He was born in Fyzabad, Trinidad and Tobago to Grenadian parents, and moved to England with his family at the age of eight. Oceans' musical influence came at an early age of his life, as his father was a musician, and realised he was inline to follow those ambitions as he was growing up. During his teenage years, he sang regularly in London clubs while also working as a tailor in London's Savile Row. He released his first single in 1972 on Spark Records as Les Charles.
When in Trinidad as a boy he adopted the name Billy Ocean, taking the surname from the local football team 'Ocean's Eleven', who had gotten the name from the famous film of the same name. The next year, 1976, was when he recorded his first album, Billy Ocean, with its first single release, "Love Really Hurts Without You," charting at number 2 in the UK Singles Chart and number 22 in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. More successes ensued, including "L.O.D. (Love On Delivery)". He also wrote songs for other artists, such as La Toya Jackson. In 1981, he scored the U.S. R&B chart with "Nights (Feel Like Getting Down)".
Ocean's period of greatest success began with Suddenly during 1984, and its main single, "Caribbean Queen". The song's title and lyrics were changed for different regions, such that the song is also known as "African Queen" or "European Queen". The song won Ocean the Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance at the 1985 Grammy Awards. The album's title track also became a success, its score maximizing at #4 in both the US and the UK; and the song "Loverboy", while also being a #2 US success during 1985, from the album, was also the background music for the first scene of the popular UK BBC One TV series, Casualty, during 1986.
Ocean appeared at Live Aid in 1985, singing "Caribbean Queen" and "Loverboy", from the JFK Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
His 1986 album Love Zone also sold well. It included the successful singles "When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going" (the theme from the film The Jewel of the Nile); this was a number one success in the UK and a number two in the U.S.; and "There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)" (a U.S. number one, and also a major UK success). Also included were the title track and "Love Is Forever", which were #10 and #16 U.S. successes for Ocean, respectively.
In February 1986, Ocean's video of "When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going" was banned by the BBC, owing to non-union members (including Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner and Danny DeVito) miming to backing vocals.
Ocean's next album, Tear Down These Walls (1988) featured another number one single, "Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car", while the album was certified platinum.
His 1993 album Time to Move On failed to produce any major successes, but his 1989 Greatest Hits collection has been a steady seller over the years, and his 1997 compilation Love Is For Ever made #7 on the UK album chart. Ocean's last studio album for Jive Records was Time to Move On, which he recorded in Chicago with R&B star R. Kelly. It turned out that R. Kelly had been a long-time admirer of the way Ocean was able to mix the more emotive soul style with a crossover popular style.
In 2002, the University of Westminster awarded Ocean an honorary doctorate of music. The awards ceremony took place in the Barbican Centre, in London. He continues to tour and record in Europe. He lives in Sunningdale, Berkshire with his wife of 27 years, Judy; and their three children Cherie, Antony and Rachel. Ocean is now a patron for Tech Music Schools in London, made up of Drumtech, Vocaltech, Guitar-X and Keyboardtech. He regularly visits to hold clinics and seminars for the students.
In October 2007, Ocean commenced his first British tour in over 15 years. In February and March 2008 he toured Australia and the Far East. His new album, Because I Love You was released on 2 February 2009. To coincide with this new tour and album launch, Ocean has been working with Adoseof Design on a website revision which is due March 2009.
For more information got to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Ocean
Gun For Hire
Billy Ocean Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gonna get you, yeah
Right now I'm in the mood for love and I know just what I'm gonna do
Oh I hope that you are ready for some action
Cause I'm gonna make a play for you
My heart is beating like a drum
And louder than thunder
Full speed ahead
Stop running for cover
Love me instead
Gun for hire
Full speed ahead
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
Yeah!
I've followed your every trail
But you've alway given me the slip
This time I think I've got your number
I'm coming out shooting from the hip
I'm hotter than the noon day sun
I'm just blazing fire
Gun for hire
Full speed ahead
Stop running for cover
Love me instead
Gun for hire
Full speed ahead
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
Gun for hire
Full speed ahead
Stop running for cover
Love me instead
Gun for hire
Full speed ahead
Let me in cause I know you really care
And I can't wait any longer
Can't you feel there is love in the air
Let's do it
Baby surrender
I've got you baby
I've got you now
I've got you
I've got you baby
I've got you now freeze!
