Andy Hill (composer)
Encyclopedia
Andy Hill is a British music producer and songwriter
who scored many hits during the 1980s and 90s. He is most famous for his work with Bucks Fizz
.
entry for Bucks Fizz
, "Making Your Mind Up
".
Ironically, Hill himself took part in the 1981 A Song For Europe
contest, alongside his partner (later wife) Nichola Martin with their band Gem, performing "Have You Ever Been In Love?" This was released as a single under the name Paris but didn't chart. Leo Sayer
took his version of the single into the UK top 10. The song has gone on to be covered by many artists.
For much of the decade, Hill concentrated on carving a successful career for Bucks Fizz and following their Eurovision chart-topper, he went on to write and produce two further UK No.1's "The Land Of Make Believe" and "My Camera Never Lies
". By 1986 he was responsible for (either writing or producing) all 11 of the band's UK top 20 hits.
Since then, he has also written for Celine Dion
, Cliff Richard
, Ronan Keating
, Diana Ross
, Cher
, and Brian Kennedy
. These writing credits include Celine Dion's "Think Twice
" which reached number one in the charts of Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom. In the UK, the song topped the charts for seven weeks and went on to sell over a million copies. It currently stands as the 45th highest selling single of all time in the UK. It remains Hill's biggest hit to date.
He also gained success in the US when he partnered with Peter Cetera
for his World Falling Down
album. From this, the single "Restless Heart" reached No.1 on the Adult Contemporary Chart for 10 consecutive weeks.
On many of his compositions he was partnered by lyricist Pete Sinfield, who had formerly worked with King Crimson
.
Most recently he has written songs for Il Divo
on their multi platinum selling debut album and collaborated with Gary Barlow
on Katherine Jenkins
2007 album Rejoice. He wrote "Proud" on Susan Boyle
's worldwide 10 million selling album of 2009 and has written songs for Westlife
and boyzone
.
He has been nominated for an Ivor Novello award on seven occasions and has won the award twice in the category "Best Song Musically and Lyrically" and once for "Songwriter of the Year".
He has also provided songs for albums by the following artists:
,"Real World" by D-Side and the US AC #1 "Restless Heart" by Peter Cetera.
His trademark as a Producer tended to consist of full productions with heavy drum sounds.
Critics have called his production both "cluttered" and "stylish".
under the name Gem with "Have You Ever Been in Love". Paris started out as a quartet of Hill, Nicola Martin (keyboards, backing vocals), Graham Broad
(drums, backing vocals) and Ian Bairnson (guitars). Bairnson left the group after the first single and they remained a three-piece.
Paris released four singles in total:
Of these, only "No Getting Over You" made the UK Charts, peaking at No.49.
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
who scored many hits during the 1980s and 90s. He is most famous for his work with Bucks Fizz
Bucks Fizz (band)
Bucks Fizz are an English pop group who achieved success in the 1980s, most notably for winning the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Making Your Mind Up". The group was formed in January 1981 specifically for the contest and comprised four vocalists: Bobby G, Cheryl Baker, Mike Nolan and...
.
Career
Andy Hill first experienced his earliest success when he co-wrote and produced the UK's winning 1981 Eurovision Song ContestEurovision Song Contest 1981
The Eurovision Song Contest 1981 was the 26th Eurovision Song Contest and was held on 4 April 1981 at the Simmonscourt Pavilion of the Royal Dublin Society in Dublin. The presenter was Doireann Ní Bhriain...
entry for Bucks Fizz
Bucks Fizz (band)
Bucks Fizz are an English pop group who achieved success in the 1980s, most notably for winning the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Making Your Mind Up". The group was formed in January 1981 specifically for the contest and comprised four vocalists: Bobby G, Cheryl Baker, Mike Nolan and...
, "Making Your Mind Up
Making Your Mind Up
"Making Your Mind Up" is a song by British pop group Bucks Fizz. It was the winner of the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest and a UK Number-one single...
".
Ironically, Hill himself took part in the 1981 A Song For Europe
A Song for Europe
A Song for Europe may refer to:*A Song for Europe, former name of British pre-selection competition for the Eurovision Song Contest, now known as Eurovision: Your Country Needs You...
contest, alongside his partner (later wife) Nichola Martin with their band Gem, performing "Have You Ever Been In Love?" This was released as a single under the name Paris but didn't chart. Leo Sayer
Leo Sayer
Leo Sayer is a British singer-songwriter, musician, and entertainer whose singing career has spanned four decades. Sayer became a naturalised Australian citizen in 2009. Sayer was a top singles and album act on both sides of the Atlantic in the 1970s...
took his version of the single into the UK top 10. The song has gone on to be covered by many artists.
