It’s All Maya!

118 responses so far ↓

• 1 Mia // Feb 2, 2009 at 3:14 pm

  Hm,I listened to his songs a lot too during the early 7o’s….I guess I did not listened to what the lyrics meant in that song…
  Scary…Were we too ignorant to think that the lyrics maybe was telling about a true story,or did we not care?

• 2 Lynn // Feb 2, 2009 at 8:43 pm

  I think that’s true with a lot of songs; we like the melody and we sing the refrain without listening to the rest of the lyrics.

  Even if nothing happened between Gilbert O’Sullivan and Clair, his choice of words for this song is very ambiguous and, therefore, my question would be,….why?

• 3 Blanca // Feb 15, 2009 at 5:28 pm

  My sister always told me either the song was based on incest or a pedophile. I never gave it much thought. Seriously listening to these lyrics it makes you wonder something was wrong with this song……

• 4 Lynn // Feb 15, 2009 at 11:14 pm

  I know! I love the melody; I just wish he could have chosen better lyrics if he wanted to write the song about a small child.

  Stevie Wonder wrote a beautiful song “Isn’t She Lovely” for his baby daughter.

• 5 Michael // Mar 24, 2009 at 12:43 pm

  the lyrics are….”you can be murder at this hour of the day but in the morning this HOUR will seem a lifetime away oh Claire”. Simply a beautiful song. Also, how many kids stall when they don’t want to go to bed, and, his real name is Ray, “I’m going to marry you, will you marry me uncle Ray?”…..Plus, that is his manager playing harmonica and Claire laughing at the end of the song…….A truly beautiful song…….try and mess with it all you want…..you will always be wrong

• 6 Michael // Mar 24, 2009 at 12:46 pm

  ……his manager being Claires’dad

• 7 Lynn // Mar 24, 2009 at 6:40 pm

  Michael, thanks for your point of view and yes, I do know that his real name is Raymond Edward O’Sullivan and that Claire is the daughter of his former manager and that they recorded the song in the manager’s studio and little Claire is the one who is laughing at the end of the song….etc.

  The music is great, I just wish he had written lyrics that weren’t so ambiguous. For what logical reason would he say, “I don’t care what people say, to me you’re more than a child.”

  Why say “I don’t care what people say….”? If he loved her as a daughter, he could have just said, “People see that to me you’re more than a child” and it would have fit the song rythmically.

  And why refer to their age difference at all? Why should age matter if you love this child like a daughter? Instead he says, “But why in spite of our age difference do I cry. Each time I leave you I feel I could die.”

  As you pointed out that the lyrics are “…..but in the morning this HOUR will seem a lifetime away….” doesn’t change the fact that the emphasis on that hour is intriguing.

  As I’ve said, nice music, but his lyrics leave a lot to be desired.

• 8 nurg // May 9, 2009 at 1:16 am

  whats wrong with every one he is one of the best song writers ever stop being such a load of pervs

• 9 Lynn // May 9, 2009 at 2:11 am

  Nurg, we’re not the pervs, as I’ve said before, I think he could have chosen better lyrics.

• 10 clair // May 25, 2009 at 10:09 am

  it disgusts me that you would waste such perved out thoughts on the lyrics. the song was written in a matter of hours after my mum suggested it.
  it wouldnt surprise me if she hadnt had put imput into those lyrics too, as she did with many other songs.
  i danced about on everybody’s feet in my dads office which was at home, happy times for me.
  so to put your minds at ease he was a nice kind man who spent his time up at our house songwriting and babysitting sometimes for my mum. nothing sinister about it.
  i called everybody uncle and aunty so did my brother and sisters, if they were close friends of my mum and dad that’s what they were called.
  i wanted to marry lots of men at that age, it’s how i was taught, princes marry princesses
  i would suggest you think more on who you are - sheeples

  peace and god bless

• 11 francios // May 27, 2009 at 1:43 pm

  Oh my Lynn. You have got WAY too much time on your hands. You seem to see from the distorted, cynical viewpoint that is the society’s we live in today…guess it’s to be expected. Sad indeed.
  Great song.

• 12 Older and Wiser // Jun 9, 2009 at 3:20 pm

  You are all obviously not children of the seventies. If you are, don’t you remember the whole LOVE PEACE and BROTHERHOOD mood of the times. Shit man, the guy loves the little girl, haven’t any of you met a kid and thought - man, what a cool, sweet kid. Not all kids are the same - they are people - so you like some more than others pure and simple. If you say you don’t you’re a liar! And for the sex element - for god sake - you are all sick, sick sick - and made so by the fact that in the years since the song was written LOVE has died and SEX has become the only thing anyone thinks of. The seventies for all their free love also had the knowledge that LOVE and SEX were different things unless, like you all seem to be you are PERVS. I pity you all you can’t see loving words and just twist them to something sexual. Whatever you’re ages you are missing a huge part of your souls! The only one that matters - and that attitude - that love is it baby, and that means LOVE, not SEX is direct from the seventies. You might want to learn or relearn that. GOOD LUCK.

• 13 Lynn // Jun 10, 2009 at 4:31 pm

  Clair, (if you are really Clair Mills) then thank you for taking the time to set the record straight! It’s a song I’ve always loved until I took the time earlier this year to really listen to the lyrics; now I can enjoy the song once again! That said, it doesn’t change the fact that I think Mr. O’Sullivan could have chosen much better lyrics for his song.

• 14 Lynn // Jun 10, 2009 at 4:31 pm

  Clair, Francois, and O&W,

  I will not renounce what I have already stated. The fact is, it is a different time where pedophilia in the United States has risen to epidemic proportions! Night after night another child is reported missing and days later found sexually “molested” (or dare I say what it is: “raped or sodomized”) and then murdered by another pedophile! Perhaps it’s always been this way and it is only in the last decade or so that it is now widely reported in the news media whereas before it was swept under the rug! Regardless, the facts are the facts and it is a topic that most people would rather stick their head in the sand and pretend that it doesn’t exist! All of you screaming - “perverts” - may be ostriches as opposed to advocates like myself trying to change the laws so pedophiles will be put away for good rather than getting a slap on the hand that many judges in the United States give them and in a matter of months many of them are once again out in society preying on innocent children!!!

  Instead of writing to me that I have too much time on my hands or a sick mind, why don’t you write to your congressmen, or senators, or lawmakers trying to get these disgusting judges disbarred from making poor judgements - like I do? Why not write to your lawmakers asking for tougher sentences to put these monsters into prison and keeping them there - like I do? Pretending something doesn’t exist, doesn’t make it go away! Thank God there are people trying to make changes rather than doing nothing except calling other people names!

• 15 Lynn // Jun 10, 2009 at 4:33 pm

  Older….,

  I think you’ve got your dates mixed up! It was the “flower children” of the sixties that was the Peace and Love Generation! Woodstock, afterall, was the culmination of the era and it did happen in ‘69 you know! By the early 70’s, the “let’s make love, not war” hippies of the 60’s gave way to the “disco crowds” of the 70’s. (Sad, but true!)

• 16 Alexa // Jun 25, 2009 at 4:31 pm

  Ok first of all if you are going to slag off the lyrics GET THEM RIGHT. What you have said about see my lifetime away is actually in the morning this hour will seem a lifetime away.

  Secondly have you ever actually babysat a small child. They will do anything to stay up including insist they are thirsty when they arent and you DO get out of breath running around after them.

  I spite of our age difference could be refering to the fact that despite him not being a child he still feels he could cry.

  I don’t care what people say, to me you’re more than a child.” just mean that she is more than just some kid to him. perfectly innocent and the don’t you dare? When looking after a child that age Dont you dare is phrase of the week. You really are clutching at straws here and the fact that you could interpret these lyrics as that of a perv just goes to show what a dirty mind you really have.

• 17 Lynn // Jun 25, 2009 at 6:18 pm

  Alexa, I guess you didn’t read that Michael already clarified the lyrics that you’re talking about, so I went ahead and changed them! Everyone has the right to state their opinions as they see them, including you!

• 18 Cid // Jun 25, 2009 at 7:00 pm

  Most people are getting on your case, but I’ll admit that me and my friends thought the song was about a young woman when we first heard it. Then we thought it was a little weird when we realized he was talking about a little kid. So I agree with you, he could have chosen much better lyrics for the love he had for the child.

• 19 Lynn // Jun 26, 2009 at 2:13 am

  Thanks Cid, my point exactly! (And I won’t think there’s something wrong with you because you thought that!!!)

