Jacquie O'Sullivan

Last updated

Jacquie O'Sullivan
Birth nameJacqueline Michelle O'Sullivan
Born (1960-08-07) 7 August 1960 (age 64)
London, England
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Years active1978–present
LabelsAlmaFame
Formerly of

Jacquie O'Sullivan (born 7 August 1960) [1] is an English singer and songwriter, best known as a member of the pop group Bananarama from 1988 until 1991, replacing Siobhan Fahey, who left in early 1988. The line-up with O'Sullivan had UK top five hits with "I Want You Back" (1988) and a cover of The Beatles' "Help!" (1989), recorded with comedy duo French and Saunders for the charity Comic Relief. In 1989, O'Sullivan joined the group on their first world tour. Prior to Bananarama, O'Sullivan was the lead singer of the band Shillelagh Sisters.

Contents

Career

Early years

O'Sullivan joined the country/punk/rockabilly group Shillelagh Sisters in early 1983. It was "a sort of a fun band, a kind of trendy band". The band name came about courtesy of their Irish connections. They released their first single "Give Me My Freedom" in April 1984. The band's dissatisfaction with their record label CBS, along with differences between the band members, led to the band's demise in late 1984. O'Sullivan later stated that she felt the records they released "weren't very good". [1]

1988–1991: Breakthrough with Bananarama

In March 1988, she was chosen by Sara Dallin and Keren Woodward (who had known O'Sullivan since they were eighteen) to become a member of Bananarama, [2] as a replacement for outgoing member Siobhan Fahey, [3] who also approved of the choice. Bananarama's hit streak continued with the addition of O'Sullivan. They re-recorded the vocals for the songs "I Want You Back" and "Nathan Jones" with O'Sullivan to replace versions previously recorded by Fahey. The group scored eight consecutive Top 40 hits in the UK with O'Sullivan.

She appeared on Bananarama's fund-raising cover of The Beatles' "Help!" for Comic Relief alongside comedians French and Saunders and Kathy Burke, who appeared as Lananeeneenoonoo. The record peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart in 1989. She also participated in Band Aid II's 1989 re-recording of "Do They Know It's Christmas?".

O'Sullivan's only songwriting credit with Bananarama appeared on the song "Love, Truth and Honesty" from the compilation album Greatest Hits Collection .

In 1991, Bananarama recorded the album Pop Life , the only full-length album on which O'Sullivan appeared. Later that year, O'Sullivan left the group, a decision that was amicable with Dallin and Woodward. O'Sullivan later stated in interviews that her role in Bananarama was that of a paid employee and that she was given no say in the creative, musical or visual direction of the group. She said that this lack of input, along with the continued emphasis by the music press that she was the "new girl" and constant questions of "How does it feel to replace Siobhan?", contributed to her exit.

When French and Saunders parodied Bananarama in their 1988 Christmas special as "Lananenenoonoo", O'Sullivan was portrayed by Kathy Burke as "Kim". O'Sullivan's perceived lack of input into the group was used as a source of humour, with Kim ignored and dismissed in interviews and group discussions.

1992–96: Slippry Feet

When she left Bananarama, O'Sullivan was invited to join the disco act Slippry Feet from 1992 to 1996. They recorded songs for a record titled Freak Time Viewing and then disbanded.

2001–present: New management, Freak Time Viewing and The Jacquie O Collection

In 2001, O'Sullivan signed a three-album deal with AlmaFame Records, featuring unreleased songs from throughout her music career. The first release in late 2001 was the Slippry Feet album Freak Time Viewing. In early 2002, the Shillelagh Sisters album, Sham'Rock & Roll, was released and a third album, tentatively titled The Jacquie O Collection, featuring new songs and re-recordings of her hits with Bananarama, was announced but the record label folded and nothing was released.

In 2005, she appeared briefly on the second video clip (also called 'whitey version') of Siobhan Fahey's song "Pulsatron".

