute of Your Time (release: February) 1982: Bear with Me (release: September) 1988: At the Very Mention of Your Name 1989: Lost a Friend 1990: Collection (Medley) 1990: Get Down '90 1991: What a Way (To Show I Love You) 1992: Sometimes 1992: Tomorrow, Today 1993: The Best Love I Never Had 1995: Dear Dream 1998: Ain't No Telling 2011: Where Would We Be (Without Tea) 2011: All They Wanted to Say

swell

1. ^ Bronson, Fred: The Billboard Book of Number One Hits . 3rd revised and expanded edition. New York City, New York: Billboard Publications, 1992, p. 316
2. ↑ Cassette Songs for you at discogs.com
3. ↑ Single Get Down at discogs.com
4. ↑ ^{a b c} Chart sources: Singles Albums UK Billboard 200
5. ↑ ^{a b c} gold / platinum databases: UK US
6. ↑ US albums: Joel Whitburn : Joel Whitburn presents the Billboard Albums . 6th edition. Billboard Books, New York 2006, ISBN 0-89820-166-7 .

Web links

• Official website (English)
• Gilbert O'Sullivan in the Internet Movie Database (English)
• Gilbert O'Sullivan at Discogs (English)
• Gilbert O'Sullivan at laut.de
• Fan (Engl.)