Lulu (singer)
Lulu | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Birth name | Marie McDonald McLaughlin Lawrie |
Also known as | Lulu Kennedy-Cairns |
Born | Lennoxtown, Stirlingshire, Scotland | 3 November 1948
Origin | Glasgow, Scotland |
Genres | |
Occupation(s) |
|
Instrument(s) | Vocals |
Years active | 1964–present |
Labels | |
Spouse(s) | |
Website | luluofficial |
Lulu Kennedy-Cairns
With a powerful singing voice,[1] Lulu began her career in the UK but soon became known internationally. She had major chart hits with "To Sir with Love" from the 1967 film of the same name, which topped the Billboard Hot 100, and with the title song to the 1974 James Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun. In European countries, she is also widely known for the Eurovision Song Contest 1969 winning entry "Boom Bang-a-Bang", and for her 1964 hit "Shout", which she performed at the closing ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Life and career
Marie McDonald McLaughlin Lawrie was born in Lennoxtown, Stirlingshire, and grew up in Dennistoun, Glasgow, where she attended Thomson Street Primary School and Onslow Drive School.[2] She lived in Gallowgate for a while before moving to Garfield Street, Dennistoun.[3] When she was 12 or 13, she and her manager approached a band called the Bellrocks seeking stage experience as a singer. She appeared with them every Saturday night: Alex Thomson, the group's bass player, has reported that even then her voice was remarkable. She has two brothers and a sister and her father, who died at 71[4] was reportedly a heavy drinker.[5] Aged 14, she received the stage name "Lulu" from her future manager Marion Massey, who commented: "Well, all I know is that she's a real lulu[a] of a kid."[7]
In August 2017, Lulu's family history was the subject of an episode in the UK series Who Do You Think You Are? The research showed that her mother had been brought up by another family. The investigation into her genealogy showed that Lulu's maternal grandparents had different religions. Her grandfather Hugh Cairns was a Catholic and her grandmother, Helen Kennedy, was a Protestant. Cairns had been a member of a Catholic gang and was found in the research to have been in and out of prison at the time of the birth of Lulu's mother. Kennedy was found to be the daughter of a Worthy Mistress of the Ladies' Orange Lodge 52. The discovery explained why the two families had opposed the union between Kennedy and Cairns.[8]
Early chart hits
In 1964, under the wing of Marion Massey, she was signed to
After the success of "Shout", Lulu's next charting single was "Leave a Little Love" in 1965, which returned her to the UK Top Ten. Her next record, "Try to Understand", made the Top 40.[9]
In 1966, Lulu toured
After failing to reach the charts in 1966, Lulu left Decca and signed with Columbia, to be produced by Mickie Most. She returned to the UK singles chart in April 1967, reaching No. 6 with "The Boat That I Row", written by Neil Diamond.[9] All seven singles she cut with Mickie Most made the UK Singles Chart, ending with "Boom Bang-A-Bang" reaching number 2 in 1969.[9] When Most died in 2003, Lulu was full of praise for him and told the BBC that they had been very close.[12]
Lulu made her acting debut in 1967
Television series
In the late 1960s, Lulu's pop career in the UK thrived and she had several television series of her own. Her first BBC series aired in 1965 on BBC2, where she co-hosted Gadzooks! It's The In-Crowd, with Alan David, completing the run as solo host under the rebranded Gadzooks! In 1966, she made regular appearances on BBC1's Stramash! After appearing again on BBC2 in 1967, in a successful TV series Three of a Kind, that featured music and comedy, Lulu was given her own BBC1 TV series in 1968, which ran annually until 1975 under various titles, including Lulu's Back in Town, Happening For Lulu, It's Lulu and Lulu. The series often featured resident guests, including Adrienne Posta, Roger Kitter, Paul Greenwood and Pan's People, along with dance troupes choreographed by Nigel Lythgoe and Dougie Squires. The 1972 series was billed as It's Lulu... Not to mention Dudley Moore, with Dudley Moore and his trio appearing in each of the thirteen shows. Bernie Clifton was her resident guest for the last of the BBC series, airing from January to April 1975. Her BBC series included music and comedy sketches and appearances by star guests.
