Gilbert O'Sullivan (born Raymond Edward O'Sullivan in Waterford, Ireland, o… Read Full Bio ↴Gilbert O'Sullivan (born Raymond Edward O'Sullivan in Waterford, Ireland, on 1 December 1946) is an Irish-English singer-songwriter, best known for his early 1970s hits "Alone Again (Naturally)", "Clair", and "Get Down".

ln Waterford, O'Sullivan's father worked in a meat factory while his mother ran a sweet shop. In 1958, at the age of 11, he moved with his family to Swindon in England in search of a better life. He attended St. Joseph's Comprehensive school in Swindon. While there he developed an interest in both music and amateur boxing. Musically he began with the guitar and progressed to the piano. In the boxing ring he had nearly 50 bouts. Meanwhile his painting and drawing had won him a place at Swindon Art College. He started there in September 1963. His aim was to be a graphic designer. He played drums in his first group The Doodles and left them to join The Prefects while attending Swindon Art College. It was while at college that he met Rick Davies, who was later a member of Supertramp. While at college he began writing songs and sending out demo tapes, alas they were always returned unopened. The first song he remembers writing was Ready Miss Steady.

After finishing college, O'Sullivan moved to London in 1967 to try and further his musical career. He took a part-time job as a salesman at the C & A department store in Oxford Street. Mike Ward who also worked at C & A, had a contract with CBS and Gilbert went with him one day and played his tapes for some of the CBS executives. Gilbert signed a five year publishing contract with CBS which called for one single a year, and released two singles Disappear/You in 1967 and What Can I Do/You in 1968. Gilbert was disappointed that he was not allowed any input into the arranging or production of the singles. Neither single did well. Disillusioned with CBS, O'Sullivan signed with the Major Minor label and released I Wish I Could Cry/Mr. Moody's Garden in 1969.

O'Sullivan came to the attention of BBC Radio 1 disc jockey, John Peel, who gave him a slot on his radio show Top Gear, little of note resulted, and O'Sullivan spent part of 1969 applying to other record labels and management companies. It was at this time that O'Sullivan formulated his 'Bisto Kid' image; grey flannel suit, flat cap, school boy tie, football socks and hobnail boots. In search of a manager he sent some demo tapes to Gordon Mills, an ex-pop singer and himself a songwriter of repute, who had successfully guided the careers of Tom Jones and Engelbert Humperdinck. Gordon Mills recognised something unique in the young Irishman and signed him for management as well as to a songwriting contract.

O'Sullivan made an irresistible impression with Nothing Rhymed, his first Top 10 hit and an introduction to his witty lyrics and original approach as a singer/songwriter. Signed to MAM Records, the label launched by Gordon Mills, who was also his record producer, great friend and surrogate older brother, O'Sullivan enjoyed four years of major success, incorporating a dozen more hit singles, ten of which reached the UK Top 10, and four Top 5 albums: Himself (1971), Back To Front (1972), I'm A Writer Not A Fighter (1973) and A Stranger In My Own Back Yard (1974).

Both Clair (written about Mills's infant daughter for whom Gilbert occasionally babysat) and Get Down were number one hit singles in Britain, and additionally, Back To Front topped the UK LP chart in 1972, emulating the success of the two million seller Alone Again (Naturally), a six week US chart-topper in 1972. O'Sullivan made his live debut in The National Stadium in Dublin in October of '72. Around this time, the singer jettisoned his so-called "Bisto Kid" image in favour of an endless series of collegiate-styled sweaters embossed with the letter "G". As quickly as O'Sullivan ascended to fame, however, his star began to fall , although singles like Ooh Baby and Happiness Is Me and You continued to chart, they sold increasingly fewer copies, and after 1973 his overseas popularity essentially ceased altogether. At home, he notched his final Top 20 hit with 1975's I Don't Love You But I Think I Like You. After a Greatest Hits album in 1976, and Southpaw in 1977, by which time the hit singles had dried up, disagreements over future direction led to a bitter split between O'Sullivan and Mills, which effectively sidelined the former as a recording artist for five years. The gruelling court case between O'Sullivan and his erstwhile manager, producer, music publisher and record company boss finally gave him control of his own recordings and the copyright in his songs, although it exacted an inevitable toll on his energy and his creativity during it's precedent-setting course.

