Warren Harry

Warren Harry (born Warren Philip Harry, 1953 in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire)^[1] (also known as Warren Bacall) was a British songwriter and performer.^[2]

Biography

From 1977 to the mid-1980s, Warren Harry released a number of singles under both the name Warren Harry and Warren Bacall. These were: "I am a Radio", "Sail On" (Bronze Records, 1977), "1965" (Ellie Jay Records, 1978), "Radio Show" (Polydor Records, 1979), "Welcome to Judy's World" (Polydor, 1980),^[3] "Lions and Tigers" (Stage Coach Records, 1982)^[4] and "Brief Encounter" (Pilot Records, 1984).^[5] In the late 1970s, Harry performed with his band, The Yum Yum Band.^[6] Members of Harry's backing bands included Graham Dibble (guitar, vocals), Michael (Paddy) Burns (drums), backing vocals, Paul Kendal (bass guitar), John Clarke (drums), John Kayne (keyboards), Pete Farley (bass), Jakko M Jakszyk (guitar) and Josh Gale (bass).

He subsequently wrote a number of songs for other artists including several songs by Bucks Fizz (such as "When We Were Young"^[2] a UK Top 10 hit), John Otway, Anthony Newley and Japanese singer Yōko Oginome.^[2]

Other songs written for Bucks Fizz included "I'd Like to Say I Love You" (as Warren Harry) from Hand Cut, and as Warren Bacall: "Rules of the Game" and "Oh Suzanne" from Greatest Hits, "Indebted to You" and "Thief in the Night" from I Hear Talk and "In Your Eyes". The latter four were all co-written with Andy Hill. The majority of these songs were written about tragic female characters and were sung by the female members of the group.

Harry died from a pulmonary embolism in his home in Cymmer, Wales on 10 March 2008, aged 54.^[7] He was living with his partner Annie Whitaker and her son at the time.

References