Billy Ocean
Billy Ocean ( born January 21, 1950 as Leslie Sebastian Charles in Fyzabad, Trinidad ) is a British pop singer and songwriter, the 1976-1989 had a number of rhythm and blues hits. Ocean was initially successful only in the United Kingdom and then in the United States and there had three number one hits.
Biography
When Billy Ocean was seven years old, his family moved to London ( East End ). As a teenager, he sang in the London clubs. His first single he released in 1974 under the pseudonym of Scorched Earth. He slept with his stage name Billy Ocean, who was named after his former place of residence, the Ocean Estate, named.
In the spring of 1976, his debut album, Billy Ocean came out. The decoupled single, Love Really Hurts Without You reached number two on the UK charts and # 22 in the U.S.. It was followed by other hits, including L.O.D. ( Love On Delivery). Ocean also wrote pieces for other artists, such as La Toya Jackson. In the summer of 1981, he had with Nights ( Feel Like Getting Down ) a hit in the U.S. R & B charts.
His greatest success came in the summer of 1984 with Billy Ocean Caribbean Queen from the album Suddenly. Depending on the region of the world the title was adjusted so that the song is also known as African Queen or European Queen. Also the beginning of 1986 released album Love Zone was commercially successful, When the Going Gets Tough singles, the Tough Get Going ( from the movie: Romancing The Jewel of the Nile) and There'll Be Sad Songs ( To Make You Cry ) were hits.
In early 1988 was followed by the album Tear Down These Walls with the hit Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car.
In the fall of 1989, his Greatest Hits album was released. Then it was quiet for Billy Ocean. His last studio album for Jive was Time to Move On in spring 1993, which he recorded together with the R & B singer R. Kelly. R. Kelly admired Billy Ocean for the way he was able to mix the emotional soul - side with a jazzy rhythm.
2002 Ocean received an honorary doctorate from the University of Westminster. In the following years there has been new releases of old hits and he toured the United Kingdom.
In early 2009 the album Because I Love You was released. In October 2010 he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the MOBO Awards.
Discography
Albums
- 03.1976: Billy Ocean
- 09.1980: City Limits
- 07.1981: Nights ( Feel Like Getting Down )
- 08.1982: Inner Feelings
- 07.1984: Suddenly ( UK # 9, U.S. # 9, D # 43)
- 01.1986: Love Zone ( UK # 2, U.S. # 6, D # 33)
- 01.1988: Tear Down These Walls ( UK # 3, D # 17, U.S. # 18)
- 03.1993: Time To Move On
- 05.2002: Emotions in Motion
- 02.2009: Because I Love You
- 04.2013: Here You Are
Compilations
Singles
- 02.1976: Love Really Hurts Without You ( UK # 2, D # 16, U.S. # 22)
- 06.1976: L.O.D. ( Love On Delivery) ( UK # 19, D # 30)
- 10.1976: Stop Me ( If You've Heard It All Before ) (UK # 12)
- 03.1977: Red Light Spells Danger ( UK # 2, D # 15)
- 08.1979: American Hearts ( UK # 54)
- 12.1979: Are You Ready? ( D # 37, UK # 42)
- 07.1980: Stay The Night ( D # 69)
- 06.1981: Nights ( Feel Like Getting Down )
- 07.1982: Calypso Funkin '
- 06.1984: European Queen / Caribbean Queen ( USA # 1, D # 2, UK # 6)
- 11.1984: Loverboy ( U.S. # 2, D # 12, UK # 15)
- 03.1985: Suddenly ( UK # 4, U.S. # 4, D # 50)
- 06.1985: Mystery Lady ( U.S. # 24, UK # 49)
- 11.1985: When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going ( UK # 1, D # 2, U.S. # 2)
- 03.1986: There'll Be Sad Songs ( To Make You Cry ) ( U.S. # 1, UK # 12, D # 36)
- 06.1986: Love Zone ( U.S. # 10, UK # 49, D # 73)
- 08.1986: Bitter Sweet ( UK # 44)
- 10.1986: Love Is Forever ( U.S. # 16, UK # 34)
- 01.1988: Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car ( USA # 1, D # 3, UK # 3)
- 04.1988: Calypso Crazy ( UK # 35)
- 07.1988: The Colour Of Love ( U.S. # 17, UK # 65)
- 09.1988: Stand and Deliver ( UK # 97)
- 09.1989: License To Chill ( U.S. # 32, UK # 81)
- 01.1990: I Sleep So Much Better ( In Someone Else 's Bed )
- 01.1993: Pressure ( UK # 55)