• 20 David // Jun 28, 2009 at 2:25 pm

  Hi Lynn,

  I found this page when trying to look up more info about the lyrics that I too found disturbing. Perhaps it is all very innocent since many of his songs have lyrics that are different from the style used by other songs, but despite what some of the comments here suggest, you really don’t have to stretch your imagination to feel uneasy about the words.

• 21 Lynn // Jun 28, 2009 at 2:45 pm

  David, thanks for the comment! I was beginning to wonder if maybe I was the only one who was reading way too much into what I thought was very strange lyrics about a song for a child. After reading what you and Cid wrote and what Blanca had written earlier, I will repeat once again - he could have chosen better lyrics if he didn’t want any innuendos about his song!

• 22 Franguro // Jul 4, 2009 at 7:13 am

  My 16-years old daughter used to love this song. Then she bumped into its lyrics (we’re Spanish-speaking people, but we understand some English) and came to me in disappointment, seemingly sure that Gilbert was telling a pedophilic story (this happened a couple of months ago).

  I (who have never found anything rotten in “Clair” lyrics) suggested her to think logically: if Gilbert was a Gordon Mills’ (Clair’s father)protégé, would he openly confess a pedophilic relation with little Clair in a recording produced by Gordon himself? (recording in which, by the way, the very Gordon played harmonica).

  Then I described to her (my daughter) the much less malicious or pervert context of humankind 37 years ago when “Clair” came out, and the next minute she was unbiasedly loving and enjoying “Clair” again.

  Now, I admit it: unfortunately, Gilbert was not as cautious as the writer of Brotherhood of Man’s “Save your kisses for me”, on which the listener has to wait until the end of the song to discover he was writing about his 3-year old daughter and not his wife.

  Finally, I think on “Clair” lyrics the right line is “…wait just a bit” (which rhymes with forthcoming word “baby-sit”), and not “…wait just a minute”.

  Thanks everybody for your patience, and sorry for my poor English.

• 23 Lynn // Jul 5, 2009 at 3:13 am

  Franguro, yes logic would tell us that the history behind the recording would render this song harmless, but your daughter proves my point once again that O’Sullivan’s lyrics can somehow be misinterpreted into thinking this song is not as innocent as it first seems. As David said, you don’t have to stretch your imagination very far to think it!!!

  By the way, your English is great! If I could write in Spanish as well as you write in English….I would be one happy camper!!!

• 24 Franguro // Jul 5, 2009 at 3:34 am

  Of course, Lynn: your point is more than proven. Anyone unaware of the facts behind the song (most people, I guess), can be far too easily disturbed by its lyrics - which is a pity, being “Clair” such a beautiful song.

  I appreciate your second comment. It definitely encourages me to keep on learning your languague.

• 25 Paul // Jul 17, 2009 at 4:09 am

  Hi

  This song was totally innocent. Now days, anything you say or think can get you sued or arrested it seems. O’Sullivan was no pedo, he just created a beautiful song about his managers daughter. Surely Mills would have done something if Ray was indeed pervy on his daughter?! A beautiful and innocent song.

• 26 Lynn // Jul 17, 2009 at 12:06 pm

  Paul, first of all, let me thank you for stating your opinion without any name calling and as I stated in the last paragraph of my post, (which a few people seem to ignore) I was hoping that the song was more innocent than what could possibly be interpreted. According to Clair Mills it is…..so who better than her to set the record straight!

  That said, and sorry for sounding like a broken record, I still think he could have chosen better lyrics for his song because apparently (if you’ve read the other comments) I’m not the only one who’s wondered about his song!

• 27 Mary Miranda // Jul 19, 2009 at 4:12 pm

  Hi, Lynn!
  I’m afraid about O’Sullivan’s song!
  I’ve thought that “Clair” was misunderstood, ’cause I’m Brazilian, and some words into English can have another idea in my idiom.
  But I’ve seen in your blog a several comments against the “Clair” stuff, most of all your commentarists have said existing a pedo concept from singer/writer Gilbert O’Sullivan.
  I’m according to all of them!
  I think that innocent lyrics isn’t as that !
  “Clair” is a real love declaration from a man to a woman!
  NEVER a man would say the same way like that to a little girl…
  Well, I can’t listen to “Clair” as I did before…
  My post this week is talking about that song!
  I’ve linked your blog, all right?
  Thank you very much!
  A large hug,
  Mary.

• 28 Lynn // Jul 19, 2009 at 6:03 pm

  Mary, I think the majority of people who hear the song for the first time, automatically assumes, as you say, that he is singing a song about a love between a man and a woman, or at least a girl in her late teens, but definitely not a child and that’s where the discrepancies come into play as seen here on my blog!

  Thanks for the link and your insight!

• 29 tom // Jul 30, 2009 at 11:59 am

  I think that you assumed it was a song about a romantic love to an older girl in the first place and it really got you confused, but you really went out of your way to misinterpret this song.

  First of all, when he sings “But try as hard as I might do, I don’t know why. You get to me in a way I can’t describe.” he says that he doesn’t know why he likes her, not that he tries to love her, as you suggested. It’s either misunderstanding or misinterpretation on your part.

  Apart from that there’s no mention of love in the whole song. He says “friends”, not “lovers”. You just thought it’ must be about love and it skewered your interpretation completely.

  When he says “I don’t care what people say, to me you’re more than a child.” it’s open to more than one interpretation, so there’s no room for “obviously”. Let’s start off with the fact that it’s a song, and not a confession. Some words are used for no other reason than rhyme, like “say” - “way”. There’s absolutely no evidence that anyone really said anything. “Clair” was a huge hit and I’m pretty sure people would have talked if anything was amiss. And let’s face it, people will gossip about anything.

  It just seems that Clair is more special to him than other children, but again that’s neither unusual or sinister. People respond to children’s affections just as easily as to puppies’. For goodness sake, you can have feelings towards a child, and they don’t have to be romantic ones.
  And by the way, he couldn’t have said “my child” cause he didn’t have any at the time, to my knowledge.

  And for the last stanza, your mis-interpretation really takes the cake here. He specifically mentions baby-sitting a lovable but difficult child who just won’t go to bed. He’s not using her, she’s using him. What’s more he doesn’t encourage her to do something she doesn’t want to, as you would expect with pedophilia, he tells her NOT to do it: “Don’t you dare!” To see pedophilia here IS disturbing.

  I think your scaremongering is doing more harm than good.

• 30 Lynn // Aug 3, 2009 at 3:59 am

  Tom, thanks for taking the time to give your point of view, however to say that I’m “scaremongering” is a bit much. I’m not screaming from the rooftops or organizing protest marches in front of record companies or radio stations that play the song on the air, which would be more in line with what you imply by inciting unnecessary alarm.

  All I did was write a post on my blog saying that after really listening to the lyrics of the song, I was disturbed and raised the question, “Am I putting more into this song than what there is? I would hope so…..” and I told my readers to decide for themselves. Some agree with me, others don’t - it’s as simple as that!

• 31 Stevie // Aug 13, 2009 at 7:03 pm

  I think this guy was a disturbed perv. He’s either singing about being in love with this toddler or lyrics so depressing you want to go and jump off a building. Amazing the kind of crap people accepted in the ’70s.

• 32 diane // Aug 15, 2009 at 9:52 am

  Its pure and simple, he loves the girl, just like he would if she were his own.
  Its ridiculous to suggest anything else.
  Many the time when children get up in the night wanting some reassurance, a drink, and the feeling that they are safe…Don’t read anymore into this song than what there is. Why try and find something bad in a good song? its society gone mad..where we miss the obvious and look for something which is not there. Lovely song.

• 33 Lynn // Aug 17, 2009 at 2:13 pm

  Stevie and Diane,…..your two comments prove my point. The lyrics are so ambiguous that they can be interpreted in two totally different ways by two people. That’s why the comments here are split.

  Diane: It’s not that Stevie, I, or anyone else who thinks the lyrics are a little bizarre are looking for something more - there just is a strangeness about the wording in this song.

  Did O’Sullivan do that innocently or intentionally? Only he can answer that question. Then again, would he dare to say that he did it intentionally? I think not!!!

