Gilbert O Sullivan Discography
I can't actually remember ever consciously becoming a Gilbert O'Sullivan. I can't quite remember a time when he wasn't around. He was the next big thing when I was very little. I remember going round the record shops with my mum in 1971 or 1972 and his image and his records were everywhere as the coming artist. Many people think he came and went, but he's still here writing and recording great songs. I just always assumed he was great and that he was around. It may be a form of imprinting. He's just one of the essentials in life I took for granted.
I recently search for the track listing for certain Gilbert O'Sullivan albums and found there was no one point where all Gilbert's albums over the years are accessible. So I decided to compile a discography for myself. I intend to return and tidy this document up in the first and, maybe, scandalously, add ratings to each song. The very idea is an abomination against music but is a practise I developed when compiling playlists for local shops in the 1990s. Old habits die hard, both good and bad. I can right now, straight off the bat, give you my short and sweet guide to the essential songs of Gilbert O'Sullivan (my personal favourites, anyway).
I'll give a quick crash course on the essentials for those who know only the big hits. The top line is the very best, with those with asterisks against them as the very very best (making a nice 40 Greatest), adding songs well worth a listen in brackets below. This short guide is arranged by album/chronology (all songs written by Gilbert O'Sullivan):
Himself 1971
Nothing Rhymed* – We Will* - Matrimony* – Independent Air* – Houdini Said* – No Matter How I Try
Back to Front 1972
Alone Again* - Save It* - Clair* - Out of the Question* - That's Love* - Who Was It? - Ooh Wakka Doo Wakka Day
(In My Hole)
I'm a Writer, Not a Fighter 1973
Why, Oh Why, Oh Why* - A Friend of Mine* – Where Peaceful Waters Flow* - Get Down* - Ooh Baby
(Not In a Million Years)
A Stranger in My Own Back Yard 1974
It's So Easy to Be Sad* – Victor E* - Happiness Is Me and You
(The Marriage Machine – I Wonder Would You Mind)
Southpaw 1977
Miss My Love Today* – Doing What I Know* - My Love and I
(No Telling Why – I Of Course Replied – I'll Believe It When I See It)
Off Centre 1980
Can't Get Enough of You* - What's In a Kiss
Life & Rhymes 1982
Wonder Why* - You Don't Own Me
Frobisher Drive 1987
Lost A Friend* - So What - We Will
In the Key of G 1989
To the Extreme*
Sounds of the Loop 1991
Not That It Bothers Me - Came and Went - I Can Give You
By Larry (also known as The Little Album) 1994
Because Of You
Every Song Has Its Play 1995
Dear Dream* - I Wish I Could Cry* - Young At Heart (We'll Always Remain)*
Singer Sowing Machine 1997
I'll Be The Lonely One* - Please Don't Let My Weakness Show
Irlish 2001
Two's Company (Three Is Allowed)* - Me - Passport Photos
Piano Foreplay 2003
Make My Day* - Conversation With Flying Plates* - You, Me And The Garden Post* - What's It All Supposed To Mean ?
(It Never Rains But It Pours - God Forbid - A Love So - Will I Do ? - World Of Work)
A Scruff at Heart 2007
Taking Sides* - Just So You Know*
(A Proper Fool)
Gilbertville 2011
All They Wanted To Say* - Talking Of Murder
(Missing You Already - Down Down Here)
Latin ala G! 2015
Let's See* - Hablando Del Rey De Roma* - Singapore*
Gilbert O'Sullivan 2018
Dansette Dreams And 45's*
Driven 2022
Blue Anchor Bay* - If Only Love Had Ears* - You Can't Say I Didn't Try*
(Let Me Know - Back And Forth
Don't Get Under Each Other's Skin)
Himself 1971
All songs written by Gilbert O'Sullivan.