Ooh ooh ooh yeah
Gonna get you ooh
Oh my heart is beating like a drum
And it's louder than thunder
Can't you feel there is love in the air
Let's do it
Baby surrender
Gonna get you can't get away
I hope that you're ready for the action now
Gun for hire
Full speed ahead
Stop running for cover
Love me instead
Gun for hire
Full speed ahead
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
Gun for hire
Stop running your running
Stop your hiding
Stop running
Stop hiding
Love me instead
Yeah I can't wait any longer baby
Gun for hire
I can't wait no more
I can't wait no more baby
I can't wait no more
I'm hotter than the noon day sun
The song "Gun for Hire" by Billy Ocean is about a man who is determined to pursue the woman he loves. He is in the mood for love and is ready to make a play for her. He has been following her every move but has been unsuccessful, until now. He is confident in his pursuit and plans to come out shooting from the hip. He declares that he is a "gun for hire," ready and willing to take on any challenge to win the heart of his love interest.
The lyrics convey a sense of excitement and urgency, as the singer urges his love interest to stop running and hiding and instead love him instead. He is willing to go full speed ahead and hopes that his love interest can feel the love in the air. The song's tempo and beat amplify the sense of urgency and determination found in the lyrics. The song is ultimately about taking the initiative to pursue love with passion and energy.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh oh yeah
The singer is excited and ready to pursue their love interest.
Gonna get you, yeah
The singer is determined to pursue their love interest and win them over.
Right now I'm in the mood for love and I know just what I'm gonna do
The singer is feeling romantically inclined and has a clear plan in mind to win over their love interest.
Oh I hope that you are ready for some action
The singer is hoping that their love interest is open to the idea of a romantic pursuit and is ready to reciprocate.
Cause I'm gonna make a play for you
The singer is going to take action and actively pursue their love interest.
My heart is beating like a drum
The singer is feeling intense emotions, likely due to their romantic pursuit of their love interest.
And louder than thunder
The singer's emotions are so intense that they feel like they could drown out even the sound of thunder.
Gun for hire
The singer is determined and willing to do whatever it takes to win over their love interest.
Full speed ahead
The singer is not holding back and is putting all of their energy and effort into pursuing their love interest.
Stop running for cover
The singer is telling their love interest to stop running away from them, to stop avoiding their advances.
Love me instead
The singer is asking their love interest to reciprocate their feelings, to choose to love them over anyone else.
Yeah!
The singer is excited and pumped up by the idea of winning over their love interest.
I've followed your every trail
The singer has been paying close attention to their love interest's movements and actions, likely in order to increase their chances of winning them over.
But you've alway given me the slip
Despite the singer's efforts to follow their love interest, they have always managed to elude the singer's grasp.
This time I think I've got your number
The singer is feeling confident that they finally understand their love interest's movements and intentions and can successfully pursue them.
I'm coming out shooting from the hip
The singer is not holding back and is pursuing their love interest directly and with confidence, without hesitation.
I'm hotter than the noon day sun
The singer is feeling intense emotions, likely passion and desire for their love interest, that are likened to the heat of the sun.
Let me in cause I know you really care
The singer is confident that their love interest has feelings for them and is asking them to reciprocate those feelings.
And I can't wait any longer
The singer is feeling impatient and eager to pursue their love interest, unable to wait any longer to make their feelings known.
Can't you feel there is love in the air
The singer is asking their love interest if they can sense the romantic feelings that seem to be present between them.
Let's do it
The singer is urging their love interest to take action and pursue a romantic relationship with them.
Baby surrender
The singer is asking their love interest to give in to their romantic advances and enter into a relationship with them.
I've got you baby
The singer is expressing their confidence that they will successfully win over their love interest and be with them.
I've got you now freeze!
The singer is asking their love interest to stop resisting their advances and give in to their romantic pursuit.
Gonna get you ooh
The singer is feeling determined and confident about their ability to win over their love interest.
Stop your running
The singer is urging their love interest to stop avoiding their advances and give them a chance to win them over.
Stop hiding
The singer is telling their love interest to stop hiding their feelings and be honest about whether or not they reciprocate the singer's feelings.
Yeah I can't wait any longer baby
The singer is feeling impatient and eager to begin a romantic relationship with their love interest.
I can't wait no more
The singer is expressing their impatience and eagerness to pursue their love interest, unable to hold back any longer.
I'm hotter than the noon day sun
The singer is feeling intense emotions, likely passion and desire for their love interest, that are likened to the heat of the sun.
Contributed by Aaliyah T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.