For much of the decade, Hill concentrated on carving a successful career for Bucks Fizz and following their Eurovision chart-topper, he went on to write and produce two further UK No.1's "The Land Of Make Believe" and "My Camera Never Lies
My Camera Never Lies
"My Camera Never Lies" is a 1982 single by pop group, Bucks Fizz. It became a UK number-one hit single in April 1982 and was featured on their album Are You Ready.- Background :...
". By 1986 he was responsible for (either writing or producing) all 11 of the band's UK top 20 hits.
Since then, he has also written for Celine Dion
Celine Dion
Céline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record...
, Cliff Richard
Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard, OBE is a British pop singer, musician, performer, actor, and philanthropist who has sold over an estimated 250 million records worldwide....
, Ronan Keating
Ronan Keating
Ronan Patrick John Keating is an Irish recording artist, singer-songwriter, musician, and philanthropist. Keating debuted on the professional music scene alongside Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham, Shane Lynch and Stephen Gately, in 1994 as the lead singer of Boyzone. His solo career started in 1999, and...
, Diana Ross
Diana Ross
Diana Ernestine Earle Ross is an American singer, record producer, and actress. Ross was lead singer of the Motown group The Supremes during the 1960s. After leaving the group in 1970, Ross began a solo career that included successful ventures into film and Broadway...
, Cher
Cher
Cher is an American recording artist, television personality, actress, director, record producer and philanthropist. Referred to as the Goddess of Pop, she has won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, three Golden Globes and a Cannes Film Festival Award among others for her work in...
, and Brian Kennedy
Brian Kennedy (singer)
Brian Edward Patrick Kennedy is an Irish singer-songwriter and author, known for his ballads, and has represented Ireland at Eurovision 2006. He is the younger brother of musician Bap Kennedy.-Personal life:...
. These writing credits include Celine Dion's "Think Twice
Think Twice (Celine Dion song)
"Think Twice" is the fourth hit single from The Colour of My Love album by Céline Dion. It was released on July 18, 1994 in North America, in October 1994 in the United Kingdom, Australia and Japan, and February 1995 in the rest of the world. The song is rock-influenced and features a guitar solo,...
" which reached number one in the charts of Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom. In the UK, the song topped the charts for seven weeks and went on to sell over a million copies. It currently stands as the 45th highest selling single of all time in the UK. It remains Hill's biggest hit to date.
He also gained success in the US when he partnered with Peter Cetera
Peter Cetera
Peter Paul Cetera is an American singer, songwriter, bassist and producer best known for being an original member of the rock band Chicago, before launching a successful solo career...
for his World Falling Down
World Falling Down
World Falling Down is the fourth solo album for music artist Peter Cetera and his third album since leaving the group Chicago. It was also his final album with Warner Bros Records...
album. From this, the single "Restless Heart" reached No.1 on the Adult Contemporary Chart for 10 consecutive weeks.
On many of his compositions he was partnered by lyricist Pete Sinfield, who had formerly worked with King Crimson
King Crimson
King Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...
.
Most recently he has written songs for Il Divo
Il Divo
Il Divo is a multinational operatic pop vocal group created by music manager, executive, and reality TV star Simon Cowell. Formed in the United Kingdom, they are also signed to Cowell's record label, Syco Music...
on their multi platinum selling debut album and collaborated with Gary Barlow
Gary Barlow
Gary Barlow is an English singer-songwriter, pianist and record producer. He is frontman and lead vocalist of pop group Take That and is currently the head judge on the eighth series of The X Factor. Barlow is one of Britain's most successful songwriters...
on Katherine Jenkins
Katherine Jenkins
Katherine Jenkins is a Welsh mezzo-soprano. She is a classical-popular crossover singer who performs across a spectrum of operatic arias, popular songs, musical theatre and hymns.-Early life and education:...
2007 album Rejoice. He wrote "Proud" on Susan Boyle
Susan Boyle
Susan Magdalane Boyle is a Scottish singer who came to international public attention when she appeared as a contestant on the TV programme Britain's Got Talent on 11 April 2009, singing "I Dreamed a Dream" from ...
