Throwback: Billy Ocean-Nights (Feel Like Getting Down)

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Billy Ocean entered the music scene in 1976 with his first self-titled album on GTO Records. The relationship produced four successful singles for the UK by way of Trinidad singer. “Love Really Hurts Without You,” “Love On Delivery,” “Stop Me (If You’ve Heard It All Before)” and “Red Light Spells Danger” were all important in establishing his audience at home in the United Kingdom and in the United States. Four years passed before he released his second album City Limit. “Are You Ready” and “Stay The Night” from that album were well-known club records. By 1981 Ocean had moved to Epic Records and Nights (Feel Like Getting Down) was his third full-length project. Inner Feelings was his last recording for Epic in 1982 and then he signed to Jive. Suddenly came out in 1984 and it ushered in platinum sales and gave him a presence in the mainstream particularly with MTV audiences. “Caribbean Queen (No More Love On The Run)” became an international hit and its lyrics were changed according to the market where it was heard. “Loverboy” and “Suddenly” also upheld the album’s chart reception and established Ocean as an icon of ’80’s pop. Love Zone, which was the 1986 follow-up to Suddenly, underscored Ocean’s newfound pop status with “When The Going Gets Tough The Tough Get Going” when it did well Billboard-wise and was on the “Jewel Of The Nile” soundtrack. “Love Zone” the single and “They’ll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)” were the other hits to make it to R&B and pop radio. Tear Down These Walls was Ocean’s seventh album and it was another platinum seller thanks to the songs “Get Out Of My Dreams, Get Into My Car” and “The Colour Of Love.” Unknown to most is that Teddy Riley was a producer on Tear Down These Walls. The following year a greatest hits package came out and in 1993 he recorded Time To Move On, his last album on Jive and it was recorded with R. Kelly. “Caribbean Queen” was re-released in 2004 to mark its 29th anniversary and will.i.am did a remix of the song in 2005. Ocean’s most recent release is 2009’s Because I Love You.

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