Shakin’ Stevens

Shakin’ Stevens also known as ‘Shaky’ (born Michael Barrett, 4 March 1948, in Ely, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales) is a Welsh rock and roll singer, who has the distinction of being the top selling male UK singles artist of the 1980s.

During the 1970s he recorded and toured over Europe and scored hit records in several places, although he did not score his first hit single in his native land, the United Kingdom, until 1980. In 1981 he had his first UK number 1 with “This Ole House” and as the decade went on he returned to the top 5 ten more times, scoring 3 more number 1 hits with “Green Door”, “Oh Julie” and “Merry Christmas Everyone”. Throughout the 1980s and into the first half of the 1990s he had regular chart success, which also saw his album Shaky reach Number 1.

His 1984 hit “Teardrops” featured Hank B.Marvin on guitar and Shaky has often featured well-known musicians such as Albert Lee and Roger Taylor on his recordings.

In 1994 he quit recording, but continued tour playing to audiences of up to 200,000. In 1998 he topped the charts in Denmark with a compilation of his singles.

In 2005, he returned once again to the charts at home with the 25 track greatest hits album The Collection, which reached the UK top 5. That year, he also appeared in the video to Tony Christie’s and Peter Kay’s #1 hit single “Is This The Way To Amarillo”, alongside many other UK stars. He also became the winner that year on the reality television show, Hit Me Baby One More Time. This was quickly followed by a re-release of his cover and his own biggest hit sung in the show, “Trouble” (covering Pink’s version)/”This Ole House”, which reached #20 on the UK Singles Chart in June 2005, his 33rd top 40 hit.

Discography

UK Releases only
Singles

  • “Spirit Of Woodstock” (1970) Parlophone
  • “Sweet Little Rock & Roller” (1972) Polydor
  • “Honey Honey” (1973) Emerald
  • “Jungle Rock” (1976) Mooncrest
  • “Never” (1977) Track
  • “Somebody Touched Me” (1977) Track
  • “Justine” (1978) Track
  • “Treat Her Right” (1978) Epic
  • “Endless Sleep” (1979) Epic
  • “Spooky” (1979) Epic
  • “Hot Dog” (1980) Epic (UK #24)
  • “Hey Mae” (1980) Epic
  • “Marie Marie” (1980) Epic (UK #19)
  • “Shooting Gallery” (1980) Epic
  • “This Ole House” (1981) Epic (UK #1)
  • “You Drive Me Crazy” (1981) Epic (UK #2)
  • “Green Door” (1981) Epic (UK #1)
  • “It’s Raining” (1981) Epic (UK #10)
  • “Oh Julie” (1982) Epic (UK #1)
  • “Shirley” (1982) Epic (UK #6)
  • “Give Me Your Heart Tonight” (1982) Epic (UK #11)
  • “I’ll Be Satisfied” (1982) Epic (UK #10)
  • “The Shakin’ Stevens EP” (1982) Epic (UK #2)
  • “It’s Late” (1983) Epic (UK #11)
  • “Cry Just A Little Bit” (1983) Epic (UK #3 US #67)
  • “A Rockin’ Good Way” (1984) Epic (UK #5)
  • “A Love Worth Waiting For” (1984) Epic (UK #2)
  • “A Letter To You” (1984) Epic (UK #10)
  • “Teardrops” (1984) Epic (UK #5)
  • “Breaking Up My Heart” (1985) Epic (UK #14)
  • “Lipstick Powder And Paint” (1985) Epic (UK #11)
  • “Merry Christmas Everyone” (1985) Epic (UK #1)
  • “Turning Away” (1986) Epic (UK #15)
  • “Because I Love You” (1986) Epic (UK #14)
  • “A Little Boogie Woogie (In the Back of My Mind) (1987) Epic (UK #12)
  • “Come See About Me” (1987) Epic (UK #24)
  • “What Do You Want To Make Those Eyes At Me For” (1987) Epic (UK #5)
  • “Feel The Need In Me” (1988) Epic (UK #26)
  • “How Many Tears Can You Hide” (1988) Epic (UK #47)
  • “True Love” (1988) Epic (UK #23)
  • “Jezebel” (1989) Epic (UK #58)
  • “Love Attack” (1989) Epic (UK #28)
  • “I Might” (1990) Epic (UK #18)
  • “Yes I Do” (1990) Epic (UK #60)
  • “Pink Champagne” (1990) Epic (UK #59)
  • “My Cutie Cutie” (1990) Epic (UK #75)
  • “The Best Christmas Of Them All” (1990) Epic (UK #19)
  • “I’ll Be Home This Christmas” (1991) Epic (UK #34)
  • “Radio” (1992) Epic (UK #37)
  • “Trouble”/”This Ole House” (2005) Sony/BMG (UK #20)
  • “Now Listen” (2007) Sony/BMG

Albums

  • A Legend (1970) Parlophone
  • I’m No J.D. (1971) CBS
  • Rockin’ And Shakin’ (1972) Contour
  • Shakin’ Stevens & The Sunsets (1973) Emerald
  • Shakin’ Stevens (1978) Track
  • Take One (1980) Epic
  • Marie Marie (1980) Epic
  • This Ole House (1981) Epic
  • Shaky (1981) Epic
  • Hot Dog (1982) Epic
  • Give Me Your Heart Tonight (1982) Epic
  • The Bop Won’t Stop (1983) Epic
  • Greatest Hits (1984) Epic
  • Lipstick Powder And Paint (1985) Epic
  • Let’s Boogie (1987) Epic
  • A Whole Lotta Shaky (1988) Epic
  • There’s Two Kinds Of Music…Rock And Roll (1990) Telstar
  • Merry Christmas Everyone (1991) Epic
  • The Epic Years (1992) Epic
  • The Collection (2005) Sony/BMG
  • Now Listen (2007) Sony/BMG

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