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Lynsey de Paul obituary Lynsey de Paul obituary
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During the 1960s and early 70s, popular songwriting in Britain was very much a man's world. One of the first female musicians to make her mark as a composer of pop hits, and the first to win an Ivor Novello award, was Lynsey de Paul, who has died suddenly aged 64. As well as co-writing hits such as Barry Blue's Dancin' on a Saturday Night, De Paul had a successful performing career, recording several top 10 hits, including Sugar Me and Won't Somebody Dance With Me. She also wrote theme music for television shows, and later branched out into cartooning and acting. During the 1960s and early 70s, popular songwriting in Britain was very much a man's world. One of the first female musicians to make her mark as a composer of pop hits, and the first to win an Ivor Novello award, was Lynsey de Paul, who has died suddenly aged 66. As well as co-writing hits such as Barry Blue's Dancin' on a Saturday Night, De Paul had a successful performing career, recording several top 10 hits, including Sugar Me and Won't Somebody Dance With Me. She also wrote theme music for television shows, and later branched out into cartooning and acting.
She was born into a north London Jewish household, the daughter of Meta and Herbert Rubin. Her father was a property developer. As a child, Lynsey learned classical piano and, on leaving South Hampstead high school, studied art and design at Hornsey College. After graduation, she worked as a commercial artist and designer of album sleeves while honing her skills as a songwriter.She was born into a north London Jewish household, the daughter of Meta and Herbert Rubin. Her father was a property developer. As a child, Lynsey learned classical piano and, on leaving South Hampstead high school, studied art and design at Hornsey College. After graduation, she worked as a commercial artist and designer of album sleeves while honing her skills as a songwriter.
In 1971, De Paul signed a contract with the music publisher ATV Kirshner. There she became a prolific composer, often writing in partnership with other ATV staff such as Blue and Ron Roker. Her earliest songs to be recorded were sung by the child actor Jack Wild, but the first to be a hit was the Roker-Rubin number Storm in a Teacup by the Fortunes in 1972.In 1971, De Paul signed a contract with the music publisher ATV Kirshner. There she became a prolific composer, often writing in partnership with other ATV staff such as Blue and Ron Roker. Her earliest songs to be recorded were sung by the child actor Jack Wild, but the first to be a hit was the Roker-Rubin number Storm in a Teacup by the Fortunes in 1972.
She was soon signed to a recording contract by the MAM label, owned by Gordon Mills, manager of Gilbert O'Sullivan and Tom Jones. Her debut single, Sugar Me, released under the name Lynsey de Paul, featured her piano playing as well as high-pitched vocals, and reached No 5. In the US, Nancy Sinatra recorded the song.She was soon signed to a recording contract by the MAM label, owned by Gordon Mills, manager of Gilbert O'Sullivan and Tom Jones. Her debut single, Sugar Me, released under the name Lynsey de Paul, featured her piano playing as well as high-pitched vocals, and reached No 5. In the US, Nancy Sinatra recorded the song.
Over the next five years, De Paul's telegenic looks and catchy songs made her a ubiquitous figure in British popular culture. After her second single, Getting a Drag, became a top 20 hit, she recorded the plaintive Won't Somebody Dance With Me, which climbed to No 14 in 1973. It was played frequently on the radio, thanks in part to the guest appearance of the BBC disc jockey Ed Stewart, who intoned the line "May I have the pleasure of this dance?" The number was chosen by De Paul's peers as the best contemporary pop song at the annual Ivor Novello awards ceremony.Over the next five years, De Paul's telegenic looks and catchy songs made her a ubiquitous figure in British popular culture. After her second single, Getting a Drag, became a top 20 hit, she recorded the plaintive Won't Somebody Dance With Me, which climbed to No 14 in 1973. It was played frequently on the radio, thanks in part to the guest appearance of the BBC disc jockey Ed Stewart, who intoned the line "May I have the pleasure of this dance?" The number was chosen by De Paul's peers as the best contemporary pop song at the annual Ivor Novello awards ceremony.