One episode, from January 1969, is remembered for an unruly live appearance from
Concurrently with her TV series, Lulu also hosted several "one-off" specials. They included Lulu At Bern's Restaurant in 1969, a show recorded in Sweden with the Young Generation,[15] 1970's The Young Generation Meet Lulu (also recorded in Sweden),[16] and Bruce Forsyth Meets Lulu in 1975.[17]
Eurovision Song Contest
On 29 March 1969, Lulu represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest, performing the song "Boom Bang-a-Bang",[18] written by Peter Warne and Alan Moorhouse. The song was chosen from a selection of six by viewers of her BBC1 variety series Happening for Lulu, and on a special show hosted by Michael Aspel in which she performed all six one after another. One song, "I Can't Go On...", written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, came last in the postcard vote but was later recorded by Cilla Black, Sandie Shaw, Polly Brown and Elton John himself, as well as by Lulu. In Madrid, Lulu was accompanied by Sue and Sunny while the orchestra was conducted by Lulu's musical director Johnny Harris. Lulu later recalled:
I had a series on TV, and Bill Cotton was the Head of Light entertainment [at the BBC], and he said to my manager: "I'd like her to do the Eurovision Song Contest, on the series". And she came to me and I went "Why? What do I want to do that for?"... and she said that he said that "you'll get good ratings, and he is the boss, and he wants you to have good ratings. Maybe I could have said no, but I felt I didn't really have a choice in the matter. And I thought... I was full of myself, thinking ratings isn't what it's all about... But, you know, Elton John and Bernie Taupin wrote a great song that didn't go through... I had this amazing band, like 20 pieces. We did all these different songs... every single one of us said "Which one is gonna win? Which one is gonna win?" and we all laughed and went: "Bet you it's that Boom boom bang a bang a bang a bang..." But then it won. Somehow there was an intelligence working there... and it was a huge success.
"Boom Bang-a-Bang" won, though three other songs, from Spain, ("Vivo cantando" by Salomé), the Netherlands, ("De troubadour" by Lenny Kuhr) and France, ("Un jour, un enfant" by Frida Boccara) tied with her on 18 votes each. The rules were subsequently altered to prevent such ties in future years, but the result caused Austria, Portugal, Norway, Sweden and Finland not to enter the 1970 contest.[19] Lulu's song came out the best in sales, with German, French, Spanish and Italian versions alongside the original English. Later she told John Peel; "I know it's a rotten song, but I won, so who cares? I'd have sung "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep" standing on my head if that's what it took to win.... I am just so glad I didn't finish second like all the other Brits before me, that would have been awful." Despite her dislike it is her second biggest UK hit to date, reaching number 2 on the chart in 1969.
In 1975, Lulu herself hosted the BBC's
Just weeks before her 1969 Eurovision appearance, Lulu had married Maurice Gibb of the Bee Gees in a ceremony in Gerrards Cross.[20] Maurice's older brother Barry was opposed to their marriage as he believed them to be too young.[21] Their honeymoon in Mexico had to be postponed because of Lulu's Eurovision commitment. Their careers and his heavy drinking forced them apart and they divorced in 1973, but remained on good terms.[22]
Post–Eurovision
From 30 June to 2 July 1967, Lulu appeared with the Monkees at the Empire Pool, Wembley, and her brief romance with Davy Jones of the Monkees during a concert tour of the United States in March 1968 received much publicity in the UK press.[23]
In 1969, Lulu recorded New Routes, a new album, at Muscle Shoals studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama: several of the songs, including a version of Jerry Jeff Walker's "Mr. Bojangles", featured slide guitarist Duane Allman. The album was recorded for Atlantic's Atco label and produced by Jerry Wexler, Tom Dowd and Arif Mardin.