Side one
"Intro" – 0:24
"January Git" – 3:14
"Bye-Bye" – 3:22
"Permissive Twit" – 4:10
"Matrimony" – 3:19
"Independent Air" – 5:08
"Nothing Rhymed" – 3:27
Side two
"Too Much Attention" – 2:39
"Susan Van Heusen" – 2:59
"If I Don't Get You (Back Again)" – 2:44
"Thunder and Lightning" – 2:59
"Houdini Said" – 5:24
"Doing the Best I Can" – 2:35
"Outro" – 0:38
Bonus tracks on the 2011 remaster
"Disappear" (1967 demo) – 1:40
"What Can I Do" (1967 demo) – 1:34
"Mr. Moody's Garden" (b-side of "I Wish I Could Cry", August 1971) – 3:04
"Everybody Knows" (b-side of "Nothing Rhymed", October 1970) – 2:19
"Underneath the Blanket Go" (single, February 1970) – 3:09
"We Will" (single, July 1971) – 3:55
"I Didn't Know What to Do" (b-side of "We Will") – 1:47
"No Matter How I Try" (single, November 1971) – 3:02
Back to Front 1972
All songs written by Gilbert O'Sullivan
Side one
1. "Intro" 0:21
2. "I Hope You'll Stay" 2:28
3. "In My Hole" 2:46
4. "Clair" 3:00
5. "That's Love" 3:02
6. "Can I Go With You" 2:46
7. "But I'm Not/Outro" 2:34
Side two
No. Title Length
8. "I'm in Love with You" 4:25
9. "Who Was It?" 2:31
10. "What Could Be Nicer (Mum, the Kettle's Boiling)" 3:06
11. "Out of the Question" 3:01
12. "The Golden Rule" 2:37
13. "I'm Leaving" 2:34
14. "Outro" 0:33
“Alone Again”
“Save It”
“Ooh Wakka Doo Wakka Day”
I'm a Writer, Not a Fighter 1973
All songs written by Gilbert O'Sullivan.
Side one
"I'm a Writer, Not a Fighter" – 3:18
"A Friend of Mine" – 3:23
"They've Only Themselves To Blame" – 2:45
"Who Knows, Perhaps Maybe" 3:14
"Where Peaceful Waters Flow" – 4:16
Side two
"Ooh Baby" – 3:45
"I Have Never Loved You As Much As I Love You Today" – 2:33
"Not In a Million Years" – 3:01
"If You Love Me Like You Love Me" – 3:18
"Get Down" – 2:45
Bonus tracks on the 2012 remaster
"A Very Extraordinary Sort of Girl" (b-side of "Get Down") – 2:20
"Good Company" (b-side of "Ooh Baby") – 2:49
"Why, Oh Why, Oh Why" (single, November 1973) – 3:53
"You Don't Have To Tell Me" (b-side of "Why, Oh Why, Oh Why") – 3:15
A Stranger in My Own Back Yard
All songs written by Gilbert O'Sullivan.
"Number Four" - 1:25
"A Woman's Place" - 3:17
"No More" - 2:26
"It's So Easy to Be Sad" – 4:42
"My Father" - 2:43
"The Marriage Machine" – 3:28
"If You Ever" - 2:33
"The Thing Is" - 4:01
"Just Like Me" - 3:04
"Victor E" – 2:46
"I Wonder Would You Mind" – 2:19
"15 Times" - 2:21
"Nothing to Do About Much" - 3:27
"Can't Get You to Love Me" - 2:25
"Always Somebody" - 0:53
Bonus tracks on the 2012 remaster
"Happiness Is Me and You" (single, February 1974) – 3:11
"Breakfast Dinner and Tea" (B-side of "Happiness Is Me and You") - 2:07
"Too Bad" (B-side of "A Woman's Place", August 1974) - 3:13
"To Cut a Long Story Short" (B-side of "Christmas Song", November 1974) - 2:46
"You Are You" (single, January 1975) - 3:20
"Tell Me Why" (B-side of "You Are You") - 2:58
"That's a Fact" (B-side of "I Don't Love You But I Think I Like You", May 1975) – 2:39
Southpaw 1977
All songs written by Gilbert O'Sullivan.
"Intro" - 0:46
"You Got Me Going" - 2:40
"No Telling Why" – 3:36
"Tomorrow Today" - 3:12
"The Best Fun I Ever Had" - 3:33
"I Remember Once" - 5:15
"Intro 2" - 0:23
"I Of Course Replied" – 2:42
"That's Where I Belong" - 3:33
"My Love and I" – 3:22
"If I Can't Have You All To Myself" - 3:04
"Miss My Love Today" – 3:56
Bonus tracks on the 2012 remaster
"I'll Believe It When I See It" (single, August 1975) – 5:20
"Just As You Are" (b-side of "I'll Believe It When I See It") - 2:38
"You Never Listen To Reason" (single, October 1975) - 3:20
"Call On Me" (b-side of "You Never Listen To Reason") - 3:14
"Doing What I Know" (single, August 1976) – 4:45
"To Each His Own" (single, October 1976) - 3:08
"Can't Get You Out of My Mind" (b-side of "To Each His Own") - 3:24
"As Long As I Can" (b-side of "You Got Me Going", July 1977) - 2:21
"Our Own Baby" (b-side of "Miss My Love Today", February 1978) – 3:10
Off Centre 1980
All songs written by Gilbert O'Sullivan.