's worldwide 10 million selling album of 2009 and has written songs for Westlife
Westlife
Westlife are an Irish boy band established on 3 July 1998. They are to disband in 2012. The group's line-up was Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan, Mark Feehily, Shane Filan, and Brian McFadden . The group are the only act in British and Irish history to have their first seven singles peak at number one...
and boyzone
Boyzone
Boyzone are an Irish boy band comprising Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham, Ronan Keating,Shane Lynch, and formerly Stephen Gately. Boyzone have 19 singles in the top 40 UK charts and 21 singles in the Ire charts. The group currently have 6 UK number one singles and 9 number one singles in Ireland with 12...
.
He has been nominated for an Ivor Novello award on seven occasions and has won the award twice in the category "Best Song Musically and Lyrically" and once for "Songwriter of the Year".
Compositions
The following is a selected list of his most popular songs (with the artist who most famously recorded it)- "Making Your Mind UpMaking Your Mind Up"Making Your Mind Up" is a song by British pop group Bucks Fizz. It was the winner of the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest and a UK Number-one single...
" (Bucks Fizz, 1981) - "Piece of the ActionPiece of the ActionPiece of the Action is the second single by pop group Bucks Fizz, the follow-up to the Eurovision-winning song "Making Your Mind Up". It was released in May 1981 and became a top 20 hit.- Overview :...
" (Bucks Fizz, 1981) - "The Land of Make Believe" (Bucks Fizz) 1981
- "Have You Ever Been in Love" (Leo Sayer, 1982)
- "My Camera Never LiesMy Camera Never Lies"My Camera Never Lies" is a 1982 single by pop group, Bucks Fizz. It became a UK number-one hit single in April 1982 and was featured on their album Are You Ready.- Background :...
" (Bucks Fizz, 1982) - "Now Those Days are GoneNow Those Days Are Gone"Now Those Days Are Gone" is a single by UK pop group Bucks Fizz. It became a UK top ten hit in June 1982 and featured on the group's album Are You Ready.- Background :...
" (Bucks Fizz, 1982) - "If You Can't Stand the Heat" (Bucks Fizz, 1982)
- "Run for Your Life"Run for Your Life (Bucks Fizz song)"Run for Your Life" is a 1983 single by UK pop group Bucks Fizz. It was written by Andy Hill and Ian Bairnson and became the group's eighth consecutive top 20 hit in the UK...
(Bucks Fizz, 1983) - "Heart of Stone"Heart of Stone (Bucks Fizz song)"Heart of Stone" is a song written by Andy Hill and Pete Sinfield for the band Bucks Fizz in 1988, and recorded by the band at Abbey Road Studios in London. It was to be later recorded and popularized by Cher in 1990.-Bucks Fizz version :...
(Cher, 1989) - "Restless Heart"Restless Heart (Peter Cetera song)"Restless Heart" is a 1992 single by Peter Cetera. The song was written by Cetera along with Andy Hill and was a release from the album, World Falling Down. "Restless Heart" was Cetera's final of five number one hits on the Adult Contemporary chart. The single spent two weeks at number one and...
(Peter CeteraPeter CeteraPeter Paul Cetera is an American singer, songwriter, bassist and producer best known for being an original member of the rock band Chicago, before launching a successful solo career...
, 1992) - "Peace in Our Time" (Cliff Richard, 1993)
- "Think Twice"Think Twice (Celine Dion song)"Think Twice" is the fourth hit single from The Colour of My Love album by Céline Dion. It was released on July 18, 1994 in North America, in October 1994 in the United Kingdom, Australia and Japan, and February 1995 in the rest of the world. The song is rock-influenced and features a guitar solo,...
(Celine Dion, 1994) - "Call the ManCall the Man"Call the Man" is the fifth and last commercial single from Céline Dion's album Falling into You. It was released on June 23, 1997 outside the North America....
" (Celine Dion, 1996) - "Real World" (D-SideD-sideD-Side was an Irish boyband established in 2001, by twins Rory and Eoghan MacSweeney and they were signed to Edel Records. Edel brought in Kim Glover to manage the band after her success with New Kids on the Block, Ant & Dec, , B*Witched and Let Loose. Glover secured their entry into Japan getting...
, 2003) - "I'll See You Again" (WestlifeWestlifeWestlife are an Irish boy band established on 3 July 1998. They are to disband in 2012. The group's line-up was Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan, Mark Feehily, Shane Filan, and Brian McFadden . The group are the only act in British and Irish history to have their first seven singles peak at number one...
