Here are some of the special memories that were emailed to me, if you would like to share a special memory inspired by one of Gilbert's songs, just click here.  I look forward to receiving your stories.

Ian Mycock, Stoke on Trent, UK

I have been a fan of Gilbert's since 1970 and can honestly say I love every single song he has written and performed. However the song We Will for me is a modern day classic with it's poignant and haunting lyrics which really touches the soul!

His November concert in Birmingham proved to me that here is an artist that oozes an unpretentious class and warmth that you rarely see let alone experience!!

Gilbert is also a man who has stood by his principles and always valued the simple things in life like privacy and protected them accordingly.  These are principles that I took throughout my life also.

In 2006 having worked for 30 odd years for the same company I decided to take redundancy - the way the company had moved was not in line with some principles and direction I wanted to take my life in so I decided to leave.  It was a difficult decision but I was and still am determined to protect the things I held dear to me - my wife and family particularly.  It is so easy to let work " invade" your life and this was something I took inspiration from Gilbert in that I am determined not to let it happen in the same way that it did before and was going to keep that part of my life and my private life separate.

I knew that at the start of his career Gilbert worked in a garden shed where he penned many of his early songs and even when he became successful never forgot that shed and indeed took it with him to his present home where it still stands!!  He was disciplined to put the hours in, even when the going got tough and his shed was pivotal to that work.

I built and developed my own workroom in a 10 x 8 garden shed and have adapted it to become my own workplace and creative area away from the house and family.  If it was good enough for Gilbert then it was good enough for me!!

I am on brink now of working for myself and a montage of photographs showing my workroom and myself, personally signed by Gilbert hold "pride of place" to continually inspire me that if you stick to your principles and have confidence in your ability then you can make it!!!

Thank You Gilbert for this inspiration and for your superb music particularly We Will, the lyrics of which will never leave me.

Berry Vest regards,

Ian

Penny Casini, Canada

I was just a kid when Gilbert sang Alone Again (Naturally) and I loved it. I loved all the songs that he had come out with I think it was because his music that he wrote and unique voice that I really enjoyed, then he disapeared.  When I had my son Jay in 1984 the song Clair rang in my head and I would sing it to him every day changed the name Clair to Jay and to this day I have that song on my phone so when he calls I know its Jay and at his wedding I will sing it to him, I am getting emotional just thinking about it. I thank you for your music and I hope that you come to Canada to do a show. 

Robert M. Ploeg, Apeldoorn, The Netherlands.

I'm from Holland and born 1971.  My parents divorced early 1970 and my dad left us nothing but an album from Gilbert O'Sullivan, debts and the old stereo set.

After all I felt sorry for that album, because it was played so many times by me as a little kid laying down by the speakers.

Unfortunately the album is missing and not knowing which one it was, but this week (early 2007) I saw a recording of the Dutch TOP 40 1971 on DVD and it started with Nothing Rhymed.

I was blown away, my music interests today lays in the HIPHOP and R&B, but my heart was bouncing seeing this man behind a piano with his sound and voice hitting me straight to my soul.

It then hits me! It's that sound that I remembered as a little kid laying down by the speakers.

Directly I called my father and asked him about Gilbert O'Sullivan and the name of the missing album, he has a memory of an elephant…

He than told me that he has a box full of Gilbert O'sullivan, and the first thing I thought was, what a lucky kid I was with that one album he had left behind!

I have to say, that Gilbert O'Sullivan is an true artist and thank God for his beautiful music (and album covers).

Time to make an appointment with my father to get a grip of the box full of Gilbert O'Sullivan and enjoy some real music.

Regards from Holland / the Netherlands, Apeldoorn

Javier H. Moreno-Pollarolo, San Francisco

Gilbert O'Sullivan is the greatest singer/songwriter of the seventies. I have to say seventies because I haven't heard anything lately from him. And I really love his work. It's not a matter of good or bad music or what is right or wrong. Mr. Sullivan has produced a brilliant body of work, and every song seems to be better than the previous one.

Now, this is serious 70's shit: The first time I listened to a Gilbert O'Sullivan song was in 1990, on a car AM radio. It was "Alone Again (Naturally)," and I thought "hey, this must be Paul McCartney". The truth is, they both have pretty similar voices, and they are excellent composers, always praised by me.

Gilbert O'Sullivan deserved more hits on US and a career like Elton John's. I don't know what happened to him. He had a lot of hits in UK, but sometimes America makes the artists in England, i.e. Beatles and Stones. Gilbert is still an unknown troubadour for many Classic Rock fans, and if they know him, they do because of his "Alone Again (Naturally)", a depressing song about an orphaned and dumped-at-the-wedding guy who wants to kill himself, and "Claire", a tune about a girl who plays house with her uncle. Uh-huh, the puritans from the West weren't ready for this kind of humor, therefore, Gilbert was a bigger success on the other side of the Atlantic.  O'Sullivan is just amazing in single form:

Gerard O'Connell, Cardiff, Wales

From the first time I heard "Himself" I was hooked, I wanted to be diferent from everybody else, I did like Slade, Sweet and the rest of Glam rock but it was all too aggressive for me.  As in most of the artists from the seventies the singles that made the charts were the records that were thought to be most commercial but if you listen to the albums of these artists then you could tell if they would be more that just one hit wonders.

