Billy Ocean reflects on 40 years of Suddenly: 'I feel old!'

15 August 2024, 11:34 | Updated: 16 August 2024, 11:02

Billy Ocean has no plans of slowing down just yet.

It was 40 years ago when Billy Ocean released his fifth studio album, Suddenly.

Amid the track listing was a song that would propel Ocean to a new level of fame: 'Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)'.

The single soared to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in the States, making it his first big hit across the pond.

• Watch the interview in full above or on Global Player here

Billy visited the Smooth studio to chat with Kirsty Gallacher about the iconic song, cracking the US, and his upcoming musical festival performances.

Talking about the 40-year milestone of Suddenly, Billy quipped he felt 'old'.

"It makes me feel good, in fact," Billy said, attributing that to the album's achievement.

"I met some of the nicest people ever, especially with the record company."

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Billy explains how meeting Clive Calder, founder of record label Jive Records, helped to introduce his music to the wider world – particularly the States.

"I was able to go further, do more, make better music," Billy said.

"I think that is every musician's dream, really, to be successful in America. And because of the album, that's what it did.

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"It gave me a chance to work with American musicians, gave me a chance to work in American studios, gave me a chance to even live in America for a while."

When Ocean's 'Caribbean Queen' soared to number one in the US, it was 'crazy' for Billy to hear.

The singer would go on to win a Grammy Award for the song in 1985.

Not many people know that Billy recorded multiple versions of the hit, tweaking 'Caribbean Queen' to 'European Queen' and 'African Queen'.

"It was really a marketing strategy," Ocean explained. "It was easy to sort of slot those words in into the music, and it worked."

Despite performing live for years, Billy shows no signs of stopping any time soon.

The singer is on the bill for the Rewind South Festival in the UK before he heads to the USA for several live performances across October.

"I enjoy working in the studio, I enjoy writing," Ocean said. "There's nothing more gratifying than to go into the studio with a song you've written and putting a good vocal on it and coming out with something that is appreciated by the record company and then the public.

"I enjoy singing all of them, not necessarily because I do, but because the public loves them."

Billy admitted that sometimes he considers retiring from his singing career, but then wonders what else he would do.

"As long as I'm getting the invitations, I will accommodate it," he said.

Ocean goes on to explain a priority for him now is to take care of his family, such as financing his grandchildren's education.

But he did add: "Sometimes you've got to take time out to think about the kids and the wife and the family, and even yourself."

To celebrate the album's anniversary, a special edition ocean blue vinyl featuring Ocean's best-loved songs is being released.

The singer has also teased another tour announcement coming this September.