Gilbert returned to CBS in 1980 and released Off Centre (1980) and Life & Rhymes (1982) but maintained a low profile during much of the 1980s, recharging his batteries and moving to Jersey, where he still lives with his wife and two children. Off Centre provided his 13th UK Top 20 single, What's In A Kiss?, after which legal proceedings monopolised his time. However, he continued writing songs, performing what he called "concepts within four walls" rather than starting back on the road before it was appropriate. He later recalled that the lyrics he wrote during that period were too heavily influenced by his personal emotions - having been extremely close to Mills before their disagreement, he was highly distressed to discover that his dear friend had been guilty of considerable financial greed at Gilbert's expense. Even so, he applied himself to his lonely creativity, working from 9 to 5 each day "just like Goffin & King and people like Neil Sedaka & Howard Greenfield at the Brill Building in New York used to do", although he later confessed "Really, the words were no good, because my mind was cluttered with all the problems". Lyrics have always been O'Sullivan's most unique facet, reflecting what's going on in his mind, and the strain under which he found himself was hardly conducive to much positive artistic or commercial creativity.

The first release for five years was Frobisher Drive and was only available in Germany. The same album with a slightly different track listing was released in the UK in 1989 under the title In The Key Of G, and included So What, his first chart single in almost a decade. Since the low-key comeback, the pace has increased, with five more albums. Gilbert also made a return to live performances in the early nineties, playing regularly in both Europe and Japan. In 1991, Gilbert was again in court, this time he sued American rapper Biz Markie and won the decision after Markie's unauthorized sample of "Alone Again (Naturally)" on his 1991 album I Need a Haircut. A 1992 single, Tomorrow Today had topped the Japanese charts for nine weeks, and this success led to a tour of Japan in early 1993 with his newly formed backing group, during which he recorded and filmed his first ever live album Tomorrow Today. Gilbert's newfound success in Japan led to the Japanese only release of The Little Album (1992) and Rare Tracks (1992). 1993's critical acclaimed Sounds Of The Loop (Daily Telegraph's Record Of The Week) included a duet with the legendary Peggy Lee on Can't Think Straight and even a solo version of the same song in Japanese. This album was recorded almost entirely at his home in Jersey in the Channel Islands.

By Larry (with a similar track listing to the Japanese released The Little Album) was released in 1994. Larry is a famous English cartoonist, much admired by Gilbert. Larry provided original cartoons for the album sleeve and booklet. Every Song Has It's Play was released the following year and was the soundtrack of the semi-autobiographical stage show that Gilbert had acted and sang in, in 1991. Singer Sowing Machine was released in 1997. The title is a humorous reaction by Gilbert to being constantly referred to as a singer/ songwriter. Irlish was released in 2000 and yielded three singles, Have It, Say Goodbye and Two's Company (Three Is Allowed). The album title Irlish, combination of the words Irish and English, appropriate for someone born in Ireland and raised in England. Gilbert's family was part of this migration. In 2001 The Official Gilbert O'Sullivan Website was launched as well as his own record label ByGum Records.

Gilbert continued to tour and he played a series of concerts in Ireland in 2001 and in the UK in 2002 to promote the Irlish album. A new studio album Piano Foreplay followed in 2003. In 2004 Rhino Handmade Records released a 3 CD anthology in the USA of Gilbert's music entitled Caricature: The Box. It contains 73 tracks which span the years 1967-2001. This is the first in-depth survey of Gilbert's lengthy career. It contains numerous singles and B-sides, tracks from 16 of his albums, and five previously unreleased tracks. A b-side collection entitled The Other Sides of Gilbert O'Sullivan was released in Japan in 2004 and contained many tracks available on CD for the first time. A series of concerts followed in Japan in June 2004 followed by a 20 date European Tour of the UK, Ireland, Norway and Denmark in November and December. In February 2005 a DVD/CD set of the 2004 Japanese show was released in Japan. Gilbert returned to Japan in June 2005 for a series of 13 shows. Gilbert spent the end of 2005 and the beginning of 2006 recording his next studio album "A Scruff At Heart" which was released in Japan on 25 October 2006.