The lyrics from Gilberts songs I think at sometime in life we can all relate to.  The song that always makes me stop whatever I am doing is the classic "Alone Again (Natrually)" because in 1976 my Irish Grandmother passed away and her last wish was for the youngest four Grandchildren to be her bearers at her funeral and being only 15 years old I was one of the unfortunate or fortunate ones whichever way you look at it to be a bearer.  

My Grandmother and Grandfather had been married for sixty seven years and had twelve children between them.  The coffin was laid out in the front room as in all Irish Catholic houses before a funeral and I went into the back room to see my Grandad who was sat at the table just looking at the wall, I went and called my Dad and we went back into the back room and told my Grandad it was time to go to the church for the funeral.  I will never forget what happened next, he said that he did not want to go to the funeral and that he just wanted to be with Gran and two days later he passed away without saying a word to anybody from that day on.

I was totally devistated for days I stayed in my room playing my old 45's and when I played "Alone Again (Naturally)" the song that had been just words before suddenly had a meaning and from that day to this it, is my all time favourite record.  I saw Gilbert twice in the seventies in my home city of Cardiff and would love to see him again if he plays around South Wales again.  Gilbert thank you for the time you and your music have spent in my life, the seventies were great times and you are a big part of it .

Jane Bozian, France

The song which means so much to me is Nothing Rhymed.  Gilbert was at the right place, at the right time as far as my teenage years were concerned.  To hear such a unique and individual talent made a big impact on my life and I was desperate to hear more.  Thankfully he was to release many more clever, melodic records and I would spend my pay from my Saturday job on each and every record and play them continuously.  Still to this day, every time I hear Nothing Rhymed it sounds as fresh as ever.

Lee Boon Khim from Singapore

Where do I begin? He became famous when I was born in 1970. I first heard of his song 'Clair' over the radio in my 20s and fell in love with it. I went to CDs shop to look for his album but couldn't find any then. It was only a few years back that I came across 'The Best of Gilbert O'Sullivan' and grabbed it immediately. There I found more great songs like 'Nothing Rhymed' and 'Can't Think Straight' and wondered why they did not became as popular as the Beatles.  He has such a unique vocal and his songs are wonderfully written.  Even my 4 year old son loves them.  He replayed the song 'Clair' so many times and just couldn't get enough.

Elisabeth Redding, Texas, USA

To start at the beginning (of all places); in February 2005 I decided on a sudden whim, that I was going to spend my summer holiday in Ireland.  And, as we all know (or should), Dublin is much much nearer to Jersey than Texas.  So, naturally, I started fidgeting... and ended up writing a letter to Gilbert, to ask if I could possibly arrange to meet him while I was over.  (That letter wasn't at all an easy task: I put it off for ages, almost too scared to go through with it; to start with I was afraid he'd say no, then even more afraid that he'd say yes -- for all my posing, I really am tragically shy.  But, inevitably, how could I not ask?  Such perfect opportunities don't come by often, after all.)  So I did it, and tried not to think of it again -- if I kept dwelling on it, it would feel worse if he did say no -- and then one day, while I was combing my hair, my mother told me (somewhat bewildered, as she didn't know I'd written him) that I had a letter postmarked Jersey.  I almost put the comb through my eye.  In a very lovely paragraph he informed me that were I to visit Jersey from Dublin while he was at home, I would be more than welcome to stop by.  "Easier said than done I know but it's the best I can do." !!! As soon as mental coherence returned, and the gleeful dancing subsided, I wrote an immediate reply (the second letter is aeons easier, I find), stating something to the general effect that I would *swim* across if I had to.  Then nothing much happened for a while, except for my swooning around the house, annoying my family by incessantly chanting, "I'm going to meet Gilbert!"

Eventually May rolled around, and I landed in Dublin on the 14th.... I won't dwell on the Irish part of the trip, suffice to say: to any Irish persons reading this.... I absolutely envy you your country.  Anyway, on the 23rd, I received an email from Kevin, saying that Gilbert had asked him to contact me, and we ironed out the exact details of when I would be over.  Gilbert was leaving for Japan on the 26th... the only flight I could get to Jersey would leave Dublin on the 24th, and return on the 26th... so the obvious day to see him would be on May 25th.  The actual plane ride over was excruciating; not that it went badly in itself, but simply that I was terrified of everything that would happen after I landed.  Kevin had said he would pick me up from the airport and take me to my hotel, so besides the initial scare of the impending Gilbert meeting, I would have to meet yet another unknown person, which really didn't calm me at all.  It's indescribable, the panic I felt when the plane first started circling over Jersey...  I hadn't imagined how impossibly frightened I was still capable of being.  When I was younger, yes, but I thought I had outgrown that.  Apparently, some things are never fully outgrown... sitting in that plane, I was nine years old again, and back at the piano recital where my mother literally had to shove me out of the church pew before I'd go up for my turn.  Fortunately, now, I've developed the trick of shoving myself; how I must have looked, sitting there patting my own shoulder almost obsessively and whispering "It's okay, don't worry, don't worry..."  But of course, as soon as I met Kevin, all my worrying seemed so silly; he wasn't frightening in the least, and was actually quite easy to talk to, even for someone as timid as myself.  He dropped me off at my hotel (which overlooked St. Brelade's Bay, an extremely beautiful view), and I spent the rest of that day sitting in my hotel room, wishing my Walkman's batteries hadn't died and left me bereft of Gilbert songs right here where I needed them most.

