Gary Osborne
Encyclopedia
Gary Osborne is an English
singer and songwriter
(most notably a lyricist
) from the United Kingdom
.
, and followed his father into the music industry at the age of fifteen.
In his younger days, Osborne was a staff A&R
man for RCA Records
with his own show on the BBC World Service
. He went on to write and sing on hundreds of television
jingle
s including Pepsi
, Shredded Wheat
and Abbey National
.
Osborne is best known for his lyrical work with Elton John
throughout the album A Single Man, and on parts of the albums, 21 at 33
, The Fox
, Jump Up!
, and Leather Jackets
. The three single
hits
of the collaboration are "Part Time Love" from 1978, "Little Jeannie
" from 1980 plus "Blue Eyes
" from 1982. The beginning and end of "Little Jeannie" accidentally plagiarised "When I Need You
", and instead of suing Osborne, the latter's songwriter, Albert Hammond
, collaborated with him on four songs on his 1982 album Somewhere in America.
Osborne, also, collaborated on Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds
. His co-songwriting credit thus appears on "Forever Autumn
" from Justin Hayward
.
The song "I Am The Future", composed by Osborne and Lalo Schifrin
, appeared in the soundtrack
to the film
, Class of 1984
.
His song "The Last Place God Made", co-penned with Richard Kerr
, appeared on World Falling Down
, a 1992 album
from Peter Cetera
.
The song, "It's Not On", written by Jeff Wayne
and Osborne, appeared on Justin Hayward's 1980 album, Night Flight
.
Another hit with Osborne lyrics
is "Amoureuse
" by Kiki Dee
. Osborne's lyrics for this song are based on Véronique Sanson
's original French lyrics.
He has, also, had songs recorded
by artists
as diverse as Alice Cooper
, Cliff Richard
, Wilson Pickett
, Jennifer Warnes
and The Righteous Brothers
. His backing vocals
credits include "Sugar Baby Love
" and "Gonna Make You A Star
".
Osborne has recently been providing lyrics for the Lil' Chris
's debut album, including the UK
Top 3 single, "Checkin' It Out
".
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
singer and songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
(most notably a lyricist
Lyricist
A lyricist is a songwriter who specializes in lyrics. A singer who writes the lyrics to songs is a singer-lyricist. This differentiates from a singer-composer, who composes the song's melody.-Collaboration:...
) from the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Career
Osborne was born in London, educated in SwitzerlandSwitzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, and followed his father into the music industry at the age of fifteen.
In his younger days, Osborne was a staff A&R
A&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
man for RCA Records
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
with his own show on the BBC World Service
BBC World Service
The BBC World Service is the world's largest international broadcaster, broadcasting in 27 languages to many parts of the world via analogue and digital shortwave, internet streaming and podcasting, satellite, FM and MW relays...
. He went on to write and sing on hundreds of television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
jingle
Jingle
A jingle is a short tune used in advertising and for other commercial uses. The jingle contains one or more hooks and lyrics that explicitly promote the product being advertised, usually through the use of one or more advertising slogans. Ad buyers use jingles in radio and television...
s including Pepsi
Pepsi
Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink that is produced and manufactured by PepsiCo...
, Shredded Wheat
Shredded Wheat
Shredded wheat is a breakfast cereal made from whole wheat. As of January 2010, it was available in three sizes: bite sized , miniature , and full size, which may be broken into small pieces before milk is added .Both sizes are available in a...
and Abbey National
Abbey National
Abbey National plc was a UK-based bank and former building society, which latterly traded under the Abbey brand name. It became a wholly owned subsidiary of Grupo Santander of Spain in 2004, and was rebranded as Santander in January 2010, forming Santander UK along with the savings business of the...
.
Osborne is best known for his lyrical work with Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
throughout the album A Single Man, and on parts of the albums, 21 at 33
21 at 33
-Side two:...
