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.
You Are You
Gilbert O'Sullivan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You are by far the only apartment
That I'd ever care to rent
You're like Doctor Kissenger
On a peace trip or two
But most important of all
You are you
You're like a painting by Cozanne
A sonata by Chopin
You're like the Queen of England
Not forgetting the Duke
But most important of all
You are you
I'm no genius when it comes to world affairs
On the other hand when I am with you who cares
As you can see
You're my priority
[Break]
But most important of all
You are you
I don't suppose that there_s the slightest little chance
You might allow me to consummate our romance
Your know what, you're a supersonic flight
A song by Lennon and McCartney
A Mohammed Ali fight
You're like Brigitte Bardot
No way Danny La Rue...
But most important of all
You are you
Yes most important of all
You are, you are, you are you
In Gilbert O'Sullivan's song You Are You, the singer describes how his partner is everything to him - she is his dreams, his apartment, his peacekeeper, his art, his royalty, and his priority. The song expresses how even though the singer may not be a genius in world affairs, being with his partner makes all the difference. The tone of the song is upbeat and playful, with the singer humorously comparing his partner to world leaders, artists, and celebrities.
The song is essentially a love story, with the singer expressing how much his partner means to him. He uses various metaphors to describe her, which are playful and light-hearted, but also reveal his deep affection for her. He mentions that she is like a painting by Cozanne, a tin of soup by Andy Warhol, and a sonata by Chopin - all very different things, but all wonderful in their own way. He also compares her to the Queen of England and the Duke, showing her regal status as well as her elegance and grace. The singer even cheekily suggests that she is better than Danny La Rue!
The song is a classic example of Gilbert O'Sullivan's style - quirky and humorous, but also revealing a deeper emotional depth. The lyrics are clever and well-crafted, displaying O'Sullivan's songwriting prowess. The melody is upbeat and catchy, with a memorable chorus that sticks in your head long after the song has finished. Overall, the song is a fun and entertaining tribute to love and the importance of having someone special in your life.
Line by Line Meaning
You're every dream I've ever dreamt
You are the embodiment of all my dreams
You are by far the only apartment
That I'd ever care to rent
You are the only one I want to be with
You're like Doctor Kissenger
On a peace trip or two
You are as amazing as a world leader on a peace mission
But most important of all
You are you
Above all else, you are simply yourself
You're like a painting by Cozanne
A tin of soup by Andy Warhol
A sonata by Chopin
You are a work of art, just like paintings, objects and music
You're like the Queen of England
Not forgetting the Duke
You are as royal and important as a queen
I'm no genius when it comes to world affairs
On the other hand when I am with you who cares
I might not know much about the world, but when I'm with you it doesn't matter
As you can see
You're my priority
You are my top priority
But most important of all
You are you
Above all else, you are simply yourself
I don't suppose that there_s the slightest little chance
You might allow me to consummate our romance
I don't think it's possible, but I wish we could be together
Your know what, you're a supersonic flight
A song by Lennon and McCartney
A Mohammed Ali fight
You are as amazing as a supersonic flight, a song by famous musicians or a boxing match
You're like Brigitte Bardot
No way Danny La Rue...
You are as beautiful as a famous actress, and nothing like a famous drag queen
But most important of all
You are you
Above all else, you are simply yourself
Yes most important of all
You are, you are, you are you
The most important thing is that you are uniquely yourself and that is what matters
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: GILBERT O'SULLIVAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Javier Huarcaya Lizano
Un gran artista. Poeta de lo cotidiano, Gilbert tiene la fórmula para abstraernos hacia su mundo de sueños y fantasía con la sencillez de los genios, con frases comunes o sentencias que parecen absurdas pero que cobran relieve en su contexto (You are You). Puede ir de la ironía al drama con mucha facilidad, y siempre le salen temas inolvidables porque es honesto con su arte y escribe para dejarnos un mensaje con cada historia. Gilbert, el irlandés melancólico, un clásico irrepetible.
Pietro Bausano
Javier te felicito por el excelente comentario sobre Gilbert , es mi cantante favorito y tengo casi todos sus discos. Hiciste una descripción exacta de su faceta como compositor. Te recomiendo escuchar There's No Telling Why de 1977 y Our Own Baby de 1978. Por favor cuando tengas oportunidad me comentas si realmente te gustaron o no. Dentro de un tiempo te puedo recomendar algunos temas más nuevos de diferentes años. Un abrazo y hasta pronto!!!!!
Olga de la Peña
La más tierna y hermosa juventud que me tocó vivir y disfrutar junto a las hermosas canciones de Gilbert. Todavía me parece que vuelvo a sentir en mi cuerpo vibrar sus notas .Gracias por esta alegría. Olga BsAs
Jorge Antonio Mota Mota
VOZ MARAVILHOSA, MARCANTE, INESQUECÍVEL !!! COM ESSE SEU ESTILO ÚNICO E PECULIAR DE INTERPRETAR
CANÇÕES, CONQUISTOU FÃS PELO MUNDO INTEIRO !!! PARABÉNS PELA POSTAGEM E PELO BOM GÔSTO !!!
Noir
he is truly amazing, such a great songwriter
Donna Carl Kuchinski
Love love love it.....Gilbert O'Sullivan is truly amazing
Aditya Vernando
Anda adalah setiap impian yang pernah saya impikan Anda adalah satu-satunya apartemen Bahwa aku akan pernah peduli untuk menyewa Anda seperti Dokter Kissenger Pada satu atau dua perjalanan damai Tapi yang terpenting dari semuanya Kamu adalah kamu Anda seperti lukisan karya Cozanne Satu kaleng sup oleh Andy Warhol Sonata karya Chopin Anda seperti Ratu Inggris Tidak melupakan Duke Tapi yang terpenting dari semuanya Kamu adalah kamu Saya bukan jenius dalam urusan dunia Di sisi lain saat aku bersamamu yang peduli Seperti yang Anda lihat Anda adalah prioritas saya Tapi yang terpenting dari semuanya Kamu adalah kamu Saya tidak mengira bahwa ada sedikit peluang Anda mungkin mengizinkan saya untuk menyelesaikan romansa kami Anda tahu, Anda adalah penerbangan supersonik Lagu karya Lennon dan McCartney Pertarungan Mohammed Ali Anda seperti Brigitte Bardot Tidak mungkin Danny La Rue ... Tapi yang terpenting dari semuanya Kamu adalah kamu Ya yang paling penting dari semuanya Anda adalah, Anda, Anda adalah Anda
Riny de Bock
wat is gilbert toch geweldig. Ik geniet al 45 jaar van zijn muziek en uitstraling
오마이갑
Gilbert O' Sullivan. Un grand chanteur,compositeur. LINE melodic, suite d'accords et rythmic vert pop musicale jazzy. Genius !
Geri Magala
He's definitely a Writer! Oh and what a talent! Beyond! Haha 👩