That night I got a phone call from Aase O'Sullivan, to tell me she would be picking me up the next day: and being the giddy fan that I am, I thought this was immensely exciting... first I met his brother, now I'm talking to his wife!  Closer and closer to the man himself.  At 11:00 a.m. Wednesday morning Mrs. O'Sullivan came over to the hotel to pick me up.... saying, rather strangely I thought, that she had known it was me when she saw my Morrissey t-shirt.  Of course I immediately began scanning all memories of correspondence and conversation.... and I had never once mentioned Morrissey to any of them.  So how could she know I'm a fan of his?  Cue the music to the Twilight Zone.  At the house we had tea first, before going out to the studio, and I was so nervous I could hardly hold the cup.  The studio is up a slight hill at the back  (I think? I had no sense of direction whatsoever) of the house... as we passed beside the windows, she tapped on them carefully so that, she said, he would know we were coming and not get shy.  (That still makes me laugh, it seems so crazy. *He* would be shy of *me*? Such a thing surely cannot be.)  Going through the door of the studio - never so nervous in my life as I was right then - turning the corner... and then suddenly there he was – Gilbert O'Sullivan -- absolutely real life, and looking *exactly* as he's supposed to. I mean, I was fairly sure he was real before; but it never quite hit home like it did right then.  When he's quite literally standing right there, it becomes very clear that "Good Lord, he really *does* exist."  This was during the speck of a minute while I was shaking his hand.  Then we went to sit down, he behind his keyboard, I on a chair nearby; and his wife told him how I had traveled overseas all by myself (she had been quite amazed by this), to which he said simply  "Why not. Why not."  Of course I thought that was the greatest response ever.  Especially since everyone else I know had urged me adamantly not to go by myself ("you'll get hurt, or mugged.").

After a couple of minutes she left for the house, leaving us alone to chat.  (Which should have given me heart failure on the spot – I loathe one on one situations at any time.  But strangely enough, by then I wasn't terrified anymore: all my panic had just fallen away, and I was eerily calm.  Still nervous, of course, but just normally nervous, not the I'm-going-to-collapse-in-a-heap-and-never-regain-consciousness nervous of earlier.)  I actually managed to *talk* to him.  Talk, almost like a normal person.  Which doesn't seem even remotely amazing, I'm sure; but if you knew me, and knew how naturally shy and silent I am, even around people I've known for years... the thought that I would be able to form coherent sentences in a situation such as that one, would be beyond belief.  We sat and talked for probably 45 minutes, about all sorts of things... sadly I can't remember all that he told me, but I'll do my best.  At one point I said " I guess you don't get that many twenty year olds showing up, do you...", and he said " Now that's not fair, Elisabeth... "  I remember that most intensely because that was the first thing I said to him that wasn't just in answer to a question, and because I have such a perfect mental video file of how he sounded and looked as he answered.  He said something about many people here thinking he's dead.... so I told him how a rumour had gone through the Elton John group that he had died, as part of an IRA-protesting hunger strike, in the late seventies; he thought that was hilarious, but at the same time I had to reassure him that it was only a chat group saying it, not an official site.

I told him how hard it is to get his albums here in the States, that we have to order everything from abroad; he was actually quite surprised, not knowing that the stores here (at least, in my area) don't generally stock his releases.  He mentioned Caricature: which I didn't have, thinking like a fool that it was a foreign release (well, with that price tag one would think it was an import).  He said he would give me one later.  We talked about Morrissey (who he knew I liked because apparently he and Kevin had decided it from looking at my email address.... somehow I find that slightly unnerving.): he knows all too well that Morrissey played one of his songs in concert a few years back... it seems journalists never tire of mentioning it.  They've actually taken a greater interest in him simply because of Morrissey's playing it, rather than because of a real interest in his work... which he says makes him want to just "toss them out the window."  Rather made me wish I hadn't worn my Morrissey t-shirt that day... looking back, he probably thought that was why I was there as well.  He told me about the *disastrous* American tour in the seventies, that he never got to finish because support was basically pulled out from under it.  I asked him if he'll ever come over here again, and he said that they're working on it.... I told him he's got to play in Texas, but he said that he has to get in with a tour at all before he can start pinpointing specific places to play.  I tried to convince him that he should just decide where he's going to go and go there.... but no, "it doesn't work that way, Elisabeth."

Of course, the Internet did come up; he said how he doesn't understand why anyone would write their music on there... by the time he finished getting the computer set up to put his music on there, the day would already be over. I asked if it weren't for the Internet, would he have as large a fan base now... but come to think of it, I don't think he ever answered that question.  In fact, I think he changed the subject.  How very shifty. I remember that I was trying to explain my question, using myself as an example in that if it weren't for the Internet, I never would have had access to his later works: I might still be in my bedroom right now listening to Himself.... and he focused on that instead.  And he mentioned a new album... I immediately sat up straight upon hearing that.  This one is going to be piano and voice only, focusing on the piano loud in front, with the voice behind. Trying to build some sort of reference in my head, I asked if it would be like the early songs; "Which early song?" he said, and I said "like the original I Wish I Could Cry?"  He said it isn't going to be like the early stuff at all; then he gave me a strange look, and asked how I knew that song.... since that would have been from the 60's.