, The Fox
The Fox (album)
The Fox is the 15th studio album by British singer/songwriter Elton John, released in 1981. The track "Elton's Song" was banned from radio play in some countries due to its content, which included references to homosexuality...
, Jump Up!
Jump Up!
Jump Up! is the 16th studio album by British singer/songwriter Elton John, released in 1982 on Rocket Records except in the US and Canada, where it was released on Geffen Records. It features such songs as "Empty Garden ", a tribute to John Lennon...
, and Leather Jackets
Leather Jackets (album)
Leather Jackets is the twentieth studio album by British singer/songwriter Elton John, recorded at Sol Studios in England and Wisseloord Studios in The Netherlands. and released in 1986. It was his first album to not create any top 40 singles in either the US or the UK since 1970's Tumbleweed...
. The three single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
hits
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
of the collaboration are "Part Time Love" from 1978, "Little Jeannie
Little Jeannie
"Little Jeannie" is a song by Elton John and Gary Osborne, recorded by John and released as a single in 1980 from John's album 21 at 33. It was written for Jeannie Bonds, who was in the Miss. Sumter pageant in 1979...
" from 1980 plus "Blue Eyes
Blue Eyes (song)
"Weight of the World" is a hit song from British pop-rock performer Elton John's 2004 album Peachtree Road. The song talks about his being happier currently during his days practically without any worries....
" from 1982. The beginning and end of "Little Jeannie" accidentally plagiarised "When I Need You
When I Need You
"When I Need You" is a popular song written by Albert Hammond and Carole Bayer Sager. It was first recorded by Hammond on his 1976 album When I Need You. Produced by Richard Perry, Leo Sayer's version made number 1 on the UK Singles Chart for two weeks in February 1977 after three of his earlier...
", and instead of suing Osborne, the latter's songwriter, Albert Hammond
Albert Hammond
Albert Hammond OBE is a British singer, songwriter and record producer from Gibraltar.-Birth and early success:Hammond was born in London, England, where his family had been evacuated to from Gibraltar during World War II. His family returned to Gibraltar shortly after his birth, and there he grew...
, collaborated with him on four songs on his 1982 album Somewhere in America.
Osborne, also, collaborated on Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds
Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds
Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds is a 1978 concept album by Jeff Wayne, retelling the story of The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells. Its format is progressive rock and string orchestra, using narration and leitmotifs to carry the story via rhyming melodic lyrics that express...
. His co-songwriting credit thus appears on "Forever Autumn
Forever Autumn (song)
"Forever Autumn" is a song by Jeff Wayne, Gary Osborne and Paul Vigrass. The original melody was written by Wayne in 1969 as a jingle for a Lego commercial. Vigrass and Osborne, the performers of the original jingle, added lyrics to the song and recorded it for inclusion on their 1972 album Queues...
" from Justin Hayward
Justin Hayward
Justin Hayward is an English musician, best known as singer, songwriter and guitarist in the rock band The Moody Blues.Hayward was born in Dean Street, Swindon, Wiltshire, England...
.
The song "I Am The Future", composed by Osborne and Lalo Schifrin
Lalo Schifrin
Lalo Schifrin is an Argentine composer, pianist and conductor. He is best known for his film and TV scores, such as the "Theme from Mission: Impossible". He has received four Grammy Awards and six Oscar nominations...
, appeared in the soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
to the film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, Class of 1984
Class of 1984
Class of 1984 is a 1982 action-thriller movie about a newly hired music teacher at a troubled inner city school, where students have to pass through a metal detector due to problems with gangs, drugs, and violence. It was directed by Mark L...
.
His song "The Last Place God Made", co-penned with Richard Kerr
Richard Kerr (songwriter)
Richard Kerr is an English composer, who co-wrote "Mandy", "Looks Like We Made It" and "Somewhere in the Night" - all of which became hit singles for Barry Manilow.-Career:...