"I Love It But" - 3:33
"What's In a Kiss" – 2:36
"Hello It's Goodbye" - 3:08
"Why Pretend" - 3:58
"I'm Not Getting Any Younger" - 4:32
"Things That Go Bump in the Night" - 4:51
"Help Is On the Way" - 3:43
"For What It's Worth" - 4:05
"The Niceness of It All" - 5:26
"Can't Get Enough of You" – 3:27
"Break It To Me Gently" - 3:20
"Or So They Say" – 3:50
Life & Rhymes
All songs written by Gilbert O'Sullivan.
"Live Now Pay Later" – 3:03
"Bear With Me" – 3:22
"You Don't Own Me" – 3:38
"A Minute of Your Time" – 3:40
"Is It a Crime?" – 2:54
"Got To Be That Way" – 3:15
"Has Been" – 2:51
"I Promise Honest" – 3:25
"Wonder Why" – 3:15
"Looking (A Tale of Two Meanings)" – 3:16
"If I Know You" – 4:06
"At Least I'm Honest" – 3:09
Bonus tracks on the 2012 remaster
"Don't Bother At All" (b-side of "Bear With Me") – 3:26
"In Other Words" (b-side of "A Minute of Your Time") – 3:33
Frobisher Drive 1987
A1 So What 4:13
A2 If I Start With The Chorus 2:49
A3 What Am I Doing Here With You 4:05
A4 We Will 3:50
A5 Stick In The Mud 3:32
B1 The Way Things Used To Be 4:25
B2 I Don't Trust Men With Earrings In Their Ears 3:53
B3 Lost A Friend 3:00
B4 Forever Wondering 3:49
B5 At The Very Mention Of Your Name 5:15
In the Key of G 1989
All songs written by Gilbert O'Sullivan.
"Lost a Friend" - 3:06
"At the Very Mention of Your Name" - 5:25
"What Am I Doing Here with You" - 4:09
"If I Start with the Chorus" - 2:39
"So What" - 4:18
"The Way Things Used to Be" - 4:43
"I Don't Trust Men with Earrings in Their Ears" - 4:01
"Gordon Bennett" - 4:46
"To the Extreme" – 3:40
"Stick in the Mud" - 3:39
Bonus tracks on the 2013 remaster
"I Have My Coat to Keep Me Warm" (from the single "Two's Company (Three Is Allowed)") - 3:30
"Forever Wondering" (from the album Frobisher Drive) - 3:55
"At the Very Mention of Your Name" (single version) - 4:48
"In a Nutshell" (B-side of "So What") - 2:52
"So What" (instrumental extended mix) – 5:04
Sounds of the Loop 1991
All songs written by Gilbert O'Sullivan.
"Are You Happy?" - 3:30
"Not That It Bothers Me" - 3:17
"Sometimes" - 4:08
"It's Easy to See When You're Blind" - 4:01
"Having Said That" - 4:00
"Can't Think Straight" (duet with Peggy Lee) - 4:05
"The Best Love I Never Had" - 3:42
"Divorce Irish Style" - 4:14
"Came and Went" - 3:45
"I'm Not Too Young" - 4:06
"I Can Give You" - 3:41
Bonus tracks on the 2013 remaster
"Can't Think Straight" (Japanese version - duet with Takao Kisugi) - 4:05
"Can't Think Straight" (Spanish version - duet with Silvia Tortosa) - 4:05
"What a Way (To Show I Love You)" (Words by Gilbert O'Sullivan, Music by Takao Kisugi) (from Japanese releases of Sounds of the Loop) – 4:13
