Jimmy Somerville

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Jimmy Somerville – concert in Warsaw, 2006-06-10
Jimmy Somerville – concert in Warsaw, 2006-06-10

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

  • 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
  • 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

[edit] References

  1. ^ Walters, Barry (2000-06-20). His beat goes on - singer Jimmy Somerville. The Advocate. Retrieved on 2007-03-22.

[edit] External links