1994–2015: Yoga teacher and massage therapist

O'Sullivan went to India and in 1994 trained to be a yoga teacher. She continued to teach and on her travels has taught yoga all over the world. She continued with her yoga education, taking teacher training with the Prana Yoga College.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bananarama</span> English girl group

Bananarama are an English pop group formed in London in 1980. The group, originally a trio, consisted of friends Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey, and Keren Woodward. Fahey left the group in 1988 and was replaced by Jacquie O'Sullivan until 1991, when the trio became a duo. Their success on both pop and dance charts saw them listed in the Guinness World Records for achieving the world's highest number of chart entries by an all-female group. Between 1982 and 2009, they had 32 singles reach the Top 50 of the UK Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siobhan Fahey</span> Irish singer (born 1958)

Siobhan Maire Fahey is an Irish singer whose vocal range is a light contralto. She was a founding member of the British girl group Bananarama, who have had ten top-10 hits including the US number one hit single "Venus". She later formed the musical act Shakespears Sister, who had a UK number one hit with the 1992 single "Stay". Fahey joined the other original members of Bananarama for a 2017 UK tour, and, in 2018, a North America and Europe tour.

<i>Deep Sea Skiving</i> 1983 studio album by Bananarama

Deep Sea Skiving is the debut studio album by British vocal group Bananarama, released on 7 March 1983 by London Records. The album peaked at number seven on the UK Albums Chart and was certified Silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keren Woodward</span> English singer

Keren Jane Woodward is an English singer/songwriter and, with Sara Dallin and Siobhan Fahey, a founding member of the girl group Bananarama. In 1986, the trio reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 with their version of "Venus". Woodward and Dallin are the only constant members of Bananarama, and both have been a part of the group for over 40 years since 1979.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Help! (song)</span> 1965 single by the Beatles

"Help!" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles that served as the title song for the 1965 film and the band's accompanying soundtrack album. It was released as a single in July 1965, and was number one for three weeks in the United States and the United Kingdom. Credited to Lennon–McCartney, "Help!" was written by John Lennon with some assistance from Paul McCartney. During an interview with Playboy in 1980, Lennon recounted: "The whole Beatles thing was just beyond comprehension. I was subconsciously crying out for help".

<i>Wow!</i> (Bananarama album) 1987 studio album by Bananarama

Wow! is the fourth studio album by English group Bananarama, released on 4 September 1987 by London Records. The album was entirely produced and co-written with the Stock Aitken Waterman production trio. Tensions between group member Siobhan Fahey and Stock, Aitken and Waterman regarding songwriting input and lyrical content prompted Fahey's departure from Bananarama five months after its release. The album reached number 26 on the UK Albums Chart and number 44 on the US Billboard 200, while peaking at number one in Australia. The album was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) on 3 February 1988.

<i>The Greatest Hits Collection</i> (Bananarama album) 1988 greatest hits album by Bananarama

The Greatest Hits Collection is a compilation album released by Bananarama which features their single releases and greatest hits. It was issued by London Records in 1988, eight months after the departure of group member Siobhan Fahey. The track listing differed between versions released in the United States and Canada, as well as those released throughout Europe and other territories.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nathan Jones (song)</span> 1971 single by The Supremes

"Nathan Jones" is a song by American girl group the Supremes from their twenty-third studio album, Touch (1971). It was released on April 15, 1971, as the album's lead single. Produced by Frank Wilson and written by Kathy Wakefield and Leonard Caston, "Nathan Jones" was one of eight top-40 entries the Supremes recorded after its original frontwoman, Diana Ross, left the group for a solo career.

<i>Pop Life</i> (Bananarama album) 1991 studio album by Bananarama

Pop Life is the fifth studio album by English group Bananarama, released on 13 May 1991 by London Records. It is the only Bananarama studio album which features singer Jacquie O'Sullivan, who replaced Siobhan Fahey following her departure in 1988. This album marks the end of the group's association with the Stock Aitken Waterman production team as most of Pop Life was produced by Youth. English singer Zoë provided backing vocals on "Long Train Running". This would be the last album by Bananarama as a trio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Who's That Girl? (Eurythmics song)</span> 1983 single by Eurythmics

"Who's That Girl?" is a song by British pop duo Eurythmics. It was written by band members Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart and produced by Stewart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheers Then</span> 1982 single by Bananarama

"Cheers Then" is a song recorded by English girl group Bananarama. It appears on their 1983 debut album Deep Sea Skiving and was released as its third single in November 1982, a few months before the album. The song was the first Bananarama single to be written by group members Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey and Keren Woodward and also their first ballad release.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert De Niro's Waiting...</span> 1984 single by Bananarama