1970s: James Bond theme
Lulu began 1970 by appearing on the
Four more German-language tracks ("Ich brauche deine Liebe", "Wach' ich oder träum' ich", "Warum tust du mir weh", and "Traurig, aber wahr") were recorded on the Atlantic/WEA label. She was the subject of This Is Your Life on 10 May 1972, when she was surprised by Eamonn Andrews.[citation needed]
Lulu was one of the main artists invited to appear on the BBC's anniversary show
On 27 May 1974, BBC1 screened Bruce Forsyth Meets Lulu a special variety TV show for the UK bank holiday.[24] In 1974, she performed the title song for the James Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun.[25] Two slightly different versions of the song were used, at the start and end respectively; James Bond was mentioned in the end version. Released as a single, it is the only Bond film title track not to chart as a single in either the United Kingdom or the United States.
In the same year, Lulu covered David Bowie's songs "The Man Who Sold the World" and "Watch That Man". Bowie and Mick Ronson produced the recordings. Bowie played saxophone and provided backing vocals. Rumours of a brief affair between him and Lulu were confirmed in her 2002 autobiography.[26] "The Man Who Sold the World" became her first Top 10 hit in five years, peaking at No. 3 in the UK chart in February 1974, and was a Top 10 hit in several other European countries. She recorded other songs with Bowie, including his "Dodo," that were never officially released. In 1975, she released the disco single "Take Your Mama For A Ride", which peaked in the UK charts at No. 37, remaining in the Top 75 for four weeks.
On 31 December 1976, Lulu performed "Shout" on BBC1's A Jubilee of Music, celebrating British pop music, as part of Queen Elizabeth II's impending Silver jubilee celebrations. In 1977, Lulu became interested in Siddha Yoga[27] and married hairdresser John Frieda. They divorced in 1991.[28] They had one son, Jordan Frieda.[29]
1980s: Other ventures
Lulu's chart success waned in the 1980s but she remained in the public eye, acting and hosting a long-running radio show on London's Capital Radio station.[30] She was associated with Freemans fashion catalogue during the late 1970s and early 1980s. In August 1979 after a performance in Margate, Kent she was in a car accident that nearly killed her; her car collided head-on with another on Brooksend Hill, and she spent a week in the hospital recovering.[31] That same year, she recorded for Elton John's label The Rocket Record Company and released "I Love to Boogie".
Notable London stage appearances came in the early 1980s and included
She won the
In 1985 her first autobiography, Lulu : Her Autobiography, was published.[33] On television, she replaced Julie Walters as Adrian Mole's mother in The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole in 1987. In 1989 and 1990 she voiced the title character in the animated series Nellie the Elephant on ITV. In 1989, Lulu and her manager of 25 years, Marion Massey, parted company. During their twenty-five year association, Massey and Lulu were equal partners as a business enterprise but, encouraged by her husband John Frieda, Lulu ended their business association in 1989 as she was frustrated that she was no longer seen as a recording artist and Massey was unable to further her recording career.[34]
1990s: Musical comeback and Relight My Fire
In 1993, Lulu made a recording comeback with the single "Independence", which reached No. 11 in the UK Singles Chart. It was the title track from the Independence album, and all four singles released from the album reached the lower ends of the UK charts, as did two later singles, released in 1994. Her second single after "Independence" was "I'm Back for More", a duet with soul singer Bobby Womack, which charted at No. 27. The album was not successful, peaking at #67 in the UK Albums Chart. Also in 1993, the song "I Don't Wanna Fight", co-written by Lulu, her brother Billy Lawrie, and Steve DuBerry, became an international hit for Tina Turner.