• 34 Pamela // Aug 28, 2009 at 12:30 am

  Dear Lynn,

  I see where you may be right; but really it is a mystery that only Gilbert O’Sullivan can solve and answer to. I always liked the song growing up and over the years; but I never paused until now to listen to the lyrics. When I did I felt awful when I realized that he was talking to a child. I always thought it was a woman of the same age as himself that he was singing of. I think it got my attention because I have a little girl of my own whom is 7 years old and I thought about how sick to my stomach I would be if he were singing it to her. My question is did he get into any trouble over this song; or has it ever been said that he molested any children? Is that why you never hear that much about him any more? And is there a real “Claire”; and what does she have to say about all of this?

• 35 Lynn // Aug 28, 2009 at 3:08 am

  Hi Pamela,

  I was like you, I loved the song until I really listened to it earlier this year.

  There is a real Clair and she left a comment here back in May saying that everything was innocent between her and O’Sullivan. Apparently there wasn’t much controversy about the song back in 1972 - it went to #2 on the U.S. Hot 100 and #1 in the Canadian Top 40 for several months.

• 36 Tina Ray // Sep 6, 2009 at 4:54 pm

  I believe you are reading too much into this song - I have loved this song (and known all the lyrics!) since I was a young girl. I saw it (and still see it) as a perfectly innocent, perfectly beautiful song about the relationship between a little girl and a family friend. Such relationships have existed (and still do!) Shame on you for seeing anything else!

• 37 Lynn // Sep 6, 2009 at 11:53 pm

  Perhaps you’re right Tina, but why do so many people think he’s talking about a girl his own age when they first hear the song and then they’re surprised to find out he was talking about a child when they listen closely to the song?

• 38 jo Ann // Sep 29, 2009 at 6:33 pm

  Gilbert O’sullivan is not a pediphile! In 1971 pedophillia was not exposed. Artists and the general public were free to express affection, openly, without worry. Lets also remember that Gil was born in a more innocent environment, Ireland. Catholicism is an integral part of an Irish person’s life ( or I should say some Irish people’s lives ). Their behavior, integrity, and character were all a reflection of their upbringing as good catholics. Lets also remember that he has never been accused by Clair or her family of any wrong doing to Clair. He has also never been accused or convicted of any sexual crimes against any other little girls. Give him a break!!!! The song was a hit, everyone loved it, It was about a little girl who he had watched occaisionally and she stole away his heart by her cuteness and sweet smile. When he sings “I don’t care what people think, You’re more than a child to me”, I am sure he was just commenting on how matture and clever she was, more than a child of 3 or 4 normally is. Insinuations can start rumors that could hurt innocent people.

• 39 Lynn // Oct 1, 2009 at 4:51 pm

  Jo Ann, all I’m saying is he should have picked better lyrics than the ones he did which does give rise to ambiguity and innuendos.

  Just a side comment here, but I think you would do a lot better not mentioning Catholicism when talking about pedophilia. Afterall, the Catholic Church has harbored pedophile priests for decades (that we know of) and probably for much, much longer, but that’s another topic!

• 40 JohnD // Oct 14, 2009 at 5:31 pm

  Maybe Gilbert only wanted to have a daughter and he (probably) used some sexual explications for this. It’s a love song - a song of a future love of his own (maybe).
  Then, men use to call their female partners ‘baby’, ‘child’, ‘little darling’…
  Me personally, ‘Clair’ is a song from my younghood concerning the girl (over 17)))): I loved. Hope there’s no durt. A beautiful melody. I have a daughter.

• 41 Lynn // Oct 17, 2009 at 3:35 am

  As I said before, John, I think a lot of people when they first heard the song thought he was singing about a young woman, not a young child. I’m sure there are many others like you and Patrick who love the song because it reminds you of your youth and a love that you had and perhaps lost.

• 42 Eddie // Nov 17, 2009 at 1:59 pm

  The song is merely a literary “trick” that makes you think he is singing of a woman, and when it changes, you realize that he is really singing of a little girl. I believe it was meant as a lighthearted joke or a child’s game.

• 43 Lynn // Nov 18, 2009 at 12:09 am

  Interesting point of view, Eddie. You’re the first to see this whole thing as some sort of prank!

• 44 Susan // Nov 19, 2009 at 10:29 am

  You guys are crazy. As you said we werent’ smart enough to decifer then. WEll, it didn’t need decifering. It’s just a song about a child and how hard it is to watch them. I think that children can be murder in the morning with the energy they have. Why are you trying to make something out of nothing? Some people just have to ruin good things for the rest of us any way they can. Someone should watch you guys and make inuendos about the way you talk. Come on. Shame on you!!!!! I’ll bet you think Santa is a pediphile!!!

• 45 Lynn // Nov 26, 2009 at 5:43 am

  Susan, no one said you weren’t smart enough to decifer anything, all I said was, I thought the lyrics were somewhat disturbing and wondered if other people felt that way too. Some do and some don’t - it’s as simple as that, but if you want to watch me go ahead, although you’ll soon get bored!

  Oh yes, hmm….perhaps you didn’t get the “memo” when you were around ten years-old and I hate to burst the bubble that you’re apparently living in, but Santa isn’t real! Nope, no Mrs. Claus, no Rudolph, not even elves making all those toys at the North Pole!!!

• 46 Brian // Dec 22, 2009 at 5:07 pm

  wow… just read this entire thread. i discovered the lyrics and was searching to find if anyone else found them disturbing.

  i have always known and loved this song but didn’t know the lyrics until i sang it at karaoke about a month ago. very surprising to be up in front of of crowd of people and then realize that i’m singing about marrying a young child.

  i know it’s innocent. i know that gilbert o isn’t a pedophile. the notion that he is, is ridiculous. however… this is a sign of how the climate surrounding love and sex has changed over the years. there are dozens of songs that were hits in the fities/sixties/seventies that were all about wanting to be with a teenager but not being able to because it was forbidden. that was sooo common.

  this one is different. it’s about a toddler. i agree with the idea that it was supposed to be lighthearted and comedic. since pedophilia wasn’t as exposed yet, at that time the lyrics could easily be taken that way. kinda like “haha… he’s singing about a little girl as if he’s in love with her! as if THAT would ever happen!”.

  the song’s lyrical content DEFINITELY doesn’t stand the test of time, and no one should be judged by getting a little creeped out by the lyrics. i know that the intent was innocent but come on.

  i guess next time i’ll be singing “alone again, naturally”… that one i KNOW the lyrics to.

• 47 Lynn // Dec 22, 2009 at 5:56 pm

  Brian, I agree that sadly times have changed and what people back in the 70’s thought was a little strange is somewhat disturbing today. Clair has said that her relationship with O’Sullivan was completely innocent and I accept it.

  I think you’re right, however, in choosing to sing “Alone Again Naturally” the next time you’re in a karaoke bar! Lol.

• 48 Gary Williams // Jan 10, 2010 at 1:37 am

  I have often doubted whether this song could be allowed airplay in the 21st century; it is clear, now, that it could not be.

  However, as someone who was 24 when this song was number 1, it is clear to me that, yes, there was a double entendre in its lyrics, but not the pedophilic one that some imagine.

  The lyrics are intended–certainly this was the way I understood them then–to convey the impression of an older man and a young woman, probably an under-age young woman; the little girl’s giggle at the end resolves the tension by making it clear that the singer is simply baby-sitting his niece. He’s not about to commit statutory rape with a 15- or 16-year old of the kind we called then “jail bait”. The notion that he’s about to abuse a three-year-old just would not have occurred to us in 1972.

  That a relationship with an illegally young woman is the intended misdirection of the lyrics might be corroborated by awareness that this was not an altogether unusual song topic at that time. Gary Pucket and the Union Gap had a major hit called “Young Girl”, the key lines to which are “Young girl, get out of my mind; my love for you is way out of line; better run, girl; you’re much too young, girl.” And I’m pretty sure there were a few other songs with a similar theme. This is the concept to which the singer is alluding throughout the song, and the little girl’s giggle at the end is meant to tell us that the relationship is completely innocent, not what we might have been, with our minds as dirty as minds of the 1970’s were capable of being, imagining.

• 49 Lynn // Jan 20, 2010 at 3:02 am

  Gary, I think you’re right about “Young Girl” being about a young teen who was considered “jail bait”, but it’s not the case about Clair. O’Sullivan was singing a song about a small child and not some 15 or 16 year old. The little girl’s giggle is actually Clair herself on the recording. I agree, however, if the song had come out today it probably would have had a different reaction than it did back in the early 70’s!!!