Two's Company
Gilbert O'Sullivan Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Sellotape is sticky
Now there's a surprise
Next they'll tell you you can see out of your eyes
Mummified mummies daddies little girl
Had the operation then became an earl

Once you would have kissed her gently on the cheek
Now she kisses you beginning with your feet

Roles that are reversing so misunderstood
Kids who think monogamy is a piece of wood

Ooh but two's company three is allowed
Two's company three is allowed
Two's company three is allowed

These days as a woman you are out of place
If you're not a lesbian whose friends are gays
Anything is normal normal is of course
Getting married after planning your divorce

Usually I don't go much at all on twins
Once you've seen the one you've seen them both I think
Mind you when they're pretty pretty as a peach
Whose to say that on the day with one of each

Ooh two's company three is allowed
Two's company three is allowed
Two's company three is allowed

I look like I wanna look I wear what I like
It won't be a suit and no it won't be a tie
A tie is a dead heat not a knot round your neck
Neck is what you do when
Alone with your girlfriend

Ooh but two's company three is allowed

Two's company three is allowed
Two's company three is allowed

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Gilbert O'Sullivan's song "Two's Company" can be interpreted as a commentary on modern relationships and societal norms. The opening lines, "Sellotape is sticky, now there's a surprise, Next they'll tell you you can see out of your eyes" suggest that even though some things may seem obvious, they still need to be acknowledged. Similarly, the line "Mummified mummies daddies little girl, Had the operation then became an earl" may refer to gender reassignment surgery and the idea that one can control their own identity.

The song goes on to highlight the changing dynamics in relationships, with lines like "Once you would have kissed her gently on the cheek, Now she kisses you beginning with your feet, Roles that are reversing so misunderstood, Kids who think monogamy is a piece of wood." This may suggest a shift away from traditional gender roles, and a more fluid understanding of sexuality and relationships.

Finally, the song touches on the idea that "Two's company three is allowed," suggesting that polyamory is becoming more accepted in modern society. Overall, the song seems to be an observation on the changing attitudes towards relationships, gender, and sexuality, and the challenges that come with navigating these changes.

Line by Line Meaning

Sellotape is sticky
Nothing surprising, just like how Sellotape is supposed to be sticky

Now there's a surprise
Said sarcastically, as if to suggest that the next statement is equally predictable

Next they'll tell you you can see out of your eyes
Making fun of stating the obvious, implying that it is just as ridiculous to suggest a person can't see out of their own eyes

Mummified mummies daddies little girl
A reference to a child's game of playing 'mummies and daddies', but with a morbid twist, as if the parents are mummified

Had the operation then became an earl
A play on words, as the phrase 'had the operation' could refer to gender reassignment surgery, which allowed a woman to become an earl (a noble title)

Once you would have kissed her gently on the cheek
A nostalgic reference to a more innocent time, where a romantic gesture was a simple kiss on the cheek

Now she kisses you beginning with your feet
A clear indication that the roles in the relationship have reversed, and the woman is now dominating the man in a more sexual manner

Roles that are reversing so misunderstood
The traditional gender roles in a relationship are changing, but society is struggling to understand or accept this change

Kids who think monogamy is a piece of wood
A jab at younger people who believe that monogamy is outdated and unimportant, and as disposable as a useless piece of wood

Ooh but two's company three is allowed
The song's main refrain, suggesting that while monogamy may be changing, there is still room for three (or more) people in a relationship

These days as a woman you are out of place
A commentary on the changing social norms, and how traditional gender roles are no longer strictly enforced

If you're not a lesbian whose friends are gays
A tongue-in-cheek suggestion that being a heterosexual woman is becoming less common or less accepted, and that being a part of the LGBTQ+ community is more 'normal'

Anything is normal normal is of course
A satirical take on the diversity of what is considered 'normal' in the present day, highlighting how the term 'normal' is subjective and ever-changing

Getting married after planning your divorce
Mocking the traditional notion of marriage, suggesting that people are now getting married with the expectation that it will end in divorce

Usually I don't go much at all on twins
A personal preference of the singer, indicating that he is not attracted to twins

Once you've seen the one you've seen them both I think
A commentary on how identical twins look so similar that it is difficult to tell them apart

Mind you when they're pretty pretty as a peach
A possible contradiction to the previous statement, suggesting that if the twins are attractive, then it might not matter that they look identical

Whose to say that on the day with one of each
A hypothetical situation where the twins are either different genders or of different sexual orientations, which could create an interesting dynamic

I look like I wanna look I wear what I like
An expression of individuality and freedom to dress as the singer chooses

It won't be a suit and no it won't be a tie
A disavowal of traditional formal attire, and a statement of the singer's personal style preferences

A tie is a dead heat not a knot round your neck
A play on words, where the strict conformity of wearing a tie is equated with 'deadness', and the knot around one's neck is seen as a symbol of constraint or oppression

Neck is what you do when Alone with your girlfriend
A phrase with sexual undertones, where 'neck' is a euphemism for kisses or other intimate acts

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: GILBERT O'SULLIVAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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