Later that year, she guested on the cover version of the Dan Hartman song "Relight My Fire", with boy band Take That. The single reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart, and Lulu appeared as Take That's supporting act on their 1994 tour. At that time, she also appeared as an unhappy public relations client of Edina Monsoon in two episodes of the BBC television programme Absolutely Fabulous, and teamed with French and Saunders many times, including their send up of the Spice Girls (the Sugar Lumps) for Comic Relief in 1997, when she took the role of "Baby Spice", mimicking Emma Bunton. An album, provisionally titled Where the Poor Boys Dance, was completed in late 1997 and due for release in early 1998, but was postponed by the record label, Mercury.[35] A single, "Hurt Me So Bad", was released in April 1999, which rose no higher than No. 42 in the UK and, a year later, the title track from the cancelled album reached No. 24, with Lulu appearing on Top of the Pops to promote it.
In 1999, Lulu returned to BBC One to host the Saturday night
2000: Return to prominence and Together
Now known as Lulu Kennedy-Cairns
In 2000, Lulu sat on the 5,387,862nd and final classic Mini when it came off the production line.
Lulu continued to act occasionally and starred alongside
In November 2008, Lulu was announced as one of a number of Scottish celebrities to feature in the advertising campaign for Homecoming Scotland, a year-long event to encourage people around the world with Scottish heritage to return to Scotland. Also in November 2008, Lulu posted the following message on her website, celebrating the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States: "Barack Obama Is In – Yippee, now we have got hope in the World. I've just turned 60, Obama is the new president of the USA and I think its going to be a fantastic year. Love Lu X". In the 1979, 1983 and 1987 UK general elections, Lulu had been a supporter of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's Conservative Party.[39]
In January 2009, Lulu began a four-week stint as an advisor/coach on the BBC show
2010s: Touring and Commonwealth Games
In early 2010, Lulu sang the theme "The Word Is Love" for the film Oy Vey! My Son Is Gay!! and toured the UK a second time with Here Come the Girls alongside Anastacia and Heather Small. In November 2010 she hosted the BBC TV series Rewind the 60s, with each episode focusing on a year during the 1960s, highlighting the social and political issues of the decade, as well as music and interviews with personalities.[40]
On 26 February 2011, she appeared in the second heat in the third series of
In August 2014, Lulu opened the
On 19 March 2018, she joined the cast of 42nd Street playing the lead role Dorothy Brock for a 16-week tenure.[47][48][49] Between April and June 2019, Lulu toured with Take That and their Greatest Hits tour, performing "Relight My Fire". On 18 December 2019, she performed "Run Rudolph Run" and "Shout" in the Miss World 2019 pageant.[50] [51]
2020s: The Masked Singer and television
In October 2021, Lulu was a guest judge on the BBC program
In January 2023, Lulu appeared on the fourth series of
Discography
- Something to Shout About (1965)
- Love Loves to Love Lulu (1967)
- Lulu's Album (1969)
- New Routes (1970)
- Melody Fair (1970)
- Lulu (1973)
- Heaven and Earth and the Stars (1976)
- Don't Take Love for Granted (1978)
- Lulu (1981)
- Take Me to Your Heart Again (1982)
- Independence (1993)
- Together (2002)
- Back on Track (2004)
- A Little Soul in Your Heart (2005)
- Making Life Rhyme (2015)
TV shows
Lulu appeared three times on Show of the Week, twice in 1969 and once in 1972. In early 1978, she was the regular guest on The Les Dawson Show on BBC1.[59] From 1999 to 2000, Lulu hosted 14 episodes of Red Alert with the National Lottery.
Lulu has also appeared in a number of TV specials, including one with Bruce Forsyth in 1974 and Lulu's Big Show in 1993 taped at Glasgow's Tramway. Another special in 1999 was dedicated to Lulu's life and career.[60]
Lulu appeared in a one-off episode of Heartbeat in November 2002, ‘Harmony’ as Deborah Vine, a mother of a rising star, who becomes pregnant. Mrs Vine is cousin to Sergeant Merton, played by Duncan Bell. Lulu sings ‘To Sir, With Love’ dubbed by Lulu at a concert, and is joined on stage later by her daughter.