• 50 Pam // Jan 25, 2010 at 3:22 pm

  Ever heard of projecting your issues on someone else? Clair herself testified. Let’s not make a mountain out of a mole hill. Maybe we all can direct our time and energies to helping children we know for sure who are in war-torn, HIV, or disaster areas instead of going on ad nauseum on this website. Just a tho’t.

• 51 Lynn // Jan 26, 2010 at 1:38 am

  Pam, I have so many positive posts on my blog about so many different subjects and yet it amazes me that this post is the one where I have the most comments…..sad, but true.

• 52 Gary Williams // Feb 9, 2010 at 3:01 pm

  I’m sorry I wasn’t clear…what I meant was that I think the song was meant to be humorous…the giggle at the end is the punch line. Humor depends on misdirection, and the misdirection is that we are led to believe that O’Sullivan is singing about an underage but sexually mature young woman…the giggle tells us that the relationship is really the innocent one of a man charmed by his niece (”Uncle Ray”; he’s not literally her uncle, but the song doesn’t tell us that.) but also exasperated by the demands of caring for her. I agree with you that this song could not get air time today; but I think that when it came out it was meant to be humorous. The double entendres are all meant to lead us to believe that the attraction is sexual; the giggle is meant to tell us that it is not. The sad fact is that today that giggle no longer tells us that the situation is not sexual, as it once would have.

• 53 Lynn // Feb 9, 2010 at 3:15 pm

  Good point, Gary!!!

• 54 space invader // Feb 13, 2010 at 9:32 am

  If you misunderstand a song like this, then
  you must be some kind of moron.

• 55 Lynn // Feb 13, 2010 at 10:22 pm

  I love your ability to contribute intellectually to a discussion by name calling space invader….that is unless I’m mistaken to assume you’re an adult rather than a ten years-old. If you are a kid, then sorry. Maybe you should go invade space and come back when you’re an adult and can bring something of value to this topic.

• 56 Gary Williams // Feb 19, 2010 at 6:57 pm

  This would be tangential to this topic, so I won’t go into detail here–I’d propose the idea off-line, if I could figure out how–but perhaps how different cultures treat sexuality in popular music (as illustrated for me by Daniela Romo’s song “Ven, Explorame”) would make an interesting discussion.
  You should have my email address; let me know if you’d have any interest in more details.

• 57 Lynn // Feb 27, 2010 at 3:13 am

  Gary, I think the title “Come Explore Me” lets us know exactly what the song is about and when I saw the lyrics, there were no surprises!

  That said, it’s true that songs in Spanish and in French are much more provocative in many ways than songs written in English. What can play on air in other countries would not past muster in the States.

• 58 matty // Feb 27, 2010 at 11:30 pm

  His words about the “drink”:
  In an interview with The Australian Women’s Weekly in June 1973, O’Sullivan told the following story about what is arguably his most popular song…..

  “About a year ago, when I first moved down here to Weybridge (Surrey), a couple of times I babysat for Gordon and his wife.

  Well, one Saturday night, having delivered an absolutely final glass of water to young Clair upstairs, I sat down at Gordon’s piano and - within an hour - wrote ‘Clair’ - a love song to a child, I guess you would say”

• 59 Lynn // Feb 28, 2010 at 1:03 pm

  Thanks so much for your input Matty, that really puts things in perspective! I wish I could read the entire article….I looked on Google, but couldn’t find it.

• 60 Marc // Mar 17, 2010 at 7:17 pm

  If you listen well to most of Gilberts other songs you will find out they all sound very sweet but the lyrics are very pessimistic. I like this combination a lot. Not everything is what it loks like at first sight. For his song Clair i am confident it is not what you think it might be. Maybe he chosse his words like this on purpose, to fool us.
  PS: did you ever thought of asking him?

• 61 Lynn // Mar 19, 2010 at 1:45 am

  Marc, that’s very true about his lyrics. One of my favorite songs of his is, Alone Again (Naturally) and I must say there’s nothing happy or positive about the words, but the music is really great.

  As for asking O’Sullivan about the lyrics to Clair, it never crossed my mind to ask him about it because, afterall, what can he say? He’s not going to admit that there could possibly be some innuendos to the song!

• 62 Gary Williams // Mar 20, 2010 at 12:54 pm

  It’s true that there is absolutely no double-entendre in “Come, Explore Me,” unlike “Clair”, which is one giant double-entendre. That’s why my comment is a little off-topic, although I appreciate your reply. It seems to me that Europeans are just more comfortable with sex than are Americans (nothing new in that stereotypical observation), so that whereas a European song can be very sensual, in American songs sexual implications are either disguised, or else are rather more vulgar than sensual.

• 63 Lynn // Mar 20, 2010 at 1:15 pm

  I couldn’t agree more! I see nothing wrong with songs that are sensual or even sexual. People are free to listen to whatever they want. Where I draw the line is innuendos involving children!

• 64 Leloup // Apr 7, 2010 at 12:32 am

  Interesting discussion. I thought the song was about a young woman, too, when I first listened to it. I did not realize that it was about a very young child until the very end of it, and I think that was precisely what O Sullivan tried to convey by writing the lyric rather ambiguiously - he tried to create a suspense, a sort of rhetorical anti-climax. That explains the recorded giggle at the end of the song for audience who failed to realize the suspense thus created. Could one explain the song as a sign of a sudden rush of humour on the side of the author? I think one certainly can.

• 65 Leloup // Apr 7, 2010 at 12:42 am

  Went back and found Gary’s early comments. I agree absolutely. And if one reads the lyric in the lineal order (which is only natural), for me it is quite clear that a humourous suspense was being intentionally created. Why did the author elaborate his feelings for Clair so abundantly, before he mentioned - sort of in passing - that he was only baby-sitting?
  Have we ‘discovered’ something in the song, or have we simply ‘invented’ something? If the author were guilty of pedophilia as he was suspected of, I don’t think he’d confess that he was baby-sitting amongst the very ambiguity he was trying to construct. The song has remained much the same throughout the years, it is only we that have changed.

• 66 Lynn // Apr 7, 2010 at 1:02 pm

  Leloup, I don’t know if this was “humorous suspense”, as you say, or whether there was something more to it, but I do think your very last sentence, “The song has remained much the same…..only we that have changed.” is sadly very true.

  Unfortunately, in today’s society when we hear almost nightly on the news another child that was abducted by a pedophile who was released from prison for committing the same crime, and is out once again preying on children, it leaves little room for humor (intentional or otherwise) and I will be the first to admit that, sadly, we have changed.

• 67 Lee // Apr 22, 2010 at 3:57 pm

  Obviously, as a former cop, the pedo possibility occured to me. But I chose to not thinksuch a horrible thing. I see it as he truely and innocently loves her. She has the innocent love of a child for him and says she wants to marry him when she grows up. Perhaps he was thinking of her grown up and him still young enough for them to marry when he says the part about her age. Perhaps not. It is a beautiful song, and I refuse to let such speculations spoil it for me.

• 68 Lynn // Apr 23, 2010 at 10:38 am

  Lee, thank you for bringing another perspective in seeing how this song was written. As a matter of fact, I like your version the best!

• 69 yvonne // Apr 24, 2010 at 2:16 pm

  He loved clair becouse she was in amazing child.I dont s believe there was a physical atraction. He explains in an article that he was babysitter for clair and that she would get out of bed every time and ask for more water so that she had more downstairs time with her uncle who gave her a lot more attention than her father did . Its an innosent love from an ”uncle” to a child. I also love my litle cousin. It dousnt mean i love him that way …dont mess up this beautifull song plaese. Read this article to understand it:

  http://images.google.nl/imgres?imgurl=http://www.netspeed.com.au/bhk/lounging%2520Around/images/gilbert_osullivan_clair.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.netspeed.com.au/bhk/lounging%2520Around/advertisments.htm&usg=__3j_75QbEyf1p37aHdapO4ciFHkQ=&h=445&w=315&sz=124&hl=nl&start=1&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=wyMtaKs1gBfEaM:&tbnh=127&tbnw=90&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dgilbert%2Bo%2Bsullivan%2Bclaire%26um%3D1%26hl%3Dnl%26sa%3DN%26tbs%3Disch:1

  In an interview with The Australian Women’s Weekly in June 1973, O’Sullivan told the following story about what is arguably his most popular song…..

  “About a year ago, when I first moved down here to Weybridge (Surrey), a couple of times I babysat for Gordon and his wife.