Later he said that he hoped I'd like the new one, and I told him that I already know I will.... "You don't know that.... you might think it's rubbish."  But he seemed pleased that I said that.  Then we got up and he showed me around the studio, telling me where everything (guitars, drums, etc.) had their places, and the mixing board with its millions of buttons -- he told me what the ones along the bottom did, but I've forgotten -- and he said that the good part about designing your own studio is that you can have things exactly where you want.  As he went to put his sweater on he asked me if I knew anything about him, like did I know that he lived in Jersey and had a wife and two kids (well, yeah, I kind of had the notion he lived in Jersey), and shamefully I evaded that question because I know how creepy it is when someone knows things about you that you haven't told them.  Then we went outside and over to the garden shed; properly awed, I said "is that *the* garden shed?" and he proudly affirmed.  I had the lovely opportunity of actually seeing him stand inside it just as he must have done back at the very beginning.  On the way up to the music room, he explained that he needs a large house, because recluses need lots of space; and he told his wife, who had come along to ask if everything was okay, that Morrissey is my favourite singer and he's a poor second.... which of course I protested, as I never once said that.  I was very uneasy about going into his music room because everything is on the floor, and I was terrified I'd step on something, but I didn't; and it was lovely going in there as I got to see the "heart of the operation," the piano where he writes all of his songs. I saw the stack of songs that will be the new album -- he even read the titles off to me – but I can't remember them quite now.  And best of all is that he stacks all his things so neatly around... how he knows where everything is, is beyond me.... but he must, because he swiftly went over them, showing me which artists he thought I'd like.  I had a moment of panic afterwards, when all of a sudden he said bitetoeat!" and disappeared out the door. I stood there, bewildered, not quite sure even what he'd said, let alone where he'd gone; worrying that perhaps it was over, or worse, that I'd offended him.  So frantically I went out looking for him... and found that he was only just going down the stairs; all that had happened was that he'd started to the kitchen to have his lunch.  He moves so quickly that it's hard to keep up, sometimes....They very kindly offered me lunch as well... but I turned it down, far too nervous.  I was happy enough just looking at the top of his head as he ate his lunch... life doesn't get much better than that.  Or so I thought, anyway; ending abruptly several minutes later, when he got up to get another cup of tea... and got me one as well.  I have never felt as thoroughly thrilled as when I realized the heaviness of that situation -- here am I, having tea with Gilbert O'Sullivan, and at his kitchen table no less!  Again, we talked about all sorts of things, such as shyness and whether it's eventually outgrown (or rather: he said it is, I said it's not, and it became really more an argument). And we argued over tattoos, of which he clearly does not approve: I showed him the one I have on my ankle, and he said "And that's permanent?  That's not coming off?"  He wouldn't accept my solution to the possibility that I'll grow tired of something permanently on my skin (a solution cleverly consisting of pulling my sock up); he just shook his head.  He signed both of the pictures I had brought, a promo card, and the booklet for the Caricature set (and even spelled my name right... after slight coaching).  And shortly after that, unfortunately, he stood up and said that if there was anything else I wanted I needed to ask now.... so I asked if I might give him a hug, and he said of course.  How I actually managed to do it is a mystery, considering that the whole day long I had had immense trouble just maintaining eye contact -- every time he would say something and look straight at me, I would automatically look at my hands... or his hands (and I'm also quite familiar with his shoes.)  But I actually did hug him; and then he gave me a kiss on the cheek as well, quite unexpectedly lovely.  Then he went striding out through the house, with me trailing after him as far as the door, where he said goodbye before heading up the hill to his studio again.  And with that it was over.  Meeting him was, anyway; I went up the stairs to the conservatory and watched from the window as he went into the studio.  Well, how many chances do I get to see him?  It feels a little juvenile that mostly all I can remember is images, some in bits and pieces.... I can flash back at any moment and picture him standing by the studio door, buttoning his sweater; but something that he told me will be a struggle to recall. I can see in my head what the piano in the music room looks like; but I can't remember what the titles of the new songs will be.  But the one thing that strikes me most, even now, is the personality he has: it's perfect.  Absolutely perfect, I tell you (at least what I saw of it).  He's so... alive, somehow; I mean, he's entirely 'with it' when it comes to current music, knows all about the artists.....he's so intensely interested in things.  More so than most people my age, in fact.  Honestly, when I was talking to him I didn't think about him not being in his twenties still, until he'd do something tragic like take out his reading glasses.  I used to have trouble connecting the 1971 Gilbert with the current Gilbert...not anymore.  It's all there.  I'm convinced he's just the same as he was then.  He is the coolest person I know...'when I grow up, I'm going to be just like him.' 

The next day, Mrs. O'Sullivan came to take me back to the airport... but first, she took me on a full tour of Jersey -- she is so extremely nice --so that I could see the whole island.... which was severely surreal, as hanging in the back seat was his dry-cleaning; the shirts he wears in concert.  And I do admit, rather guiltily, that during the brief moment when she stopped for petrol, leaving me alone in the car with the concert shirts (the blue and black ones)... I reached back, and very carefully touched the nearest sleeve.  (Now, what we must remember here is that, at that time, I had only been out of my teens for scarcely a full month...)  Then, when we arrived at the airport, she said she had to be sure and give me the things he'd sent over with her.... and she gave me a bag *full* of stuff.  I was absolutely floored by that.... here I've just *met* the man, that to me being the most lovely thing anyone'll ever give me; and he sends me still more.  CD's, beautiful CD's, most of which were until now only a distant dream for me -- two of which went so far as to have *handwritten notes* in them (handwritten! How cool is that?) -- and, a "Berry Vest Of" vest, autographed no less (I told my mother that now I have a garment fine enough to be married in... she was less than thrilled.)  Basically, to sum up.... seeing Gilbert O'Sullivan in person is beyond fantastic, absolutely.  He told me that eventually I'll move on and won't listen to him anymore.... no way.  That will never happen. Not now that I've met him: now that he's been so nice to me, and I've seen just how... cool he is; I *can't* stop listening now.  He just doesn't understand how this is for me..... I will *always* be a fan of his. There is no other way.

