Jimmy Somerville
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Jimmy Somerville (born June 22, 1961) is a Scottish pop singer, born and raised in Glasgow. He had considerable success in the 1980s with the pop groups Bronski Beat and The Communards, and has also had a successful solo career.[1]
In 1983, Somerville co-founded the synth pop group Bronski Beat, who proceeded to have a number of hits in the British charts. Their biggest hit, "Smalltown Boy", which reached #3, was considered groundbreaking because of its lyrical content regarding homophobia. Somerville played the song's titular character in the music video, leaving his hostile hometown for the city.
Somerville left Bronski Beat in 1985, and formed The Communards with classically trained pianist Richard Coles. They had a number of hits, including a cover version of Thelma Houston's "Don't Leave Me This Way", which spent four weeks at #1 in the UK charts, and became the biggest-selling single of 1986 in that country. He also sang backing vocals on Fine Young Cannibals' version of "Suspicious Minds", which was a UK Top 10 hit.
The Communards split in 1988, and Somerville launched his solo career. He had several solo hits between 1989 and 1991, also singing on the second Band Aid project at the end of 1989. After releasing his 1989 album Read My Lips (including a hit cover of Sylvester's "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)"), along with a singles collection and cover of The Bee Gees' "To Love Somebody" a year later, Somerville left the limelight and was absent from recording for a number of years.
Somerville returned in 1995 with the album Dare to Love, which included "Heartbeat", a #1 hit on the U.S. dance chart. Another album, entitled Manage The Damage, was released in 1999, and its companion remix album Root Beer came out a year later. Most recently, his dance-oriented fourth solo album, Home Again, was released in 2005.
Somerville has also led an acting career, appearing in Sally Potter's 1992 film of Virginia Woolf's Orlando, in Isaac Julien's 1998 Looking for Langston, and in an episode of the cult science fiction television series Lexx ("Girltown").
Contents |
[edit] Discography
[edit] Bronski Beat
-
- "Smalltown Boy", London Records 1984, single
- "Why?", London Records 1984, single
- "It Ain't Necessarily So", London Records 1984, single
- The Age Of Consent, Forbidden Fruit/London 1984, LP/CD
-
- I Feel Love/Love To Love You Baby/Johnny Remember Me, London Records/Metronome 1985, single
- Hundreds And Thousands, Forbidden Fruit/London 1985, LP/CD
- EP Sampler, Old Gold Records Ltd. 1993, LP
- The Essentials, Rhino Records 2002, CD
[edit] The Communards
-
- "You Are My World", London Records 1985, single
- "Disenchanted", London Records 1986, single
- "Don't Leave Me This Way", London Records 1986, single
- "So Cold The Night", London Records 1986, single
- Communards, London Records 1986, LP/CD
- Live In Italy, London Records 1986, LP
-
- You Are My World '87, London Records 1987, single
- Tomorrow, London Records 1987, single
- "Never Can Say Goodbye", London Records 1987, single
- For A Friend, London Records 1987, single
- Red, London Records 1987, LP/CD
-
- There's More To Love, London Records 1988, single
- Storm Paris, London Records 1988, 3x12" set
- Heaven, London Records 1993, CD
[edit] Solo
- Read My Lips, London Records 1989, LP/CD
-
- Comment Te Dire Adieu (with June-Miles Kington), FFRR London Records 1989, single
- You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real), FFRR London Records 1989, single
- Read My Lips (Enough Is Enough), FFRR London Records 1989, single
- The Singles Collection, London Records 1990, LP/CD
-
- Run From Love, FFRR London Boobs Records 1991, single
- To Love Somebody, FFRR London Records 1991, single
- Smalltown Boy '91, FFRR London Records 1991, single
- Dare To Love, London Records 1995, LP/CD
-
- By Your Side, FFRR London Records 1995, single
- Hurt So Good, FFRR London Records 1995, double single
- Heartbeat, FFRR London Records 1995, podwójny single
- Safe In These Arms, FFRR London Records 1997, single
- Master Series, FFRR London Records 1996, Compilation CD
- Manage The Damage, Gut Records 1999, CD
-
- Dark Sky, GUT Records 1999, single
- Something To Live For, GUT Records 1999, single
- Lay Down, GUT Records 1999, double single
- Root Beer, Instinct Records 2000, CD
-
- Why? 2000, Almighty 2000, single
- Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You, Almighty/Atoll Musi 2001, single
- The Very Best Of Jimmy Somerville, Bronski Beat and The Communards, Waner Brothers/London Records 2001, CD
- Home Again (2004), BMG International 2004, CD
-
- It's So Good, BMG International 2004, double single
- Come On, Hablando/BMG International 2004, single
- Ain't No Mountain High Enough, Hablando/BMG International 2005, single
[edit] List of Jimmy Somerville songs
This is a list of all Jimmy Somerville songs, including the song title, writer(s), and the album/single on which they first appeared. Solo, group, and duet vocals are included, but songs featuring Jimmy on backing vocals only are not.