  Well, one Saturday night, having delivered an absolutely final glass of water to young Clair upstairs, I sat down at Gordon’s piano and - within an hour - wrote ‘Clair’ - a love song to a child, I guess you would say”

• 70 yvonne // Apr 24, 2010 at 2:28 pm

  there has also been an intervieuw with clair mills in witch she says that she has only good memories about uncle Ray. She wass verry fond of him as she wass a shild and he was also fond of her, i think he loved her as if it were his own doughter.

  Read the intervieuw: what happend to the real clair

• 71 Lynn // Apr 26, 2010 at 1:27 am

  Thanks Yvonne, I’ve read the article and Clair has commented here on my blog about this issue.

• 72 Eddie // Apr 29, 2010 at 10:11 pm

  Lynn this is a beautiful song about love. Absolutely nothing sexual. The media & government will corrupt your mind if you let it.

• 73 Lynn // Apr 30, 2010 at 1:49 pm

  Eddie, I admit it’s a beautiful song (although I wish he would have chosen better lyrics) and I agree, both the media and government do play a part with their propaganda in how we perceive things.

• 74 kat // May 15, 2010 at 12:47 am

  this has haunted me for years! i LOVED this song as a young girl in the 70’s! and when i started to remember it as an adult–i got totally creeped out. i can’t enjoy it anymore. i can’t see it as innocent. i know too many stories of abuse and molestation at the hands of a “family friend”. whether he actually violated claire or not is irrelevant because the lyrics are laden with sexual inappropriateness….you are right…sing what you mean, not what you think people will assume what you mean….

• 75 Lynn // May 15, 2010 at 4:38 pm

  That’s my one complaint, Kat! I love the music, but I’ll say it again, he could have chosen much better lyrics than he did if he didn’t want people to question what he was saying in this song!

• 76 Joe // May 28, 2010 at 7:31 pm

  If anyone is interested in the reason as to why Gilbert wrote such a classic song. Let me put first of all put all rumours to rest here and now. The song “Claire” was in fact written for the Mills family in respect of their daughter. We in Ireland were fortunate enough to have seen a fly-on-the wall documentary along with interviews on Gilbert and he intimated this very point. Incidentally Gilbert has two daughters of his own and a lovely partner/wife. I hope this answers all of your misgivings of the artist that is Gilbert ‘OSullivan.

• 77 Dennis // May 28, 2010 at 7:37 pm

  Lynn,

  I absolutely HAVE to share my two cents: I’m a 40-something who loves listening to music from earlier in my life. Some weeks ago, I cam upon G. O’Sullivan’s “Alone Again” on YouTube and was just carried away in pleasant memories. Then I clicked on Claire and just drifted. I have to say, though, that it’s been nagging at me since then and, today, I finally pulled it up again with the lyrics. The 70’s absolutely enjoyed a sense of innocence that is not found today. There were songs about being happy and gay, and no one batted an eye at them. Having said that, I looked the lyrics up because from the first time I heard the song years ago, I thought it odd that he’d be singing to a child. Now, having a daughter of my own, I’m extremely uncomfortable to think that ANY of my friends would sing something like this to or about my little girl. I wish absolutely no offense to “Miss Clair” or G. O’Sullivan, but I honestly can’t deny the pedophilic undertones of the song.

  You referenced lyrics that absolutely haunted me: “I don’t care what people say, to me you’re more than a child.” Here alone, he’s obviously been trying to explain his feelings for Clair to other adults, and is receiving negative feedback. Why would he receive negative feedback unless his expressions were inappropriate or misapplied?

  And now, here’s the other half of “my two cents”: I’m really impressed that this conversation string has differing opinions without anyone getting outright nasty and disgusting at another. A conversation like this could very easily deteriorate into hateful name-calling. While I appreciate reading the point of view of all, my opinion firmly mirrors your own, Lynn.

• 78 Lynn // May 29, 2010 at 2:39 pm

  Joe, most of us here know that the song was written for Clair Mills. I haven’t seen the documentary that you’re talking about. I would be interested in seeing what questions were asked and, of course, how he responded to them. Can you tell me the title of the documentary?

• 79 Lynn // May 29, 2010 at 2:54 pm

  Dennis, I agree, on the internet, things can very easily get out of hand. When a few have tried to hit below the belt, so to speak, I continue to be cordial but firm so that this discussion can be about differences of opinions. Looking at the comments I would say half agree with me and the other half totally disagree, and some have brought a new perspective to all of this. To me, all views are welcome.

  That said, I think you said it well, it’s that nagging feeling that something’s not right that bothers half of us!

• 80 Eric Torres // Jun 14, 2010 at 6:19 am

  Hello, Everyone:

  Wow! It seems someone has stirred up an anthill by simply asking for better (less ambiguous?)lyrics to a song.

  I originally heard “Clair” as a child back in the ’70s — and whistled along with the tune. As I grew older, I would hear the song played every few so often on different oldies stations. I have never EVER associated the lyrics with innappropriate behavior on the part of the singer. Maybe it’s because I can relate to what the song describes…

  Way back in ‘79, I met a girl who, to this day, is my wife. She has an extensive family, including nine siblings. While we were going steady, one of her sisters had a child, a green-eyed baby boy. I must admit that, prior to his birth, I had never felt very comfortable around children.

  Well, that all changed the first time this child raised his arms to me, hoping I would pick him up. For some unexplained reason, almost from the time he could first walk, he chose me over his blood relatives to be his friend, his playmate, and his most loving uncle. I was already in my 20s…
  I would babysit, play with, feed and pamper (read tickle, hug and cuddle, not change diapers) him. To me, he was more than “just” a child; he was both the little brother I never had, and a son I would have loved to call my own. He made me feel things I would have been embarrassed to admit… he sat in my lap, rode on my back and slept in my arms.
  I looked forward to the times when I would care for him (even though he ran me ragged chasing after him) and I hated having to leave at the end of the day. I set rules and boundaries for his behavior while we were together, but he still got away with almost anything he felt like doing.
  I learned to love him, more so than my own nieces and nephews (Most of them were older than I or almost my own age, anyway). Even now, whenever we get together at family gatherings, I am still the first “uncle” he hugs.

  And so, I was amazed by some of the opinions posted here regarding the lyrics to “Clair”. Pedophaelia? Improper behavior? Hidden sexual desires? All these because the lyrics “aren’t clear”?

  Not everyone harbors sexual desires towards a child when they say it’s difficult to be without them. Nor do they admit to wanting to commit immoral acts when they say that the child is special to them. Sometimes, they just mean they love the child… with their hearts.

  If you are of the opinion that the song’s lyrics are ambiguous, that’s fine; they were perfectly clear to me. If you feel uncomfortable with the feelings they make you feel, that’s okay, too; they made me remember an event that helped me become a more loving person.

  How about this: might there be something in YOUR psyche that caused your confusion and discomfort, something that made YOU think about hidden innuendo when most others just enjoy a nice song?

  Think about it…

• 81 Lynn // Jun 21, 2010 at 7:47 pm

  I have thought about it Eric, actually I think I was somewhat naive when it came to pedophilia. I have to admit I learned about it rather late in life that people (mostly adult men) could actually desire to have sex with a child. It was beyond my comprehension….so I don’t think there is something in my psyche which has caused confusion, but I will say it definitely causes discomfort when you hear about it almost nightly on the news!

  As for your story with the “child” you love so dearly who is now grown…..I can relate to that quite well! I too fell in love with my little niece the first time I laid eyes on her and I love her like she’s my own daughter. We have a special bond that can’t be explained and believe me I worry about her in this day and age!

• 82 steve // Jun 25, 2010 at 8:44 am

  I was 11 when this song came out, and remember how big a hit it was and the video that was played on top of the tops was about a little girl, so no mistaking who it was aimed at. I recently bought a 70s CD which had this single on it which I’d bought for a “name that tune” game with some friends. When we played this track, admittedly the 1st time I’d heard it probably in decades, we replayed it a number of times as we were shocked by the lyrics. As some people have said, maybe we are now more aware of the potential implications of the nature of the lyrics. I’ve now googled it to see if other people felt the same way, and it appears so. GOS was very popular in the 70s, and I guess the fact that he ultimately fell out with his manager too makes people even more suspicious. Unless we hear from all parties involved I guess we’ll never know. In 20 years time I expected people will look back on this decade and look at the vast range of songs that contain so many f words and sexual overtones and there will be some songs that will be identified as “How Did They Get Away With It”. But if someone brought out Clair now, then you’d like to think that would be the end of their career.