Paul Yates from England

'It was 1972, when my cousin stopped me and asked me to listen to a song on the radio."Isn't that great?" he asked. "No, it's too slow" I replied and thought no more about it.  Two years later, I was leaving school at 16, telling myself I was going to buy every record I could by Gilbert O'Sullivan. It took me until 1985, when I finally picket up a copy of MR MOODYS GARDEN/ I WISH I COULD CRY on Major Minor, completing what I'd set out to do 11 years earlier [I wasn't aware of the non-UK vinyl at the time]. 28 years later, I've listened to Gilbert on vinyl, cassette, cartridge and CD. My goal is still the same. and with the dawning of the Internet, "SOMETHING I BELIEVE" is the 206th Gilbert song to hit my World Issue List.  BUT I'm still searching for a certain Italian LP.  Hopefully we will get the pleasure of playing ALL Gilbert's songs on CD, and my 28 year search will finally be over.  Oh, and the song I labeled too slow back in 1972...Alone Again(Naturally).

Linda A. Stienstra from Groningen, The Netherlands

' "Nothing Rhymed" still has, after 30 years, a very special place in my heart.  In 1970 I was 11 years old and already then I was an enormous music lover. At the time there were several music programmes (like Top of the Pops) on Dutch TV and I watched them all.  One day, while watching one of them, a new singer was announced: Gilbert O'Sullivan who sang Nothing Rhymed. I can still feel the shivers down my spine when I first heard this song and first saw Gilbert in his extraordinary outfit.  I had never heard a song that touched me so much. We had no record player at the time, so I couldn't play the song at home. All I could do was to listen to the radio as much as possible to hear this song again and again.  It was a huge hit in the Netherlands and therefore had a lot of airplay. That year we went on a camp for a week with the sixth grade of our primary school.  I remember that whenever during that week we were in a cafe or somewhere there was a jukebox (those were very common those days) I filled the machine with coins to listen over and over again to Nothing Rhymed. I loved it, but my classmates were not all too happy about it. Whenever I listen to Nothing Rhymed these memories of my childhood come back.

Stephen Wright from Gravesend, Kent. UK.

'It's not so much a track that has special memories for me, (although so many of them do), but in this instance, a whole album!  It was the Summer of '73, and the album was "Back to Front".  I was desperate to get this girl to go out with me, and I would have done anything to try and win Liz's affections.  I used to pick her up from school in my company car, (at this time I would have been 18), and we would drive around for ages with this album playing on my eight-track, making small talk and hoping that she would never want me to drop her back home.  Sadly, the relationship never left the starting blocks.  However, I did marry someone else a few years later, which prompts another GOS memory...... Taking my wife (Christmas?) shopping one year and buying myself a copy of "Southpaw".  As you can see, I got my priorities right!'

Rob van der Vaart from Zoetermeer, The Netherlands.

Here is my little story about certain Gilbert O'Sullivan tracks that are special to me.  It was hard to choose, because numerous GOS-songs call up special memories for me.  In my mind I still see Gilbert performing 'Matrimony' live during the Grand Gala du Disque, on Dutch television in Spring 1972.  It was swinging and what an exciting audience! During the break, Gilbert, still with his pudding hat-based haircut, too short a trousers and coat-rack, danced along the floor, getting behind his piano just in time to re-sing the 'You and me are all that matters'-part again.  Fantastic!! I also remember the first time songs from 'Back to Front' were broadcasted.  It was Tuesday 5 pm when for the first time I heard 'The Golden Rule'.  Herman Stok (one of the first Dutch DJ's ever) played almost all songs, during a special GOS-hour.  Also new songs bring back special feelings.  Time and again when I listen to 'That's Why I Love You' (from 'By Larry') it hits my heart; true emotion, really.  The way Gilbert sings his lyrics, accompanied only by his piano is superb.  Especially: '... anytime I see your face something very unusual takes place.  All my inhibitions disappear, now that you are here (now that you are here)'.'

Shannon Frank from Washington State, USA

I recently went into a discount store and saw a Gilbert O'Sullivan CD "The Very Best Of" for $4.99 US, and I was thinking WOW! I haven't even seen a Gilbert O'Sullivan CD in years.  I went to my automobile and played it right away.  Awe... the memories!  I had purchased the album "I'm a Writer, Not a Fighter" way back when I was a little girl because I loved the song "Get Down".  I must have been like 12 year old.  Well, that album along with many others disappeared when I went off to College.  I sort of forgot about it... enjoying all the new music of the times.  One day I was at work and my department Manager, who knew I was a huge music buff asked me, "who sings the song that goes: alone again, naturally?  The CEO asked if anyone knew at a Managers meeting and I replied that I know who will know the answer".  I said, "Oh... that's Gilbert O'Sullivan".  She immediately picked up my extension and called him to let him know the answer to his question.  He personally came to thank me for the information, I guess he had wondered for a very long time and wanted to get a copy of the album it was on.  Well, it was nice to get a hold of a copy of "The Very Best of Gilbert O'Sullivan" and take a long needed trip down memory lane.  I have been playing the CD while browsing on my computer ever since I purchased it.  Hope someday Gilbert will decide to come to the Seattle area and perform.  I would definitely be there.

