We Will (song)

Last updated
"We Will"
GilbertOSullivanWeWillNetherlandsSingleCover.jpg
Single by Gilbert O'Sullivan
B-side "I Didn't Know What To Do"
ReleasedJuly 1971
Recorded1971 (Audio International Studios, London)
Genre Pop
Length3'56"
Label MAM
Songwriter(s) Gilbert O'Sullivan
Producer(s) Gordon Mills
Gilbert O'Sullivan singles chronology
"Underneath the Blanket Go"
(1971)
"We Will"
(1971)
"No Matter How I Try"
(1971)

"We Will" is a song by British-Irish singer-songwriter Gilbert O'Sullivan, released as a single in July 1971. The ballad was O'Sullivan's second top 20 hit, peaking at number 16 on the UK Singles Chart on 4 September 1971. [1] It was included as a bonus track on the 2011 reissue of his debut album Himself .

O'Sullivan has described it as "very much a Catholic working class family song". [2] Upon release, Peter Jones of Record Mirror considered the song "less infectious" than O'Sullivan's first hit "Nothing Rhymed", but described it as "unmistakeably Gilbert, with that mixture of naivety and power." [3] John Peel for Disc and Music Echo considered O'Sullivan's "one of the very few true originals we have" but speculated that he was "somewhat misunderstood and misinterpreted" by the label. Peel opined "this record is a case in point. It's pleasant enough but most of the distinguishing features that make the man seem to have been filtered out. It's a good song too with quaint and arresting lyrics. It could be, of course, that he's very happy with this record but l prefer to think that the rather cloying production was the idea of the producer alone. Gilbert doesn't fit into accepted channels, therein lies his charm, and attempts to squash him into those channels will only destroy him." [4]

Writing in The Guardian in 2011, Bob Stanley considered "We Will" to be "a song of resigned melancholy about how to get through a personal crisis by appreciating things such as kicking a ball, visiting distant relatives, eating corn flakes." [5] The Times writer Pavel Barter wrote in 2017 that the song "introduced a form of kitchen-sink observational drama usually lacking in pop music." [6]

O'Sullivan re-recorded "We Will" for his 1987 album Frobisher Drive. The song was covered by Rumer on her 2012 album Boys Don’t Cry . O'Sullivan has recounted in interviews being phoned up by Andy Williams in the 1970s, who was planning to cover the song and wanted permission to change the line 'I bagsy being in goal' as he did not understand the expression. [7] [8] [9]

Related Research Articles

<i>The Velvet Underground & Nico</i> 1967 studio album by the Velvet Underground and Nico

The Velvet Underground & Nico is the debut studio album by the American rock band the Velvet Underground and German singer Nico, released in March 1967 through Verve Records. It was recorded in 1966 while the band were featured on Andy Warhol's Exploding Plastic Inevitable tour. The album features experimental performance sensibilities and controversial lyrical topics, including drug abuse, prostitution, sadomasochism and sexual deviancy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gang of Four (band)</span> English rock band

Gang of Four are an English post-punk band, formed in 1976 in Leeds. The original members were singer Jon King, guitarist Andy Gill, bass guitarist Dave Allen and drummer Hugo Burnham. There have been many different line-ups including, among other notable musicians, Sara Lee, Gail Ann Dorsey, and Mark Heaney. After a brief lull in the 1980s, different constellations of the band recorded two studio albums in the 1990s. Between 2004 and 2006 the original line-up was reunited; Gill toured using the name between 2012 and his death in 2020. In 2021, the band announced that King, Burnham, and Lee would be reuniting for a tour in 2022 with David Pajo on guitar.

<i>Meddle</i> 1971 studio album by Pink Floyd

Meddle is the sixth studio album by English rock band Pink Floyd, released by Harvest Records. The album was produced between the band's touring commitments, from January to August 1971 at a series of locations around London, including EMI Studios and Morgan Studios.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gilbert O'Sullivan</span> Irish singer-songwriter (born 1946)

Gilbert O'Sullivan is an Irish singer-songwriter. O'Sullivan experienced success during the early 1970s with songs including "Alone Again (Naturally)", "Clair" and "Get Down". O'Sullivan's songs are often marked by his distinctive percussive piano playing style and observational lyrics using wordplay.