, 2009) - "Proud"" (Susan BoyleSusan BoyleSusan Magdalane Boyle is a Scottish singer who came to international public attention when she appeared as a contestant on the TV programme Britain's Got Talent on 11 April 2009, singing "I Dreamed a Dream" from ...
, 2009)
He has also provided songs for albums by the following artists:
- BoyzoneBoyzoneBoyzone are an Irish boy band comprising Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham, Ronan Keating,Shane Lynch, and formerly Stephen Gately. Boyzone have 19 singles in the top 40 UK charts and 21 singles in the Ire charts. The group currently have 6 UK number one singles and 9 number one singles in Ireland with 12...
- Michael BallMichael Ball (singer)Michael Ashley Ball, born 27 June 1962) is a British actor, singer, and radio and TV presenter who is best known for the song "Love Changes Everything" and musical theatre roles such as Marius in Les Misérables, Alex in Aspects of Love, Caractacus Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Edna Turnblad...
- Bonnie TylerBonnie TylerBonnie Tyler is a Welsh singer, most notable for her hits in the 1970s and 1980s including "It's a Heartache", "Holding Out for a Hero" and "Total Eclipse of the Heart".-Early life:...
- LuluLulu (singer)Lulu Kennedy-Cairns, OBE , best known by her stage name Lulu, is a Scottish singer, actress, and television personality who has been successful in the entertainment business from the 1960s through to the present day...
- Elaine PaigeElaine PaigeElaine Paige OBE is an English singer and actress best known for her work in musical theatre. Raised in Barnet, North London, Paige attended the Aida Foster stage school, making her first professional appearance on stage in 1964, at the age of 16...
- Elkie BrooksElkie BrooksElkie Brooks is an English singer, formerly a vocalist with Vinegar Joe, and later a solo artist. Elkie has been nominated twice for Brit Awards' top female singer. She is known for her powerful husky voice...
- Jane Weidlin
- Vanessa Mae
- Barbara DicksonBarbara DicksonBarbara Ruth Dickson, OBE is a Scottish singer whose hits include "I Know Him So Well" and "January February"...
- Nick BerryNick BerryNicholas "Nick" Berry is a British television actor and musician. He is best known for his roles as Simon Wicks in the British soap opera EastEnders from 1985 to 1990 and as PC Nick Rowan in the British drama television series Heartbeat from 1992 to 1998.-Career:Berry started acting at the age of...
- Albert HammondAlbert HammondAlbert Hammond OBE is a British singer, songwriter and record producer from Gibraltar.-Birth and early success:Hammond was born in London, England, where his family had been evacuated to from Gibraltar during World War II. His family returned to Gibraltar shortly after his birth, and there he grew...
Producer
As a producer, he produced many of Bucks Fizz's biggest hits as well as UK top ten hits "One Step Further" by BardoBardo
The Tibetan word Bardo means literally "intermediate state" - also translated as "transitional state" or "in-between state" or "liminal state". In Sanskrit the concept has the name antarabhāva...
,"Real World" by D-Side and the US AC #1 "Restless Heart" by Peter Cetera.
His trademark as a Producer tended to consist of full productions with heavy drum sounds.
Critics have called his production both "cluttered" and "stylish".
Performer
As a performer he played guitar and performed backing vocals on many of his own productions. He also sang lead vocals for his short-lived early 1980s band Paris. The group originally took part in the 1981 Song for EuropeUnited Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 1981
The United Kingdom and the British Broadcasting Corporation held a national final titled "A Song for Europe 1981" to choose who would represent them in the Eurovision Song Contest 1981. "A Song for Europe 1981" was held on 11 March 1981 where Bucks Fizz was chosen with "Making Your Mind Up" as the...
under the name Gem with "Have You Ever Been in Love". Paris started out as a quartet of Hill, Nicola Martin (keyboards, backing vocals), Graham Broad
Graham Broad
Graham Broad is an English drummer who has been playing professionally since the age of fifteen, after attending the Royal College of Music in 1970....
(drums, backing vocals) and Ian Bairnson (guitars). Bairnson left the group after the first single and they remained a three-piece.
Paris released four singles in total:
| Date | Single |
|---|---|
| March 1982 | "Have You Ever Been in Love" |
| May 1982 | "No Getting Over You" |
| January 1983 | "Censored" |
| July 1983 | "Another Sad Affair" |
Of these, only "No Getting Over You" made the UK Charts, peaking at No.49.