"Robert De Niro's Waiting..." is a song written by Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey, Keren Woodward, Steve Jolley, and Tony Swain, recorded for English girl group Bananarama's eponymous second studio album. Produced by Jolley & Swain, it was released as the album's second single on 20 February 1984. It namechecks American actor Robert De Niro. The single is one of the group's strongest-performing releases, peaking at number three in the UK Singles Chart. It made a brief appearance on the US Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 95. Billboard ranked the song at number 74 on their list of the "100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A Trick of the Night</span> 1986 single by Bananarama

"A Trick of the Night" is a mid-tempo ballad recorded by English girl group Bananarama. It was written and produced by Steve Jolley and Tony Swain and released as the final single from Bananarama's album True Confessions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love in the First Degree (Bananarama song)</span> 1987 single by Bananarama

"Love in the First Degree" is a song by English girl group Bananarama from their fourth studio album, Wow! (1987). It was released on 21 September 1987 as the album's second single, except in the United States, where it was released in 1988 as the third single. The track was co-written and produced by the Stock Aitken Waterman (SAW) trio. It achieved major success in the UK and Australia, and also peaked within the top 20 in many European countries, but, unlike "I Heard a Rumour", it reached only the lower end of the top 50 in the US.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Want You Back (Bananarama song)</span> 1988 single by Bananarama

"I Want You Back" is a song by English girl group Bananarama from their fourth studio album, Wow! (1987). It was released on 28 March 1988 by London Records as the album's fourth and final single. The track was co-written and produced by the Stock Aitken Waterman (SAW) trio. It became one of Bananarama's highest-charting singles, peaking at number five on the UK Singles Chart. It also climbed into the top three in Australia and the top 10 in New Zealand. The single was not released in the United States. Andy Morahan directed its accompanying music video.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Preacher Man</span> 1990 single by Bananarama

"Preacher Man" is a song recorded by English girl group Bananarama. It appears on the group's fifth studio album, Pop Life (1991), and was released as the album's second single. The track was co-written and produced by Youth with additional production and remix by Shep Pettibone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tripping on Your Love</span> 1991 single by Bananarama

"Tripping on Your Love" is a song recorded by English girl group Bananarama. It appears on the group's fifth studio album, Pop Life (1991), and was released as the album's fourth single in the UK and the first single in the United States. The track was co-written and produced by Youth. This is the last single released featuring member Jacquie O'Sullivan and the group as a trio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shillelagh Sisters</span> British female music group

The Shillelagh Sisters were a British female group composed of Jacquie O'Sullivan (vocals), Lynder Halpin, Patricia "Trisha" O'Flynn (saxophone) and Maria "Mitzi" Ryan (drums). Their music style was a mixture of rockabilly and punk rock, influenced by Halpin and O'Sullivan's boyfriends, who were, respectively, Boz Boorer (guitarist) and Phil Bloomberg (bassist), both of the rockabilly group The Polecats.

<i>The Greatest Remixes Collection</i> 1990 remix album by Bananarama

The Greatest Remixes Collection is a compilation of Bananarama remixes released exclusively in Southeast Asia in 1990. At the time of the release, the only mix that had not been issued on CD was the Miami Mix of "I Heard a Rumour", although none of the mixes had ever been compiled on a Bananarama album. Subsequently some of the mixes have been available on easier to find Bananarama albums, such as The Very Best of Bananarama double CD or The Twelve Inches of Bananarama. The album has become very rare and expensive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sara Dallin</span> English pop singer

Sara Elizabeth Dallin is an English singer/songwriter and a founding member of the pop group Bananarama. The group has achieved 28 UK top-50 and 11 US top-100 singles, including a US number one with "Venus" (1986). Other hits include "Cruel Summer" (1983), "I Heard a Rumour" (1987) and "Love in the First Degree" (1987). Dallin and bandmate Keren Woodward are the only performers to appear on both the 1984 and 1989 Band Aid versions of "Do They Know It's Christmas?". Bananarama have sold over 30 million records and entered the Guinness Book of World Records for achieving most UK chart entries by an all-female group, a record they still hold.

References

  1. 1 2 Smash Hits , 1988. Personal File: Jacqui O'Sullivan, p. 11
  2. ↑ Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 440. CN 5585.
  3. ↑ Ankeny, Jason. "Biography: Bananarama". AMG . Retrieved 16 May 2010.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.