<i>Bryter Layter</i> 1971 studio album by Nick Drake

Bryter Layter is the second studio album by English folk singer-songwriter Nick Drake. Recorded in 1970 and released on 5 March 1971 by Island Records, it was his last album to feature backing musicians, as his next and final studio album, Pink Moon, had Drake perform all songs solo.

<i>Live at the Witch Trials</i> 1979 studio album by The Fall

Live at the Witch Trials is the debut studio album by the Fall. It was released on 16 March 1979 through record label Step-Forward. It is not, despite its title, a live album and was recorded in a studio in a single day and mixed by producer Bob Sargeant.

<i>Perverted by Language</i> 1983 studio album by The Fall

Perverted by Language is the sixth studio album by English post-punk group The Fall, released in December 1983 on Rough Trade Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hong Kong Garden (song)</span> 1978 single by Siouxsie and the Banshees

"Hong Kong Garden" is the debut single of English rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees. It was released as a single on 18 August 1978 by Polydor Records, reaching number 7 on the UK Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clair (song)</span> 1972 single by Gilbert OSullivan

"Clair" is a song by Gilbert O'Sullivan, released in 1972 as the first single from his second album Back to Front. It was written by O'Sullivan and produced by Gordon Mills, and is one of O'Sullivan's biggest-selling singles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alone Again (Naturally)</span> 1971 song by Gilbert OSullivan

"Alone Again (Naturally)" is a song by Irish singer-songwriter Gilbert O'Sullivan. Recorded in 1971, it became a worldwide hit featuring on his second studio album Back to Front.

<i>Back to Front</i> (Gilbert OSullivan album) 1972 studio album by Gilbert OSullivan

Back to Front is the second studio album by Irish singer-songwriter Gilbert O'Sullivan, released in October 1972 by MAM Records. The album follows the success of his 1971 debut album Himself and singles such as "Alone Again (Naturally)". Coinciding with the album, O'Sullivan abandoned his distinctive dress sense, which included a short cap and trousers, and instead presented himself as a more masculine, hairy-chested singer with a perm, wearing sweaters with the letter "G" emblazoned on them, which helped establish him as a sex symbol. O'Sullivan wrote the album's songs at home during night-time writing sessions, and recorded the album with his manager and producer Gordon Mills in London.

<i>Disc</i> (magazine) British popular music magazine

Disc was a weekly British popular music magazine, published between 1958 and 1975, when it was incorporated into Record Mirror. It was also known for periods as Disc Weekly (1964–1966) and Disc and Music Echo (1966–1972).

<i>Alone Again (Naturally)</i> (album) 1972 studio album by Andy Williams

Alone Again (Naturally) is the thirtieth studio album by American pop singer Andy Williams, released in September 1972 by Columbia Records and mainly consisting of songs originated by other artists. For its release in the UK, the album was titled The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face), and three of the songs were replaced with the 7-inch single tracks "Who Was It?" and "Marmalade, Molasses & Honey" and a recording that was not released on vinyl in the U.S., "If You're Gonna Break Another Heart".

<i>Himself</i> (Gilbert OSullivan album) 1971 studio album by Gilbert OSullivan

Himself is the debut album by Irish singer-songwriter Gilbert O'Sullivan, released in the United Kingdom by MAM Records in August 1971, following the top 10 success of its single "Nothing Rhymed". O'Sullivan originally intended the album to feature only his voice and piano playing, until his manager and the album's producer Gordon Mills persuaded him to use full instrumentation and arrangements by Johnnie Spence. Mills also aided O'Sullivan with his songwriting, which incorporates an observational style and word play, the usage of the latter being influenced by Spike Milligan.

<i>Im a Writer, Not a Fighter</i> 1973 studio album by Gilbert OSullivan

I'm a Writer, Not a Fighter is the third studio album by Irish singer-songwriter Gilbert O'Sullivan, originally released by MAM Records in September 1973. After becoming one of the most successful performers worldwide in 1972, O'Sullivan pursued new directions with the album, taking influence from rock music and funk and incorporating an array of then-new electric keyboards, as well as emphasizing a new rhythmical focus. The album was recorded "on and off" with producer Gordon Mills at the latter's studio, and although several overdubs were recorded in the United States, O'Sullivan referred to the album as an ultimately "very ad hoc home-based" project.

