Leo Sayer

You Make Me Feel Like Dancing

Leo Sayer (born Gerard Hugh Sayer, 21 May 1948, in Shoreham-by-Sea, Sussex) is an English performing artist whose singing career has spanned four decades.

Sayer has had success with his single and album releases, in both the UK and U.S. He was initially discovered by David Courtney who co managed him with the singer-turned-manager, Adam Faith. Sayer began his music career co-writing songs with David Courtney, including "Giving It All Away", which gave Roger Daltrey of The Who his first hit as a soloist in 1973.
That same year Sayer began his career as a recording artist. At the time of his initial chart breakthrough in Britain, with his debut hit "The Show Must Go On", he wore a pierrot style outfit and make-up, but dropped it soon afterwards, and his now distinctive curly hair is widely recognizable, often leading others to physically compare Sayer to fitness guru Richard Simmons. The name Leo was given him by Courtney, inspired by the star sign and lion-like mane. In 1976, Sayer recorded three Beatles songs, "I Am the Walrus", "Let It Be" and "The Long and Winding Road", for the ill advised and ill fated documentary All This and World War II.

His subsequent hits included, "Long Tall Glasses" and "Orchard Road". In 1977, Sayer decided to move into disco and due to this his popularity skyrocketed almost overnight. His hits from this period include the above video: "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing" (a U.S. number one): the romantic ballad "When I Need You", which reached number one in both the UK and U.S. in 1977; and remakes of Bobby Vee's "More Than I Can Say" (his fourth UK number 2 hit, and in the U.S., number 2 pop and number one in the adult contemporary chart); and Buddy Holly's "Raining In My Heart". In the U.S., three of his singles - "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing," "When I Need You," and "More Than I Can Say" - were certified gold.

Sayer made an appearance on The Muppet Show during the third season (second show), when he sang his hits "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing" and "When I Need You."

He also provided the soundtrack for the English language version of the French-Belgian animated film The Missing Link (1980).

In 1990, he contributed to the last recording studio collaboration between Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson, the album Freudiana, performing "I Am A Mirror".

In 2000, "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing" was featured in the hit film Charlie's Angels, and was on the accompanying soundtrack album.

Sayer's debut UK hit, "The Show Must Go On," was covered by Three Dog Night for the U.S. market, and reached Number four on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1974. Plus Phil Collins covered Sayer's song "I Can't Stop Loving You" for his 2002 album Testify. It reached number one on the U.S. adult contemporary chart.

In 2005, he moved to Sydney, Australia, but on 12 February 2006, made a surprise return to number one in the UK Singles Chart, with Meck's remix of "Thunder In My Heart". He has also appeared in the Australian comedy, Stupid, Stupid Man.

Leo Sayer: At His Very Best, a career spanning compilation album was released in the UK on 6 March, 2006. It exclusively features the Meck single, alongside Sayer classics such as, "When I Need You" and "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing".

Discography

Albums
Silverbird (1973) UK #2
Just a Boy (1974) UK #4
Another Year (1975) UK #8
Endless Flight (1976) UK #4
Thunder in My Heart (1977) UK #8
Leo Sayer (1978) UK #15
The Very Best of Leo Sayer (1979) UK #1
Here (1979) UK #44
Living in a Fantasy (1980) UK #15
World Radio (1982) UK #30
Have You Ever Been in Love (1983) UK #15
Cool Touch (1990)
All the Best (1993) UK #26
The Definitive Hits Collection (1999) UK #35
Live in London (1999) UK
Endless Journey - The Essential Leo Sayer (2004) UK #52 in 2006
Voice In My Head (2005)
Leo Sayer: At His Very Best (2006) UK #30

Singles
"The Show Must Go On" - 1973 - UK #2 (U.S. #4 in 1974 for Three Dog Night)
"One Man Band" - 1974 - UK #6 / U.S. #96 (1975 release)
"Long Tall Glasses (I Can Dance)" - 1974 - UK #4 / U.S. #9 (1975 release)
"Moonlighting" - 1975 - UK #2
"You Make Me Feel Like Dancing" - 1976 - UK #2 / U.S. #1
"When I Need You" - 1977 - UK & U.S. #1
"How Much Love" - 1977 - UK #10 / U.S. #17
"Thunder in My Heart" - 1977 - UK #22 / U.S. #38
"Easy To Love" - 1977 - U.S. #36
"I Can't Stop Lovin' You (Though I Try)" - 1978 - UK #6
"Raining in My Heart" - 1978 - UK #21, U.S. # 47
"More Than I Can Say" - 1980 - UK #2, U.S. #2
"Living in a Fantasy" - 1981 - U.S. # 23
"Have You Ever Been in Love" - 1982 - UK #10
"Heart (Stop Beating in Time)" - 1982 - UK #22
"Orchard Road" - 1983 - UK #16
"Till You Come Back To Me" - 1983 - UK #51
"Sea Of Heartbreak" - 1984 - UK #84
"Unchained Melody" - 1986 - UK #54
"When I Need You" (re-issue) - 1993 - UK #65
"You Make Me Feel Like Dancing" - The Groove Generation featuring Leo Sayer 1998 - UK #32
"Thunder in My Heart Again" - Meck featuring Leo Sayer - 2006 - UK #1; Australia #16

External links
Leo Sayer official website