Filmography
- Gonks Go Beat (1965)
- To Sir, with Love (1967) (also theme song)
- Cucumber Castle (1970)
- The Cherry Picker (1972)
- Alicja (1982) (voice)
- To Sir, with Love II (1996)
- Whatever Happened to Harold Smith? (1999)
- Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie (2016)
- The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart (2020)
- My Old School (2022) (voice and closing theme)
- Arthur's Whiskey (2024)[61]
Honours
In 2017 Lulu was Guest of Honour at the City Lit Awards,[62] celebrating the outstanding work and achievements of various students and staff from across the college, as well as the transformation adult learning can bring.
Lulu was appointed
See also
- List of number-one hits (United States)
- List of artists who reached number one in the United States
- Mononymous person
References
- Notes
- ^ Definition of lulu by Merriam-Webster: slang: one that is remarkable or wonderful[6]
- Sources
- ^ ISBN 0751546259.
- ^ Lulu 2002, p. 44.
- ^ She lived at 29 Garfield Street, according to an interview with the Sunday Post newspaper published on 5 April 2015. The interview may be seen here "Lulu – I know exactly why Zayn had to flee the pressure of One Direction – Music & Theatre / TV & Showbiz / The Sunday Post". Archived from the original on 1 July 2015. Retrieved 29 June 2015. Retrieved 29 June 2015
- ^ Jones, Jada (1 January 2022). "Lulu made drastic lifestyle changes after diagnosis left her 'frightened'". mirror. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
- ^ "Interview: Lulu, singer". The Scotsman. Edinburgh. 9 October 2009. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
- ^ "Definition of Lulu". Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 23 June 2018.
- ISBN 9780786457632.
- ^ "TheGenealogist featured article on Lulu". TheGenealogist. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
- ^ a b c d "Lulu | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
- ^ Lulu 2002, p. 70.
- ^ "RPM Records : Lulu". 4 August 2011. Archived from the original on 4 August 2011. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
- ^ Heard, Chris (9 June 2003). "Entertainment | Stars' farewell to producer Most". BBC News. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
- ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
- ISBN 0-340-82683-5.
- ^ "Lulu – BBC One London – 8 September 1969 – BBC Genome". Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. 8 September 1969. Retrieved 3 August 2016.
- ^ "The Young Generation meet Lulu – BBC One London – 18 February 1970 – BBC Genome". Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. 18 February 1970. Retrieved 3 August 2016.
- ^ "Bruce Forsyth Meets Lulu – BBC One London – 27 May 1974 – BBC Genome". Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. 27 May 1974. Retrieved 3 August 2016.
- ^ "BBC One – Eurovision Song Contest – Eurovision 1969: Lulu". BBC. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
- ISBN 978-1-84442-994-3.
- ^ "BBC ON THIS DAY | 18 | 1969: Lulu ties knot with Bee Gee". BBC News. 18 February 1969. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
- ^ Lulu 2002, p. 124.
- ^ "Maurice Gibb – Obituaries, News". The Independent. Archived from the original on 26 August 2011. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
- ^ Lulu 2002, p. 118.
- ^ "Bruce Forsyth Meets Lulu". BBC. 27 May 1974. Retrieved 10 November 2014.
- ^ "The Man with the Golden Gun". allmusic.com. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
- ^ Lulu 2002, p. 168.
- ^ Grice, Elizabeth (4 February 2008). "Lulu:'I think the best is yet to come – even now'". telegraph.co.uk. Archived from the original on 10 January 2022. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
- ^ "Lulu". Glasgow City of Music. Archived from the original on 19 August 2011. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
- ^ Cassandra Jardine (28 May 2004). "Prince William? I needed the work". Telegraph. Archived from the original on 10 January 2022. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
- ^ Lulu 2002, p. 164.
- ^ Lulu 2002, p. 194.