Matt

I remember in the early to mid-'70's, sitting every morning before school in front of an old Phillips box turn-table and playing, again and again, the two Gilbert O'Sullivan 45's I had bought with my saved pocket money, 'Get Down' and 'Clair'.  I refused to leave until I had memorised the lyrics once more for the day ahead.  I similarly remember being utterly distraught at messing up the application of the Gilbert O'Sullivan transfer available in the album pack of 'I'm a writer not a fighter' which should have been ironed on carefully to a light coloured tee shirt - at the time I didn't think I'd get over it! What memories.  Now, years later, listening and appreciating music of all types, I recognise the brilliance of musicians and lyricists like Lennon and McCartney and Sting, where one realy takes the time to sit and listen and maybe understand.  'Nothing Rhymed' ranks with both the aforementioned, and evokes the same thought process.  I would dearly love to meet Gilbert, just to say thanks.

Neale Apps from Sydney Australia

You ever hear an old song on the radio that you haven't heard for years, and suddenly you're transported back to the time and place when you first heard it? Probably when you first heard it, it was on a radio or record player in the background somewhere and you didn't pay much attention to it, but somehow it burned into your memory banks, so that years later, when you hear it again, it provides a kind of memory gateway, or wormhole into your past, so that you can remember exactly the sights, sounds and smells of the world in which you first heard it. I'm sure this has happened to you. And as you can probably guess by now, it also happened to me! It was 1973, I was ten years old, living in Sydney, Australia, and my ten year old friend and I were taken out to Bronte Beach one day by his 18 year old sister, Jenny. I always remember the wonderful time I had playing in the surf all day, and I vaguely remember people on the beach playing transistor radios. There was one song that always seemed to remind me of that day, but for the life of me I couldn't remember who sang it, or what the title was. Now this really bugged me for years, because whenever I sang the chorus to people, no-one could recall it. I was even considering contacting Glenn A. Baker (Australia's rock trivia king) for help on this one. Then a few weeks ago, I happened to bump into Jenny at a local pub. I hadn't seen her in over 25 years, and we got to talking about the old days. Now in her late 40s, she had quite forgotten about that day at the beach all those years ago. She thought it rather funny that a song could remind me of something like that. Then I sang the chorus to her: "Told you once before, and I won't tell you no more to get down, get down, get down...". "Gilbert O'Sullivan" , she replied immediately, "Oh yes, I loved him back then. I've got all his records." I was floored. Someone knew! Jenny, of course she'd know! The next day, I went out and bought "The Best Of" CD. Having worked as a musician and arranger myself, I can really see the class of Gilbert's work; not just his charted singles, but right throughout his career, and I wondered why he didn't enjoy even greater success, or why more people don't remember him today.  So Thanks for the memories, Gilbert: the mystery is solved, and the answer is you! I hope we see more of you in future.

Fiona Rivas from London

'I first fell in love with the music (and the man) in 1972, at the tender age of 11. My "Himself" album was worn out within the first year. It was all I ever played. Thank god for CDs, at least they last a bit longer.  What I most admire about my hero, apart from his extraordinary talent, is his quiet confidence. Having suffered at the hands of ruthless "music tycoons" he gave the two-fingered salute and his most avid fans could only respect him more for this. When I was 31 (in 1992), I booked a table at the Camden Jazz Cafe for my birthday to see him and the band. Amazingly, Bobby Davro and his wife walked in and had nowehere to sit so they joined us. It was wonderful, Bobby Davro and I competing with each other to see who new the most lyrics. I got to meet Ray after the gig and was finally alone with him in a small room and just couldn't think of anything sensible to say (the champagne had also kicked in by then). I did the most natural thing I could and asked him for a kiss. He obligingly agreed and it was then I came out with the most embarrassing line I'd ever utter "I come from France"...wishful thinking. Ray, if you ever get to read this I just want to thank you for colouring my childhood and teen years so brightly. I feel that you and your music still have a tremendous impact on me. Even last week, when I took my 7 year old son to see Stuart Little 2, I could not escape your magic!!!! Most people (those who read the Sunday tabloids anyway) are aware how much you value your privacy (do you really have to straighten the rugs in your hallway like that??) and I would assume that you still find praise a hard thing to take. You are still an unquestionably rare talent and we love you.'

Matt Doran Louisiana

'Of course the entire Back to Front Album, I was born in 1965 and listened to Gilbert O'Sullivan, The Beatles and Elton John."In My Hole" brings me back to the simple times of growing up with no worries.When I listen to it today it sends a tingle down my spine...'

Shirley Towers from Co/Durham

'Bought GOS Himself LP before we had a record player. Played it every Sunday morning at my sisters both sides twice and home for dinner.  Other than the winner can anyone remember the winning answer from the Rita fan club, How they would spend a day with Gilbert ? We know the winning answer. Yes we have met Ray quite a few times but not enough. The most memorable time was at the Stables at Milton Keynes, Ray was doing his sound check and we snook in to watch. When Ray looked over then looked again and said " You two get about a bit if I were to be playing in Antarctica you would be there and if you weren't I would be disappointed" been on cloud nine ever since.