By Larry (also known as The Little Album) 1994
1 That's
2 When To Today
3 Shy
4 That's Why I Love You
5 My Advice To You
6 Hold On To What You Got
7 Came To See Me Yesterday (In The Merry Month Of)
8 Mr And Mrs Regards
9 It Ain't For Me
10 I Don't Mind
11 As A Rule
12 My Front Door Is
13 Because Of You
14 The Window Cleaner's Mate
Bonus Tracks
15 What Am I Doing Here With You?
16 What You See Is What You Get
Every Song Has Its Play 1995
1 Overture
2 Showbiz
3 Dear Dream
4 I Wish I Could Cry
5 Nothing To Fear
6 Pretty Polly
7 Can't Find My Way Home
8 Dishonourable Profession
9 You Don't Own Me / If I Know You
10 Nobody Wants To Know
11 Young At Heart (We'll Always Remain)
12 I've Never Been Short Of A Smile
13 Showbiz - Reprise
14 If You Commence Before The Start
Singer Sowing Machine 1997
1 Heaven's Above
2 In Bed By Ten
3 Sex Appeal
4 You Better Believe It
5 Please Don't Let My Weakness Show
6 I'll Be The Lonely One
7 Con-Lab-Lib
8 Doesn't It Make You Sick (Mortar And Brick)
9 Not So Great Britain
10 I Don't Care
11 I'm About
12 Break A Leg
13 Say Ireland
14 An End...
Irlish 2001
1 Have It
2 A Sight For Sore Eyes
3 Where The Hell Have You Been
4 Me
5 Say Goodbye
6 Don't I Know It
7 How I Say That I Love You
8 Passport Photos
9 Water Music
10 Fine By Me
11 Two's Company (Three Is Allowed)
12 Love Being Faxed By You
13 Easier Said Than Done
14 Me – Reprise
Piano Foreplay 2003
1 It Never Rains But It Pours 4:26
2 Barking Up The Wrong Tree (Such Is Life) 4:01
3 Make My Day 3:02
4 God Forbid 3:12
5 Conversation With Flying Plates 4:32
6 I Gave Mine To You 3:13
7 A Love So 2:51
8 You, Me And The Garden Post 4:13
9 Parrish 2:51
10 What's It All Supposed To Mean ? 3:58
11 Answers On A Postcard (Please) 3:32
12 Will I Do ? 3:02
13 World Of Work 3:58
A Scruff at Heart 2007
1 Take Your Foot Off My Toe 4:25
2 A Proper Fool 3:20
3 My Place Or Yours 3:49
4 Don't Let It Get To You 3:22
5 You Can't Con-crete 3:12
6 Taking Sides 3:12
7 I'm In Love With Love (Again) 3:41
8 Force Of Habit 2:32
9 One Door Closes 3:23
10 Just So You Know 3:53
11 Let's Not Go There 3:47
12 Can't Say Fairer Than That 2:48
13 Love You Out Of Trouble 3:02
14 Know What, You're Right 3:55
Gilbertville 2011
1 Can I Leave The Rest Up To You
2 Missing You Already
3 Here's Why Featuring – Hayley Sanderson
4 All They Wanted To Say
5 One Drink Too Many (Too Few)
6 The Allergy Song
7 Where Would We Be (Without Tea)
8 Interlude Featuring – Harry Hill (2)
9 I Wanna Know
10 Down Down Here
11 Private Eye
12 I Wish Something Good
13 Hitler Could Have Made It With You
14 Talking Of Murder
Bonus Track
15 School Meals
Latin ala G! 2015
Made In Love
I Guess I'll Always Love You
Hell No
If You Want Me To
(That's) The Kind Of Love I Need
Let's See
Hablando Del Rey De Roma
No Way
Love I You
You Heard
Speaking Of Which
Singapore
Gilbert O'Sullivan 2018
1 At The End Of The Day 3:12
2 The Same The Whole World Over 3:15
3 Love How You Leave Me 2:51
4 What Is It About My Girl 3:40
5 I'll Never Love Again 3:35
6 Where Did You Go To? 3:34
7 Dansette Dreams And 45's 5:51
8 No Head For Figures But Yours 2:45
9 Penny Drops 2:43
10 This Riff 2:48
11 The Mind Boggles 3:39
12 For The Record 2:41
Driven 2022
1 Love Casualty
2 Blue Anchor Bay Arranged By [String Arrangements] – Sam Swallow
Chorus – Jeannie Marie O'Sullivan-McGoff, Unknown Artist Trombone, Soloist – Sam Swallow
3 Let Bygones Be Bygones (Featuring, Vocals – Mick Hucknall)
4 Body And Mind
5 What Are You Waiting For?
6 Let Me Know
7 Take Love (Featuring KT Tunstall)
Featuring, Vocals – KT Tunstall
8 Back And Forth
9 If Only Love Had Ears Arranged By [String Arrangements] – Sam Swallow
10 You Can't Say I Didn't Try Arranged By [String Arrangements] – Sam Swallow
11 You And Me Babe
12 Hey Man
13 Don't Get Under Each Other's Skin Chorus – Jeannie Marie O'Sullivan-McGoff, Unknown Artist