[edit] with Bronski Beat
| Name | Writer (s) | Album | Single |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cadillac Car | Somerville/Steinbachek/Bronski | Why? | |
| Close To The Edge | Somerville/Steinbachek/Bronski | Why? | |
| Hard Rain | Somerville/Steinbachek/Bronski | Hundreds & Thousands | |
| Heatwave | Somerville/Steinbachek/Bronski | The Age Of Consent | |
| I Feel Love (w/Marc Almond) | Moroder/Belotte/Summer/Goddard | I Feel Love | |
| I Feel Love/Johnny Remember Me | Moroder/Belotte/Summer/Goddard | The Age Of Consent | |
| Infatuation/Memories | Somerville/Steinbachek/Bronski | Smalltown Boy | |
| It Ain't Necessarily So | Gershwin/Gershwin/Heyward | The Age Of Consent | |
| Junk | Somerville/Steinbachek/Bronski | The Age Of Consent | |
| Love And Money | Somerville/Steinbachek/Bronski | The Age Of Consent | |
| Memories | Somerville/Steinbachek/Bronski | Smalltown Boy | |
| Need A Man Blues | Somerville/Steinbachek/Bronski | The Age Of Consent | |
| No More War | Somerville/Steinbachek/Bronski | The Age Of Consent | |
| Puit D'Amour | Somerville | I Feel Love | |
| Red Dance | Somerville/Steinbachek/Bronski | It Ain't Necessarily So | |
| Run From Love | Somerville/Steinbachek/Bronski | Hundreds & Thousands | |
| Screaming | Somerville/Steinbachek/Bronski | The Age Of Consent | |
| Signs (And Wonders) | Steinbachek | I Feel Love | |
| Smalltown Boy | Somerville/Steinbachek/Bronski | The Age Of Consent | |
| The Potatoe Fields | Bronski | I Feel Love | |
| Why? | Somerville/Steinbachek/Bronski | The Age Of Consent |
[edit] with Communards
| Name | Writer (s) | Album | Single |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annie | Somerville/Coles | Disenchanted | |
| Breadline Britain | Somerville/Coles | Communards | |
| C Minor | Somerville/Coles | Red | |
| Czardas | Monty | You Are My World | |
| Disenchanted | Somerville/Coles | Communards | |
| Don't Leave Me This Way (w/Sarah Jane Morris) | Gamble/Huff/Gilbert | Communards | |
| Don't Slip Away | Somerville/Coles | Communards | |
| For A Friend | Somerville/Coles | Red | |
| Forbidden Love | Somerville/Coles | Communards | |
| Heavens Above | Somerville/Coles | Communards | |
| Hold On Tight | Somerville/Coles | Red | |
| I Do It All For Love | Somerville | Heaven | |
| If I Could Tell You | Somerville/Auden | Red | |
| I Just Want To Let You Know | Somerville/Coles | Tomorrow | |
| Johnny Verso | Somerville/Coles | Disenchanted | |
| Judgement Day | Somerville/Coles | You Are My World | |
| La Dolarosa | Somerville/Coles | Communards | |
| Loverman (w/Sarah Jane Morris) | Davis/Ramirez/Sherman | Communards | |
| Lovers And Friends | Coles | Red | |
| Matter Of Opinion | Somerville/Coles | Red | |
| Never Can Say Goodbye | Davis | Red | |
| Never No More | Ross/Block/Hecht | So Cold The Night | |
| Reprise | Somerville/Coles | Communards | |
| Romanze For Violin, Piano, And Hedgehog | Coles | Tomorrow | |
| Sanctified | Somerville/Coles | Don't Leave Me This Way | |