Gary Owen

'Hello. My name is Gary Owen. I am a 35 year old American musican(troubador)currently on tour of Scandinavia. I was born, raised and live in New York City(Staten Island).I have been a fan of Gilbert O'Sullivan since the glory days of American AM radio.  I can recall the summer of 1972. I was 5 years old,nothing mattered,it was hot outside and the music was cool. WABC(770 AM)and WNBC(660 AM)was the radio stations to tune into. I remember laying in my bunk bed. I was on the top bunk. My younger brother Brian below and my older brother Mike in his own bed across the room. Now Mike was one of those kids that liked to go to sleep with music playing. During that hot summer,we had a KILLER air conditioner in our room. We would have that thing blasting all night long. It was so cozy to know it was 3,000,000 degrees outside and VERY comfortable inside our little safe haven. Anyway,one of my fondest memories was waking up in the middle of a scorching hot July night and hearing Gilbert O'Sullivan singing 'Alone Again(Naturally'. My brother had a knack of keeping the volume up just enough so we could JUST hear it. Whenever I need to relax and soothe my nerves, I think back to those days during the summer of 1972 and hearing the likes of the Raspberries, Cymarron, Carly Simon and, of course, Gilbert O'Sullivan while laying comfortably in that cozy air conditioned room. Since then,I have purchased every one of Gilbert's studio albums on CD(it was NOT cheap either!!!). I am sooo glad I did as I have discovered some of the prettiest and most original music I have ever heard in my life. I brought an MP3 player with me on my Scandinavian tour. My Gilbert O'sullivan files include over 50 songs. With that,I would like to say: "Thank you Gilbert. You have most definetly been an inspiration to me and my choice of career"'.

Fernando Vallejo from Pamplona Spain

I've been a Gilbert fan most of my life. I started listening to his songs back in 1973, when I was 13 years old. I'll never forget that long summers once the school was over. It was for sure one of the happiest times I've ever known. Every time I hear " Alone Again", "Clair" or" Get Down", it triggers automatically memories of those days, you know, the days one starts looking at the girls, first loves and all that things probably gone forever, I can vividly remember the Summer nights, hugging my pillow, listening "Get down".  Here in Spain, then Gilbert was always in most musical {and not musical) magazines and charts, His singles were all about. (Even today, each time I go to some second hand market of vinyl found Gilbert's singles), The girls I knew, without exception, they all had at their home records by Gilbert:" Back to front"," I'm a writer,.,", " A stranger in my own back yard"... Most gorls loved him. I remember seeing him on magazines and lists up to 1974 or so {"Xmas song" was the last time I remember), Then he disappeared mysteriously and out of the blue. Nonetheless, that same thing happened to some others, like Lennon or Nilsson. In 1978 I found two new jewels: "Southpaw" {even my father loved the Paraguayan harp of "No telling why") and "Greatest hits" album {1976 issue) with nice pictures in B&W within. Was amazing listening to this album of hits over and over again and seeing how one side as "fast": "No matter how I try"," Ooh baby"," OO wakka-doo., " whilst the other was more "quiet": "We will", "Why oh why oh why...". In 1979, a very special time for me, I listened to that "Greatest hits" album lots of times. No wonder. It's a piece of art. Never after Gilbert has made songs like those, and I'm afraid he'll never do. The same has happened to others (Macca for example or George Harrison).Meanwhile, whenever possible, I'd buy every single I get, for even the B-sides {quite the contrary with other singers or groups) were nice. For example, "Save it" (Alone Again B-side) was a nice tune.

Gary Bloor

'Saw Gilbert at the Odeon on Oxford road in Manchester (where I live) in 1971 it was in his flat cap days. He was brilliant, promoting the 'Himself' album. I was 16 years old at the time and went with about 10 of my mates. He was different to anything else around at the time and I still listen to his first 2 albums today, 'Himself' and 'Back to Front'. One of my mates who came that night is now a resident in Jersey and sees Gilbert now and then.'

Julie Davies

'In approximately 1978 I was the South Wales contact for the Gilbert O'Sullivan fan club. I and some others in my area got together and we went to Colston Hall to Gilbert's concert where we had the privilege of meeting him. He had food poisoning and told us he was not feeling very well!, but the show must go on, and it did!.I still have a photo of my arm linked through his in this concert surrounded by a couple of the friends I went with.  I also had a mention in one of the comps where you got to go to Gilbert's home. My poem went like this, it was approximately 1974: GILBERT O'SULLIVAN IS HIS NAME, NOTHING RHYMED WAS TO GIVE HIM HIS FAME, WITH HIS CAP & SHORT HAIR, AND HIS MUSICAL FLAIR, HE'S DONE IT AGAIN & AGAIN! I also went to a concert a few years ago in Cardiff in St,. David's Hall when Gilbert told his life story. It was very good.'

Phil Sollecito from New York, NY

'I fell in love with Alone Again in th summer of 1972 and then saw him live at Garden State Arts Center in New Jersey (USA). There are so many fantastic songs that it is hard to pick one. I believe GOS is the greatest songwriter ever (not counting Lennon and McCartney of course). 'Back to Front' is still amazing. Probably my all time favorite is 'Only Themselves to Blame'. But I couldn't argue with 'Out of the Question' or 'Bye-Bye.''