<i>A Stranger in My Own Back Yard</i> 1974 studio album by Gilbert OSullivan

A Stranger in My Own Back Yard is the fourth studio album by Irish singer-songwriter Gilbert O'Sullivan, originally released in October 1974 by MAM Records. Peaking at number 9 on the UK Albums Chart, it was O'Sullivan's fourth and, to date, final top ten album, although it received positive reviews from critics. After the funk-inflected I'm a Writer, Not a Fighter, A Stranger in My Own Back Yard marked a return to the style of O'Sullivan's first two albums. The album's only single, "A Woman's Place", was O'Sullivan's first since his breakthrough to miss the top 40 of the UK Singles Chart. Union Square Music reissued the album on the Salvo label in 2012 as part of the Gilbert O'Sullivan - A Singer & His Songs collection.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nothing Rhymed</span> 1970 single by Gilbert OSullivan

"Nothing Rhymed" is a song written and recorded by the Irish singer-songwriter Gilbert O'Sullivan. It was released in 1970.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phil Curtis</span> English session musician and bass guitarist (1951–2018)

Phillip Edwin Lionel Shutt, known professionally as Phil Curtis, was an English session musician and bass guitarist known for his work with Arthur Brown, Kiki Dee, Steve Gibbons, Larry Carlton, Chris Rea, Gilbert O'Sullivan, John Morgan, Denny Laine, Steve Marriott, The Bay City Rollers and many others.

Matthews Southern Comfort (MSC) was originally a British country rock/folk rock band, formed in 1970 by former Fairport Convention singer Ian (later Iain) Matthews. The original line-up consisted of Matthews, lead guitarist Mark Griffiths (who would later become the bass player with both The Shadows and The Everly Brothers), rhythm guitarist Carl Barnwell, bass player Pete Watkins, drummer Roger Swallow and pedal steel guitarist Gordon Huntley. Watkins and Swallow, however, left the band after just a few weeks and were replaced by bass player Andy Leigh and drummer Ray Duffy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Semi-Detached, Suburban Mr. James</span> 1966 single by Manfred Mann

"Semi-Detached, Suburban Mr. James" is a song written by songwriters Geoff Stephens and John Carter, recorded by English pop group Manfred Mann in 1966. Stephens and Carter, who were writers for a publishing company on Denmark Street, London, wrote the song in a style different from their usual compositions, as love was not the prevalent theme. Introduced to the song by producer Shel Talmy, Manfred Mann recorded it at Philips Studio in August 1966. Released by Fontana Records on 21 October 1966, the song was backed by drummer Mike Hugg's composition "Morning After The Party" as the group's second single on the label. Keyboardist Manfred Mann plays the Mellotron on the recording; it was one of the earliest recordings featuring the instrument. Following a trend set by Bob Dylan, the song tackles the subject of life in British middle class suburbia from the perspective of a narrator, who laments the loss of a lover after her marriage to another man.

References

  1. "We Will". Official Charts. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  2. Barnard, Jason (18 June 2016). "Gilbert O'Sullivan". The Strange Brew. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  3. Jones, Peter (10 July 1971). "Gilbert: Power and Naivety" (PDF). Record Mirror: 16. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  4. Peel, John (3 July 1971). "Leave Gilbert alone please!" (PDF). Disc and Music Echo: 6. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  5. Stanley, Bob (25 August 2011). "Gilbert O'Sullivan: time for a reappraisal?". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  6. Barter, Pavel (29 January 2017). "Gilbert O'Sullivan… Still in the limelight (Naturally)". Gilbertosullivan.co.uk. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  7. Wyatt, Michael (11 February 2016). "Meeting Himself, coming back – the Gilbert O'Sullivan interview". Writewyattuk.com. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  8. "Gilbert O'Sullivan: Andy Williams didn't get 'bagsy' reference". BBC. 13 February 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  9. "Episode 72 – Gilbert O'Sullivan". Sodajerker. Retrieved 28 March 2018.