- ^ "Past Winners". Rear of the Year. Rear of the Year Ltd. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
- ISBN 0246124768.
- ^ Lulu 2002, page unknown.
- ^ Lulu 2002, p. 290.
- ^ Lulu 2002, p. 307.
- ^ Lulu 2002, p. 5.
- ^ "End of the Mini". BBC News Online. 4 October 2000. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
- ^ "Interview: Lulu, singer". Scotland on Sunday. 11 October 2009. Retrieved 6 September 2011.
- ^ "BBC One – Rewind the 60s". BBC.co.uk. 2 June 2011. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
- ^ "Lulu set for Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod « Shropshire Star". Shropshirestar.com. 15 August 2015. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
- ^ "Strictly Come Dancing". BBC News. British Broadcasting Corporation. 17 October 2011. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
- ^ "Minogue sparkles in glittering CWG closing ceremony". The Pioneer [Glasgow]. 4 August 2014. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
- ^ "BBC One – The Great Comic Relief Bake Off, Series 2, Episode 1". BBC. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
- ^ "All Round to Mrs. Brown's − Episode 2, Series 1". BBC. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
- ^ Gerard O'Donovan (17 August 2017). "Who Do You Think You Are? Lulu's family history was not much to shout about — review". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 10 January 2022. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
- ^ Douglas Mayo (23 February 2018). "Lulu Joins The Cast Of 42nd Street as Dorothy Brock". British Theatre.com. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
- ^ Sarah Westcott (23 February 2018). "Lulu RETURNS to West End with leading role in 42nd Street". Daily Express. Express Newspapers. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
- ^ Andrew Gans (23 February 2018). "Lulu Will Return to West End After 30 Years as Dorothy Brock in 42nd Street". Playbill. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
- ^ "Run Rudolph Run Lulu MISS WORLD 2019". Miss World – Youtube. Archived from the original on 2 November 2021. Retrieved 18 December 2019.
- ^ "Lulu 'Shout" Miss World 2019". Miss World – Youtube. Archived from the original on 2 November 2021. Retrieved 18 December 2019.
- ^ "BBC Three – RuPaul's Drag Race UK, Series 3, Episode 6". BBC. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
- ^ Sabljak, Ema (4 March 2022). "Alan Cumming impresses Lulu in My Old School about 30-year-old schoolboy Brandon Lee". The Herald (Scotland). Retrieved 6 January 2023.
- YouTube
- ^ Bashforth, Emily (7 January 2023). "The Masked Singer reveals pop icon Lulu, 74, behind Piece of Cake's mask in second elimination". Metro. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
- ^ "Home". Lulu. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
- ^ Sloan, Billy. "Billy Sloan meets Lulu: 'I loved a satsuma at Christmas... and Ziggy Stardust'". The Sunday Post. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
- ^ "Lulu announces Champagne for Lulu tour to mark 60 years since 'Shout': Dates, venues, and ticket details". Gold. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
- ^ "It's Lulu". Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 3 August 2016.
- ^ "It's Lulu! – BBC One London – 12 November 1999 – BBC Genome". genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. 12 November 1999. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
- ^ Ramachandran, Naman (3 May 2023). "Diane Keaton, Boy George, Lulu, David Harewood, Patricia Hodge in 'Arthur's Whisky': Arclight Films to Launch Sales at Cannes". Variety. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
- ^ "Lulu Guest of Honour at the 2017 City Lit Awards". City Lit. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
- ^ "No. 63377". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 June 2021. p. B9.
- ^ "Birthday Honours: Lulu and Linda Bauld among Scottish recipients". bbc.co.uk. 11 June 2021. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
Bibliography
- Lulu, I Don't Want to Fight, Time Warner Books, 2002
- Lulu, Secrets to Looking Good, HarperCollins, 2010
External links
- Official website
- Lulu Brit Award Petition Online
- Lulu at IMDb
- Lulu Interview on What's on Wales
- Portraits of Lulu at the National Portrait Gallery, London