• 83 Bunst // Jun 25, 2010 at 3:13 pm

  OMG!

  Are you guy’s ever effed up?! Analysing (a better term would be Analy-si-fi-cati-sizing” because analysis imnplies both knowledge and intelligence) the lyrics to “Claire” and looking to find some evil intent in the most innocuous of words.

  G o”S wrote a love-song to his 4-year old neice; one that tells her how special she is and how much he loves her. This was a beatiful and woderfu; gift - an expression of love and caring that will last her till the day she dies.

  Hell, I wrote a love song to my dog, for God’s sale! She was just a lttle puppy, separated from her siblings and being driven to the vet in her new home 3,000 miles away. She was uposet and worried, so I made up a little song and sang it her. It was a song to tell her how much I loved her and I would always care for her - not one ytelling her that I wanted to have sex with her, foir God’s ake!.

  It worked and and even today, when she an elderly lady (a 13-year old, 120 lb Newfie),, she still lights up when she hears that song.

  It’s too bad that none of you people with the extra-sharp X-RAy eyes were not so well loved as children as to recognize a wonderful little love-sung made specially for you. Every chuld should have one.

  As for those of you deconstructing his l;yrics to find hidden obscene meaning, YOU try song-writing and see how difficult it is. And just imagine how supremely pissed-off you would be if some retreaded retard came by 40 years layter to try and construe child sexual abuse into it.

  It’s very very easy to criticese the talented when you have none. So, please maintain a modest silence, we won’t be able to figure out what a large slab of uninspired meat you are.

• 84 Lynn // Jun 25, 2010 at 7:20 pm

  Steve, I agree, I don’t think Clair would be played on the air today because of the innuendos….or like you mentioned about all the song lyrics today, they would definitely have not been played 20 or 30 years ago! I can’t even imagine how music will have progressed (or maybe I should say regressed) 20 or 30 years from now!

• 85 Lynn // Jun 25, 2010 at 7:39 pm

  Bunst, first of all, get your story straight, GO’S wrote Clair for his manager’s daughter and not his niece!

  Secondly, this is a discussion about what people think and just because some people have a different opinion than you is no reason for you to call names. It shows your close mindedness which ironically is what you’re complaining about when people voice a different opinion than yours!

  Interestingly enough you write that I should try “….songwriting and see how difficult it is.” Well I have written a number of song (the music and the lyrics) and no, I didn’t write it for a child nor for a dog, but the public in general. I am also an artist and a poet, so this “…..large slab of uninspired meat…..” as you call me will continue to voice my opinion whenever I see fit and if you don’t like, well that’s your problem, not mine!

• 86 Bunst // Jun 27, 2010 at 5:07 pm

  Dear Lynn:

  First, G O’Ses Claire might have been his “manager’s daughter”, but she was still his niece; just as much as the sons and daughters of all my friends are my nephews and neices, regardless of race, color, creed, time or distance. I think this is how Uncle Ray saw his little Claire and how she saw her easily-exploitable Uncle Ray.

  To say that a neice can ony be from one’s family is to strike an artificial barrier that comes in the way of our being a more loving and caring planet, rather than of one infested by Republicans and Tea Partiers. So please don’t do it.

  Second, this NOT a “discussion about what people think”; this is you making a lengthy diatribe of a blog, and then reponding to EVERY SINGLE COMMENT FOR 18 MONTHS in an effort to foster your purient opinions on to others.

  You do, indeed, have the complete right to publicly say (and defend) something stupid and idiotic. However, the long-suffering public has an equal right to call you a stupid. idiot. That is called fair comment and not closed-mindedness. Incidentally, that’s “closed-minded” and not “CLOSE-minded.

  I am truly sorry that your chldhood years were so bereft of the love, acceptance and devotion of the adults in your life, that you have grown to such a bitter and suspicious adulthood. I undestand your lonliness and , but you are doing the same disservice to humannity by spreading this sadness unnesscessarily. I mean did you HAVE to write your silly blog about “Suspicious lyrics” in “Claire”. for Goodness sake?

  Love your children, sons, daughters, neices and nephews. all. Tell them that. Mean it. Sing it to them in songs to let them know. After all, as a lyricist and musician to actual human beings, you should be better aqble to do it than me — a desiner of computer systems.

  God gave you a huge gift, when he gave you the ability to make poetry and music. Use it to spread love and joy, not suspicion and hatred. Let the world be a better place for your having passed through it.

  And, I’d certainly marry you if you wanted me to, but you’ll have to aske me again after you’re all grown up. You may have a boyfriend by then and won’t want to marry me any more.

  And, no matter what, you may NOT have another glass of water; I’ve gotten you four already and you’re just being naughty.

  Peace and love for the rest of your life.

• 87 Lynn // Jun 28, 2010 at 8:11 am

  Bunst, if I were as close minded as you think, I would not be allowing comments that are different than my own. As you can see, I allow everyone to comment as they wish, even you. If you would look further, I did not make a blog particularly for this one topic. I write about all different things. This just happens to be one post that people continue to comment on and by courtesy I reply to every comment I receive, it doesn’t matter which post or whether someone agrees with me or not.

  As for my childhood, who’s being closeminded as to comment on something you know nothing about?! You have to go and assume just because I have different views than you that I must have had a sad unloved childhood. Well I hate to burst you bubble, but it was anything but!!! I had two parents who showered me and my brothers and sisters with as much love and happiness that any kid could wish for!

  So peace and love to you as well!

• 88 Mark // Jun 28, 2010 at 9:44 am

  Hi Lynn

  Well, what a terrible situation!!

  On one hand, as a musician, I enormously respect Mr O’Sullivans lyrics and melodies. His talent is certainly not in question nor is his musical ability. I think that we should remember that at this point.

  On the other hand, we do live ( sadly ) in a society hellbent on castigating individuals for almost anything they do or say and I really think this is applicable in this case. Labelling anyone or anything with the “paedo” badge is certainly not anything to be taken lightly. It is one of the most heinous words in our language.

  In some of your comments you state you wish he had used different lyrics or phrases in this song. I can only assume you know very little about the songwriting process. If you knew what you were talking about you would know that this is a very emotional/physical/spiritual process for a musician to go through and is hard enough getting a finished piece of work together without worrying about people with far too much time on there hands to complain 30 odd years later.

  I think, to sum up my own little rant that we should remember the song as we know it when we were younger. We should realise the girl in question and her family were present thoroughout the process and would have heard/screened the song before it was ever released. Surely you can see that they had no problem at all ( Claire Mills herself writes ) with the finished piece. Her father saw no hidden agendas or dark sides to the lyrics or the manner in which they were written.

  So, I suggest, instead of trying to make something so special into something so awful you should turn off your computer, turn off Loose Women or Jerry Springer which you sound like you are very much into and spend some time with some real people, get out into the real world and question your own morals as to why on earth you are disturbed enough to see “paedophillia” in so many abstract places. Or, you can carry on being disturbed and tortured until fate catches up with you and pays you back in spades for your ridiculous article.

  Enough is Enough Lynn. Please stop it now.

• 89 Lynn // Jun 28, 2010 at 3:14 pm

  Mark, if people like you and everyone else who comments on this particular post want to keep adding their two cents, then go ahead - you’re the ones who are keeping this post alive by commenting. If no one commented, it would have been dead a long time ago and apparently there are a lot of people who do see the lyrics as disturbing.

  As for Loose Women and Jerry Springer, I don’t even know what you’re talking about??? So being into them as you say is only in your mind.

  When I wrote this article, I only stated my opinion and others have given theirs. I wish Mr. O’Sullivan no ill by commenting on his lyrics….so as for fate, be careful what you wish for others since life has a way of bringing it back to you!

• 90 Peter // Jul 5, 2010 at 7:34 pm

  Ever since I have downloaded the song to my MP3 player I have found my self singing the tune in my head, remembering it from the 70’s made it familiar to me. Then I thought about a couple of the phrases and wondered. I then went on the internet to see the lyrics and any information on the song. And then I found this post. Isn’t it interesting that others have thought this also. Yes, it could be innocent and maybe not. I guess only God, O’sullivan and Claire knows.

• 91 Lynn // Jul 6, 2010 at 7:23 am

  Peter, thanks for your input and showing once again that quite a number of people, after carefully listening to the song, find something not quite right about the words. And you’re right, it could be entirely innocent and this post is “making a mountain out of a mole hill” which wasn’t my intention when I first wrote that I found it disturbing.