Sid

'I was about twelve years old and was returning from a cottage trip from the natural wilderness of northern Ontario, Canada. On my way to Toronto, an elderly lady whom I did not know drove me back. I remember she had a gentle and warm grace in her gestures. The northern landscape and wilderness made a deep impact on my mind --I was just feeling the wonders of nature.(Something which I know relate more through the poetry of William Wordsworth). Then while drving on the highway and looking at the landscapes, a song called Alone Again came on the radio. The music began to stir my thoughts and being while I was observing the natural settings of the landscape and seeing the small towns that we drove by. I did not understand what the song was about until much later in life. But the music itself imprinted my mind and made an association with the growth that I experienced on that drive back. So when ever I visit the magical wilderness of northern Ontario, I often remember Gilbert's song.'

Diana from The Lake District Cumbria

'My little story is:- all Gilberts early songs have a special memory for me, they all remind me of when my lovely Daughter Gill was born, being a great fan of Gilbert's those songs were were new and great hit's at the time. When she was first born in 1972 Alone Again was the best song I had ever heard, I would sing it to her and play the record to her when it was time for bed. Matrimony and Nothing Rhymed was unusual and sad and used to bring tears to my eyes.  My daughter was brought up with the wonderful music of Gilbert O Sullivan, she is now 30 and when she left home to work in London she took most of Gilberts records with her, on condition she gave me them back when she no longer wanted them ,well last year I got them back to my disappointment as I thought she had lost interest, but to my joy she has now got them on CD, as these days record players are very scarce. so you see when I think back to when Gill was a baby all memories of her early days come flooding back, and at the same time I am reminded of the wonderful music and talent of Gilbert. '

John Hofmann from Green Bay, Wisconsin

'In the early 70's I was the Chief Pharmacist for St. Joseph Hospital in Ottumwa, Iowa, USA. During the workday we had our radio tuned to a pop station. The 3 songs of Gilbert's which were played frequently were "Clair", "Alone Again (Naturally)", and "Get Down". These songs and the catchy name Gilbert O'Sullivan have stuck in my mind and have been a nostalgic reminder of that period of my life. It all recently surfaced with the birth of a little grand niece named, "Clair". I told the mother (too young to know of Gilbert O'Sullivan) of the song "Clair". I just recently presented the "new Clare" and her mother with the song and am now enjoying my newest CD purchase, "THE BEST OF GILBERT O'SULLIVAN". Thanks for the memories, Gilbert, and thanks for "Clair".'

Stef Czerwinskyj from Scunthorpe

'I like many other TRUE Gilbert fans out there first saw him perform back in Late December 1970 on Top of the Pops. The song knocked me out. The following year i bought his first album, "Himself"-a true masterpiece. My favourite songs off that album being, "Matrimony" & "Permissive Twit" I just wish Gilbert would perform "Permissive Twit" when in concert the lyrics in that song are awesome and that harpsichord that was something else. I've followed his ups and downs over the years and my has he produced some excellent songs on the way. I know this is corny but I always said that if I ever got married(which I did) and I had a family(which I also did!) and I had a daughter(which happened!) I would call her CLAIR. On the 25th.Jan.1985 CLAIR joined the family. I recall when i registered her birth the lady for some unknown reason wanted to spell it her way. I was adamant I wanted it spelling CLAIR for obvious reasons. She's 17 now and she's well aware of how she got her name AND proud of it I might add! Met Gilbert at The Crescent in Peterborough in 1993. Like you do though-you just clam up and don't really know what to say! His kind wife Aase was there and noticed I was carrying a camera and asked if I would like some pictures with Gilbert. Needless to say those photos are my pride and joy. A week later I met Gilbert again at St. George's Hall in Bradford this time my wife and 3 children all had the pleasure of meeting the man. I could write about the guy/his music/his influence etc, etc forever but I realise time and space doesn't permit it.'

Dana Countryman

'My name is Dana Countryman, and I've been a Gilbert O'Sullivan fan since I first heard "Clair" in 1972. I still love that song, and Clair Mills' giggling at the end still gives me a kind of chill. My most interesting memory of a particular song of Gilbert's would be concerning "You Are You." I heard it on a local Seattle radio station in 1974, and much to my disappointment it never made the charts or was made available for sale. I loved the song SO much, that I called the radio station and talked to the program director about it.  He remembered the song and invited me to come down to the station, which I did. Then he let me dig through the pile of 45s in a box on his desk, and I found the record that they had played. When he gave the single to me, I was overjoyed! I have played that record many times over the years, and it has never lost it particular appeal to me. I feel it is one of G.O.'s best (and underappreciated) tunes! It is so great that there are so many G.O. fans all over the world. I remember feeling quite alone about loving his music here in the USA, and I'm happy there are these beautiful web sites now.'

Nick Chance

I was in Amsterdam 1970 - 1972 and whenever I hear "Nothing Rhymed" I think back to those good old days of De Tap and the Voom Voom club on the Prinsengracht. Such clever lyrics and a really wonderful composition. I somehow feel we have been denied the pleasure of GOS over the years. As a lyricist he is superb.

Jaime Castro from Buenos Aires

I was 11 years old when I first heard "What's in a kiss" on the radio. 20 years later I have the same magic feeling whenever they play it on the radio. I live in Buenos Aires Argentina.