By now, De Paul was in demand as a composer for television, and her theme for the comedy series No, Honestly was both a top 10 hit and the winner of her second Novello award in 1974. The record was issued on Jet, a label owned by De Paul's new manager, Don Arden, a tough figure in the music business. De Paul soon realised she had made a bad choice in asking him to represent her. As she tried to extricate herself from the arrangement, she was offered the opportunity to represent the UK in the 1977 Eurovision song contest. She sang Rock Bottom, which she had written with Mike Moran, and came second. Rock Bottom was a hit not only in Britain but in several continental European countries, including Germany and France.By now, De Paul was in demand as a composer for television, and her theme for the comedy series No, Honestly was both a top 10 hit and the winner of her second Novello award in 1974. The record was issued on Jet, a label owned by De Paul's new manager, Don Arden, a tough figure in the music business. De Paul soon realised she had made a bad choice in asking him to represent her. As she tried to extricate herself from the arrangement, she was offered the opportunity to represent the UK in the 1977 Eurovision song contest. She sang Rock Bottom, which she had written with Mike Moran, and came second. Rock Bottom was a hit not only in Britain but in several continental European countries, including Germany and France.
This proved the end of De Paul's career as a pop star, but she continued composing and broadened her activities during the 1980s and beyond. Her songs were recorded by performers including Shirley Bassey, Ricky Martin, Heatwave and the Real Thing. There were further theme songs for light entertainment series such as The Rag Trade and Hi! Summer. De Paul also wrote and recorded songs for children, and returned to her first love, classical music, by orchestrating and performing works by Bach and Handel.This proved the end of De Paul's career as a pop star, but she continued composing and broadened her activities during the 1980s and beyond. Her songs were recorded by performers including Shirley Bassey, Ricky Martin, Heatwave and the Real Thing. There were further theme songs for light entertainment series such as The Rag Trade and Hi! Summer. De Paul also wrote and recorded songs for children, and returned to her first love, classical music, by orchestrating and performing works by Bach and Handel.
She was seen frequently on television, on a range of shows from the talent contest New Faces, on which she was a judge, to consumer programmes such as Club Vegetarian and Shopper's Heaven. As an actor, she made occasional appearances in drama series, including Kingdom (2007), the show starring Stephen Fry, and in feature films such as the children's movie Gabrielle and the Doodleman (1984), for which she also wrote the score. In politics, De Paul was one of several entertainers entranced by Margaret Thatcher's premiership. She composed the jingle "Vote Tory, Tory, Tory / for election glory" and performed it at the 1983 Conservative party conference.She was seen frequently on television, on a range of shows from the talent contest New Faces, on which she was a judge, to consumer programmes such as Club Vegetarian and Shopper's Heaven. As an actor, she made occasional appearances in drama series, including Kingdom (2007), the show starring Stephen Fry, and in feature films such as the children's movie Gabrielle and the Doodleman (1984), for which she also wrote the score. In politics, De Paul was one of several entertainers entranced by Margaret Thatcher's premiership. She composed the jingle "Vote Tory, Tory, Tory / for election glory" and performed it at the 1983 Conservative party conference.
She later became a campaigner for women's self-defence training, producing a DVD, Taking Control, and presenting a television documentary, Eve Strikes Back (1992), on the same theme.She later became a campaigner for women's self-defence training, producing a DVD, Taking Control, and presenting a television documentary, Eve Strikes Back (1992), on the same theme.
She is survived by her brother, John.She is survived by her brother, John.
• Lynsey de Paul (Lynsey Monckton Rubin), singer and songwriter, born 11 June 1950; died 1 October 2014 • Lynsey de Paul (Lynsey Monckton Rubin), singer and songwriter, born 11 June 1948; died 1 October 2014
• This obituary was amended on 31 October 2014. An earlier version gave Lynsey de Paul's date of birth as 1950, which was correct at the time of publication. It has since been established that she was, in fact, born in 1948.