  As you so rightly say, only God, GO’S, and Clair know.

• 92 Peter // Jul 6, 2010 at 8:38 pm

  I choose to believe the best of what O’Sullivan created. And listen to it now with that in mind. It’s not just another love song. But instead a song of admiration for a child he babysat and ,if that reall was Claire, maybe her mother did really have input. Why not, a gift to a little girl. What little girl wouldn’t love to have a song written to them. If that is indeed true than it is not the typical love song of the 70’s and truly a unique song that few people were ever were aware of.

• 93 Judith // Jul 24, 2010 at 3:10 am

  Hi Lynn!
  I found your blog, because I just heard ‘Clair’ on TV, and it reminded me of how the lyrics disturbed me…waay back in the 70’s. The child laughter always concerned me, as well.
  It just seems such an obviously inappropriate song…why should he cry, and seem to have conflict with his feelings? And on and on.
  To tell you the truth, the folks who suggested that it may have been written as a sort of ‘gottcha’, or set-up with a surprise ending, make sense to me…perhaps that could be. But still…even back then, I often wondered…why are they allowing this on the air waves?? You do have to wonder…and I also find it strange that some commenters here, feel so angrily passionate about the subject! Hmm…

• 94 Lynn // Jul 24, 2010 at 7:49 pm

  Amen to that Judith! You raise a very good point. If he loves the little girl as a niece, a daughter, etc., as many people here say, he doesn’t need to write: “But why in spite of our age difference do I cry.” You don’t need to cry because you love a child who is a child and you’re an adult. Enough said!

  I even have one guy angry with me because I answer everyone who comments on my post! I don’t know about him, but when someone usually talks to me, the polite thing to do is acknowledge the person and respond. I do that on all my posts, not just this one. Go figure!

• 95 Mark // Aug 3, 2010 at 4:06 pm

  You should not take the lyrics so literally.Gilbert’s earlier lyrics were often daft,but they were meant to convey innocent and more simplistic times of his youth. Many of his early song lyrics seemed almost there just to have something to go with what were brilliant melodies.Yet when he really wanted to convey feeling he was a master lyrisist.ie Alone again or We will…both create strong emotions of loss or love. Gilbert has always been under estimated for his talent.

• 96 Lynn // Aug 4, 2010 at 7:58 pm

  Mark, you’re right about the melodies and I do love the songs that you mention. Alone Again Naturally is beautiful and so sad, but when I listen to a song, the lyrics are also important to me.

  For example, one of my favorite songs musically is Erroll Garner’s “Misty”. Simply beautiful! I could listen to it a thousand times (and I have) and never get tired of hearing it.

  Everytime I hear Johnny Burke’s lyrics to the song, however, I cringe, therefore I only listen to the musical version. Someone, anyone could have come up with much better lyrics than what he did! Here’s some of the lyrics and see for yourself what I mean:

  Look at me, I’m as helpless as a kitten up a tree,
  And I feel like I’m clinging to a cloud, I can’t understand,
  I get misty, just holding your hand.

  On my own, would I wander through this wonderland alone,
  Never knowing my right foot from my left, my hat from my glove,
  I’m too misty, and too much in love.
  I’m too misty, and too much in love.

  I rest my case.

• 97 mark // Aug 9, 2010 at 5:21 pm

  Lyrics are with out doubt often important depending on whether the writer is trying to convey
  emotions or a message,but sometimes they are there (perhaps lazily) just to have something to listen or sing along to. But the point I think you are missing is that the style and type of lyrics in a song will reflect the era or decade that they were written in. eg Yellow submarine or Lola ‘,Im too sexy for my shirt’ . MISTY reflected it’s era of old fashion love and is typical of its day. Watch some old films from that era and you’ll see what I mean. I believe Gilberts C

• 98 mark // Aug 9, 2010 at 5:32 pm

  continued.
  I believe Gilbert’s Claire reflected a world that was not as cynical as today,and people viewed things differently and perhaps more innocently,and as for Claires laughter at the end of the song,the whole point was to show her fun or mischievousness manner reflecting a typical little girl of her age.
  ps listern to johnNy Mathis’s version of Misty..brilliant

• 99 José // Aug 11, 2010 at 12:59 pm

  While learning English I found that some of the words of this lovely song were more or less easy to understand because of its slow rithm. Easier to understand were the singer’s strong feelings for her muse, but even easier to understand was the humorous twist of the song given by the girl’s giggle, as mark says.
  I think I am going to buy the album to listen the rest of the songs of this inspired author, and in my opinion, good man.

• 100 Lynn // Aug 13, 2010 at 6:39 am

  Mark, I agree that Johnny Mathis singing Misty is a great rendition, but I still think it’s because of the incredibly beautiful melody and not the lyrics. I mean listen to Sarah Vaughn, the great Ella, or Kenny Rogers to name but a few singing Misty, even if they were singing “Shit on me.”* instead of “Look at me….” it would sound good.

  Then listen to Erroll Garner, or Stephane Grappelli and Michel Petrucciani, Stan Getz or Joe Pass to name but a few again playing Misty and you see that the melody doesn’t need the lyrics.

  As for the song Clair, yes it was a different time, but unfortunately, I don’t think the song would play on the air today.

  *Excuse the vulgarity, but it was just to make a point.

• 101 Lynn // Aug 13, 2010 at 6:47 am

  José, thanks for your comment. It could be as you say just a humorous twist at the end. If you’ve read my comments, then you know my complaint is more about his lyrics than whether he is a good man or not.

• 102 mark // Aug 13, 2010 at 2:52 pm

  Hi Lynn
  Actually the song has been played a few times recently on air in the uk.
  To come full circle Gilbert is was not twisted and hung up on a small child,and Im sure he would be devasted to think (and claire herself) to know people have now after so many years drawn such a conclusion.
  He deserves more respect than that.

• 103 Mikecheck // Aug 14, 2010 at 5:49 am

  G.O. bashers please chill out on this. I’m not a huge fan of his, (Rush, Megadeth-now you’re talkin’) but being a teenager in the 70’s this song never raised eyebrows wth me then & or now. My sister, being the level-headed christian she is, bought this CD for her adorable little grandaughter, Claire. Does she need some enlightment too? I’ll admit, the lyrics are a little odd if not somewhat corny..but think for a moment: If the artist was a pedophile type, do you really think that he’d convey it purposely to the music world? A bit doubtful isn’t it? Some folks however MUST read into things negatively and stir the pot! It was a sentimental, innocent tune for a child he was fond of. That’s it. Too many people in today’s society in particulur tend to look for an excuse to draw the sword. What is the point here..should congress demand that the words be “bleeped out”? This song is older than dirt-leave it be..(LOL) The same with Michael Jackson. Unless you were there-or you claim to be God, put a gag in it and harp about other things like oil spills. Lynn, let it go, but if you must-here’s a dollar in change for you to call someone who’s concerned.

• 104 MARIA DAS GRAÇAS // Aug 14, 2010 at 10:00 am

  Lynn, I am very happy to see that after 40 years, still makes clair sucess.I love Gilbert O `Sullivan, beautiful songs, sincere, ingenuous highly sensitive, but I respect his opnion.Suggest hear that we will, and his opinion. Sorry English is not perfect.kisses.
  Maria das Graças.Rio de Janeiro-Brazil

• 105 Lynn // Aug 15, 2010 at 7:24 am

  Mark, Clair did leave a comment (#10) if we are to believe it was her and yes, she was outraged by this post.

  When I wrote it, (and this comment is also for you, Mikecheck) I wasn’t trying to stir the pot or anything. I wasn’t look to blast GO’S, I wrote that I was disturbed by the lyrics and asked if anyone else was or what they thought. That’s it, and apparently there are a number of people who find the words in the song odd and there are those who don’t.

  Everyone is free to give their opinion, or not, and to read what they want, or not.

  Oh yeah, by the way, Mikecheck, if you don’t want GO’S to be thought of as anything but a nice guy, I wouldn’t put Michael Jackson in the same comment as him. Enough said.

• 106 Lynn // Aug 15, 2010 at 7:29 am

  Maria, obrigado pelo seu comentário.