| Scat | Somerville | Tomorrow | |
| Sentimental Journey | Green/Brown/Homer | You Are My World | |
| 77 The Great Escape | Somerville/Coles | Never Can Say Goodbye | |
| So Cold The Night | Somerville/Coles | Communards | |
| Spanish Rap | Somerville/Coles | There's More To Love | |
| There's More To Love Than Boy Meets Girl | Somerville/Coles | Red | |
| Tomorrow | Somerville/Coles | Red | |
| Victims | Somerville/Coles | Red | |
| When The Boy In Your Heart Is The Boy In Your Arms | Bennett | There's More To Love | |
| When The Walls Come Tumbling Down | Somerville/Coles | So Cold The Night | |
| You Are My World | Somerville/Coles | Communards | |
| You Are My World '87 | Somerville/Coles | You Are My World | |
| Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart | Hanley | There's More To Love |
[edit] Jimmy Somerville
| Name | Writer (s) | Album | Single |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adieu! (Madame Tata Mix) | Gold/Gainsbourg/Somerville | Read My Lips | |
| A Dream Gone Wrong | Butcher/Somerville | Dare To Love | |
| Ain't No Mountain High Enough | Ashford/Simpson | Home Again | |
| Alright | Butcher/Somerville | Dare To Love | |
| Amnesia | Somerville/Gauder | Home Again | |
| And You Never Thought That This Could Happen To You | Somerville | Read My Lips | |
| Because Of Him | Butcher/Somerville | Dare To Love | |
| Been So Long | Rowbottom/Somerville/Stannard | Hurt So Good | |
| Blame | Herbert/Somerville | Dark Sky | |
| Burn | Somerville/Winfield/Osborne/Buckley | Home Again | |
| But Not Tonight | Gore | Home Again | |
| By Your Side | Rowe/Somerville/Stannard | Dare To Love | |
| Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You | Crewe/Gaudio | Queer As Folk 2 (Soundtrack) | |
| Come Lately | Butcher/Somerville | Dare To Love | |
| Come On | Plate/Sommer/Somerville/Greeve | Home Again | |
| Coming | Potter/Somerville/Motion | Orlando (Soundtrack) | |
| Comment Te Dire Adieu (w/June Miles Kingston) | Gold/Gainsbourg | Read My Lips | |
| Control | Somerville | Read My Lips | |
| Could It Be Love | Somerville/Gauder/Sale | Home Again | |
| Cry | Butcher/Somerville | Dare To Love | |
| Dare To Love | Butcher/Somerville | Dare To Love | |
| Dark Sky | Somerville/Herbert | Manage The Damage | |
| Desire | Somerville/Butcher | Run From Love | |
| Don't Know What To Do (Without You) | Somerville | Read My Lips | |
| Eve | Somerville/Herbert | Manage The Damage | |
| From This Moment On | Porter | Red Hot + Blue (Various Artists) | |
| Gimme Shelter (w/Voice of the Beehive) | Jagger/Richards | Gimme Shelter (w/Voice of the Beehive) | |
| Girl Falling Down | Somerville/Herbert | Manage The Damage | |
| Heartbeat | Rowe/Stannard/Watkins/Somerville | Dare To Love | |
| Heaven Here On Earth (With Your Love) | Somerville | Read My Lips | |
| Here I Am | Somerville/Herbert | Manage The Damage | |
| Home Again | Somerville/Picotto/Remondini | Home Again | |
| Hurts So Good | Mitchell | Dare To Love | |