, appeared on World Falling Down
World Falling Down
World Falling Down is the fourth solo album for music artist Peter Cetera and his third album since leaving the group Chicago. It was also his final album with Warner Bros Records...
, a 1992 album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
from Peter Cetera
Peter Cetera
Peter Paul Cetera is an American singer, songwriter, bassist and producer best known for being an original member of the rock band Chicago, before launching a successful solo career...
.
The song, "It's Not On", written by Jeff Wayne
Jeff Wayne
Jeffry "Jeff" Wayne, born in Forest Hills, Queens, New York, is a musician best known for Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds, his musical version of H. G. Wells' The War of the Worlds...
and Osborne, appeared on Justin Hayward's 1980 album, Night Flight
Night Flight (album)
Night Flight was a studio album by Moody Blues frontman Justin Hayward, released on Decca Records in 1980. It was reissued on CD in September 1989....
.
Another hit with Osborne lyrics
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
is "Amoureuse
Amoureuse
"Amoureuse" is the title of a French language composition by Véronique Sanson introduced on her 1972 album of the same name.; rendered in English the song became a hit single for Kiki Dee and - as "Emotion" - for Helen Reddy....
" by Kiki Dee
Kiki Dee
Kiki Dee is an English singer with a career spanning more than 40 years....
. Osborne's lyrics for this song are based on Véronique Sanson
Véronique Sanson
Véronique Sanson is a two-time Victoires de la Musique Award-winning French singer-songwriter, musician, and producer with an avid following in her native country.She brings a very personal vocal style to the singing of French pop songs: Her voice has a very strong vibrato.Unlike...
's original French lyrics.
He has, also, had songs recorded
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
by artists
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
as diverse as Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
, Cliff Richard
Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard, OBE is a British pop singer, musician, performer, actor, and philanthropist who has sold over an estimated 250 million records worldwide....
, Wilson Pickett
Wilson Pickett
Wilson Pickett was an American R&B/Soul singer and songwriter.A major figure in the development of American soul music, Pickett recorded over 50 songs which made the US R&B charts, and frequently crossed over to the US Billboard Hot 100...
, Jennifer Warnes
Jennifer Warnes
Jennifer Jean Warnes is an American singer, songwriter, arranger and record producer. She is known for her interpretations of compositions written by herself and many others, as well as an extensive playlist as a vocalist on movie soundtracks.Between 1979 and 1987 Warnes surpassed Frank Sinatra as...
and The Righteous Brothers
The Righteous Brothers
The Righteous Brothers were the musical duo of Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield. They recorded from 1963 through 1975, and continued to perform until Hatfield's death in 2003...
. His backing vocals
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
credits include "Sugar Baby Love
Sugar Baby Love
"Sugar Baby Love", recorded in autumn 1973 and released in January 1974, is a bubblegum pop song, and the debut single of the Rubettes. Written by Wayne Bickerton and Tony Waddington and produced by Wayne Bickerton, engineered by John Mackswith at Lansdowne Recording Studios, "Sugar Baby Love" was...
" and "Gonna Make You A Star
Gonna Make You a Star
Gonna Make You A Star was a popular music recording by David Essex.Written by David Essex and produced by Jeff Wayne, Gonna Make You a Star was Essex's first number one single in the UK, spending three weeks at the top in November 1974....
".
Osborne has recently been providing lyrics for the Lil' Chris
Lil' Chris
Christopher James Hardman , more commonly known by his stage name Lil' Chris, is an English singer-songwriter, DJ and television personality.-Rock School:...
's debut album, including the UK
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
Top 3 single, "Checkin' It Out
Checkin' It Out
"Checkin' It Out" was the first single from singer Lil' Chris' debut self-titled album. The song debuted at number nineteen in the UK Singles Chart on 24 September 2006 via download sales alone and peaked at number three the following week. It topped the UK Official Download Chart...
".
External links
- [ Allmusic song discography]
- British Academy of Composers and Songwriters article