• 107 Mikecheck // Aug 16, 2010 at 12:11 pm

  Lynn, to disagree with you more, MJ and G.O. are not on the same page. I’m also not on a “G.O. is a Nice Guy” crusade. The latter person never went to court. He just wrote a song(s) way back in ‘72. From what I read, this dude still plays concerts. Isn’t that remarkable? Saying that I shouldn’t bring MJ’s name (what is this-court?) into it has nothing to do with anything and holds little importance as well. I guess what I meant to say is- you shouldn’t believe all that you hear. (like gossip) And on the subject, I’m not hearing much more gab about Gilbert O’ Sullivan anywhere than right here. Then you, being the judge w/ a gavel write back and denounce the ones who didn’t happen to “catch what you did”. It’s funny because at first you say “just give me your opinion” more or less, then you aggressively give each guest your bad or good report card. I’m not keeping a tally here, but it appears most people’s comments favor it as not being a perverted song. So we still need to wake up, am I right? As I’ve said, I think it has “odd” lyrics, but I also think many hundreds of tunes do too, but there’s only so much time in a day to make a big deal of it. If you are looking for disturbing songs to criticize, why not check out thousands of hip hop/ rock/ rap/ songs that are ready to jump at you at the click of a button? Now your’e talking along the lines of a disturbing epidemic. Then you have some real red flags. Pick some of those lyrics to dissect ..you may have more people siding with you. The song you are “alarmed about” should be enjoyed (or dis-liked) for the true music it is..sorry there’s really nothing more to add to that. You’ve read into things a wee bit too much Lynn. You have no leg or even a crutch to stand on here. You say he could have wrote the words different. Well, last I checked, it hit # 1 on the airwaves some 38 years ago, meaning he likely did something right. You probably should have tried to gather signatures then. But we can be rest-assured that now, there is no wild mob of people buying such an offensive song now, right? Being a musician & songwriter myself, I think my tastes are pretty open-minded, reasonable. And with that, I consider the song harmless. You don’t and that’s ok. My advise is is this- talk more indepth about it with Clair. That would be the smart thing to do. I tiried to think of 3 good points that you’ve made. Here’s what I ended up with:
  1.
  2.
  3.

• 108 Lynn // Aug 18, 2010 at 4:26 pm

  Thanks for your opinion Mikecheck. By the way, this is not court, it is you giving your opinion and me giving mine. Is that not how things are suppose to work in a discussion and not a monologue?

  As for the good report/bad report, the only time I give as you say, a bad report is when someone turns nasty and starts name calling and not because their opinion happens to disagree with my own. Someone even bashed me here for responding to each person who leaves a comment. (That’s called being polite in the blogosphere. I do it on all my posts, not just this one.)

  As a matter of fact, listening to everyone’s comments have made me think twice about probably seeing more into his lyrics than what is actually there. That’s called “thinking or reasoning” something more people should do!!!

• 109 Alejandro // Aug 18, 2010 at 5:04 pm

  Lynn,

  I came across your post by chance, via another Web search on another info. And after reading it and the comments carefully, they reminded me of an old discussion during my English language studies (it’s not my native language) in the late 70’s. We were discussing about certain songs’ lyrics and books, and the first true conclussion we all agreed back then was that you can’t judge certain expressions or even whole books without taking into account their historical context.
  Let me explain it by giving you an example: would you bash or ban Shakespeare, the ultimate English-language writer, the most world-widely respected author?… If you analyze almost too much (I mean, if you almost dissect) his works NOW, you would find certain “hidden” anti-semitic biases, for example. BUT, you must take into account the historical context, and then you could get to say that some expressions were something generally “clean” back then, and no one could then say there was a sort of racial hate or bias in Shakespeare’s works, but just a time-context when those expressions and their “timed” meaning were as usual as calling someone with some word like “fool” (with no real offense intended) might be today… And so would be the case of the descriptions of some circumstances.
  Something similar happens in other masterworks in different languages, i.e. “Don Quixote”. No Spanish speaker (like me) would try or even dare calling Cervates Saavedra a racial hater, but you could find many cases of non political correcteness (under today’s standards) in that masterpiece.
  That’s why I must agree with the point of view previously expressed about the time it was written to be taken into account. And so the lyrics to the song should be analyzed, within the time and circumstance. And that was a time when the “I love this baby” and some phrases’ case could not have ever been taken as “pedo” situation. I can still remember telling a girl who almost 16 y/o older and baby-sitted me that I loved her when I was 4 (in early 1969), and she saying she loved me too and promising me to marry me when I grew up, and that I took her breath away… We have met again a few months ago, and we had a real good time joking and laughing about her “broken promises”… She’s married, with a son and two daughters, has 3 grandchildren (and her older son, who is 3 years younger than me, couldn’t help but laughing out loud about it!)… Again, it was back in 1969, and I think no one could have even dared to imagine that when she looked after me when my parents left me at her home, something unapproriate might have happened (and it didn’t, of course!). Those were different times… similar to those you must relate to when analyzing the lyrics to “Clair”, since today’s points of view on certain issues could always lead to some sort of misinterpretations of what were “clean” situations.

  I hope I have expressed my point the right way.. I’m not a native speaker; furthermore, I haven’t spoken English since the early 80’s.. So, please, do forgive me for any mistakes, please…

  Best wishes!

• 110 Lynn // Aug 19, 2010 at 7:29 am

  Good point taken, Alejandro and thank you for taking the time to give your opinion and as Dennis commented on (#77) awhile back, without any name calling or bashing.

  Yes, it was a different time and back then I loved the song without really listening to the lyrics or maybe it was just as many commentators have said, a more innocent time. Call me naive, but back then I didn’t even know pedophilia existed.

  Just a side note: if I wrote Spanish as well as you write English, I would be thrilled! You write better than a lot of native English speakers!!! No apologies necessary!!!

• 111 Mikecheck // Aug 19, 2010 at 12:08 pm

  Lynn, you are a good, expressive writer and you are courteous along with that. I wish you the best in all you do..take care & keep writing, you are superb at it. Regards, M

• 112 Lynn // Aug 19, 2010 at 1:09 pm

  Thanks Mikecheck!

• 113 MARIA DAS GRAÇAS // Aug 21, 2010 at 10:35 pm

  hi Lynn. It is good to know that gilbert o sullivan is still remembered as a great singer,even though people make comments about his songs.The most important thing is that his fans give him full support.Thank you so much you have brought back such good memories from the past.

• 114 Lynn // Aug 23, 2010 at 5:30 am

  Maria, reading all the comments, I have to agree that there are a number of his fans here!

• 115 john // Aug 25, 2010 at 11:16 am

  most lyrics are supposed to be ambiguous. that is what allows listeners to identify with the song: they ‘finish’ the song in their heads, much like one imagines locations and characters in a novel. while i may think that so many lyrics that reference ‘girls’ and ‘men’ in a song, or movie dialog, are misplaced, i do not think they are necessarily implying a great age difference, only that the author is simply old-fashioned or bigoted. i was ten when ‘claire’ was on the radio, and it was perfectly obvious to me at the time that it was a love song to a little, really little, girl, by an older man. you can even hear it in the way he sang it: a love, not sex, song. now if he’d sung it similar to Barry White, then you’d have something perhaps. some of us men love little girls and boys: love, not sex. there is a difference between the two as we all know. the following number one song after ‘claire’ was “my ding-a-ling”, chuck berry’s biggest hit. the nuns wouldn’t let us play it. you might want to try putting that sucker under your microscope, it’s pretty fun! peace.

• 116 Lynn // Aug 25, 2010 at 7:00 pm

  John, thanks for your input, as you say, if GO’S had sung it like Barry White then no one would have any doubts, but of course he didn’t. Hey, I love Barry White! As for Chuck Berry’s Ding-a-ling song, he was definitely insinuating in a humorous way a lot more than his silver bells!

• 117 mark // Aug 28, 2010 at 1:21 pm

  Hi Lynn
  Just to let you guys all know that Gilbert is still touring in the uk and is very popular. Listen to his back catalogue and you will see a high percentage of the songs deal with family ties and depict northern England ways and values. He frequently shows how importantce family and family relationships were to him through his youth into adulthood. ie Alone again or ‘We will’. Both songs also indicate he had a strong religous upbringing.
  Lynn I really recommend you find a copy of ‘Back to Front’ ,a brilliant albumn which I think shows what Gilbert as a young man was about.

• 118 Lynn // Aug 29, 2010 at 7:51 am

  Thanks Mark, for adding to this post, I definitely will look for “Back to Front”. I see that Gilbert O’Sullivan still has quite a fan club after all these years!

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