| I Believe | Somerville/Herbert/Monaghan | Lay Down | |
| I Believe In Love (w/Arthur Baker) | Angelo/Baker/Somerville | Merge (Arthur Baker) | |
| It's So Good | Mac/Somerville | Home Again | |
| It Still Hurts | Plate/Sommer/Somerville/Greeve | Home Again | |
| I Was Born This Way (w/Craig C.) | Jones/Spierer | Another Gay Movie (Soundtrack) | |
| I Will Always Be Around | Somerville/Herbert/Gauder/Saje | Home Again | |
| Lay Down | Somerville/Herbert | Manage The Damage | |
| Lovething | Butcher/Somerville | Dare To Love | |
| Love You Forever | Butcher/Somerville | Hurt So Good | |
| Moving On | Somerville/Herbert | Lay Down | |
| My Heart Is In Your Hands | Somerville | Read My Lips | |
| My Life | Somerville/Herbert | Manage The Damage | |
| Nothing Said, Nothing Done | Butcher/Somerville | By Your Side | |
| Not So God Almighty | Somerville | Mighty Real | |
| One Fine Day (w/Carmel) | Osapanin | Set Me Free (Carmel) | |
| Perfect Day | Somerville | Read My Lips | |
| Rain | Somerville | Read My Lips | |
| Read My Lips (Enough Is Enough) | Somerville | Read My Lips | |
| Rolling | Somerville/Herbert | Manage The Damage | |
| Run From Love (w/Claudia Brucken) | Somerville/Steinbachek/Bronski | The Singles Collection 1984/1990 | |
| Safe In These Arms | Butcher/Somerville | Dare To Love | |
| Selfish Days | Somerville/Mar | Home Again | |
| Sing It To Your Heart | ? | Home Again | |
| So Long Babe | Hazelwood | Postcards From America (Soundtrack) | |
| Someday Soon | Somerville/Herbert | Manage The Damage | |
| Someday We'll Be Together | Beavers/Bristol/Fugua | Dare To Love | |
| Something To Live For | Somerville/Herbert/Monaghan | Manage The Damage | |
| Star (w/Weather Girls) | ? | Star | |
| Stay | Somerville/Merlin | Home Again | |
| Stone | Somerville/Herbert | Manage The Damage | |
| Stranger | Somerville | Read My Lips | |
| Tear Fool | Butcher/Somerville | Dark Sky | |
| Tell The World | Somerville | Comment Te Dire Adieu | |
| The Last Infanta (w/Uno) | Clermontet | Uno (Uno) | |
| The Number One Song In Heaven (w/Sparks) | Moroder | Plagiarism (Sparks) | |
| This Must Be Love | Somerville/Herbert | Manage The Damage | |
| To Love Somebody | Gibb/Gibb | The Singles Collection 1984/1990 | |
| Too Much Of A Good Thing | Hague/Shear/Somerville | Dare To Love | |
| Under A Lover's Sky | Somerville/Uhrmacher/Fornaro | Home Again | |
| Up And Away | Butcher/Somerville | Heartbeat | |
| What's Your Game? | Somerville/Winfield/Osborne/Buckley | Home Again | |
| You & Me (w/Blue Ray) | Moyet/Somerville/Cole/Bronski/Clarke | You And Me (w/Blue Ray) | |
| You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) | Warrick/James | Read My Lips |
[edit] See also
- Banderas – Communards offshoot featuring backing musician Sally Herbert
- List of number-one dance hits (United States)
- List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart
[edit] References
- ^ Walters, Barry (2000-06-20). His beat goes on - singer Jimmy Somerville. The Advocate. Retrieved on 2007-03-22.
