Michael Moran (music producer)

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English musician, songwriter and record producer

Mike Moran

Birth name| Michael Moran
Born|  (1948-03-04) 4 March 1948 (age 76)
Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
Genres|

* Pop
* rock
* classical

Occupations|

* Musician
* songwriter
* composer
* record producer

Instrument| Keyboards
Years active| 1960s–present
Labels|

* Music for Pleasure
* Power Exchange Records & Tapes
* Polydor
* Mercury
* Themes International Music

Musical artist

Michael Moran (born 4 March 1948) is an English musician, songwriter, composer and record producer.

## Biography

[edit]

Moran studied at the Royal College of Music in London prior to becoming a session musician and a composer and arranger.[1] His work in the latter field includes scoring music for such HandMade Films productions as Time Bandits (1981), The Missionary (1982) and Water (1985). His other film scores included Bloodbath at the House of Death (1984), The Turnaround (1995), A Fox's Tale (2008), Blessed (2008) and A Thousand Kisses Deep (2011), as well as arranging the score to Death Wish 3 (1985), and his TV work includes providing music for Strangers (1978), Harry's Game (1982), Taggart (1985), The Bombmaker (2001), and Sherlock: Case of Evil (2002). He also played with the Ian Gillan Band.[2]

"Rock Bottom", which he wrote in partnership with Lynsey de Paul, was the UK entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1977, and put him in the spotlight for the first time. Although leading early on in the voting, the song eventually came second in the contest. Nevertheless, it went on to become a Top 20 hit in many European countries including France, Germany, Austria and Switzerland, where it reached the top of their singles chart. It was more successful in Continental Europe than in the United Kingdom and was also covered by many local artists in a number of different languages.[3]

De Paul and Moran continued there successful songwriting partnership, notably writing "Let Your Body Go Downtown", a UK Top 40 hit for the Martyn Ford Orchestra,[4] and the follow-up single "Going to a Disco", as well as the songs "Without You" and "Now and Then", which appeared on the de Paul albums Tigers and Fireflies (1979) and Just a Little Time (1994) respectively.[5][6]

For many years. Moran was the musical director for the UK ITV children's music series Get It Together, performing each week, accompanying the various studio guests and playing the theme music. He had another attempt at writing a UK Eurovision entry in 1990, when he wrote "That Old Feeling Again" for Stephen Lee Garden, which placed fifth out of the eight songs in the UK song selection competition.

Other songs co-written by Moran are "Snot Rap" (recorded by Kenny Everett), as well as "No Mean City" (the theme to the crime drama Taggart, sung by Maggie Bell), "It's Alright" (the theme to the crime drama New Tricks, sung by Dennis Waterman) and the music for the UK game series Chain Letters, Lucky Ladders, The Krypton Factor.

Moran has worked with Ozzy Osbourne, Nicko McBrain, George Harrison, and various members of Queen. He was co-producer, arranger, keyboard player, and co-author of all the tracks on the album Barcelona, the classical crossover collaboration of Queen frontman Freddie Mercury and opera singer Montserrat Caballé, released in 1988. He produced The Queen Album (1988), Piaf (1994) and Essential Musicals (2006) for Elaine Paige.[5][6]

More recently, Moran appeared in Dragons' Den (series 7, episode 3) as the musical director of a Dusty Springfield musical, and also produced the Tommy Fleming album The West's Awake (2014).

## Discography

[edit]

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (February 2016)

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### As sideman

[edit]

With Norma Tanega

* I Don't Think It Will Hurt If You Smile (RCA, 1971)

With Oliver Nelson

* Oliver Edward Nelson in London with Oily Rags (Flying Dutchman, 1974)

With Chris Rea

* One Fine Day (Rhino Entertainment, 2019)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Michael Moran". Rcm.ac.uk.
2. ^ "Mike MORAN - composer, arranger, songwriter, record producer". Smatalent.com. 26 August 2015.
3. ^ "Cover versions of Rock Bottom by Lynsey De Paul & Mike Moran". Secondhandsongs.com. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
4. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 208\. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
5. ^ a b "Mike Moran". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
6. ^ a b "Mike Moran Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More". AllMusic.

## External links

[edit]

* Michael Moran at AllMusic
* Michael Moran at IMDb

Awards and achievements

Preceded by

Brotherhood of Man
with "Save Your Kisses for Me"

|  UK in the Eurovision Song Contest
1977
(with Lynsey de Paul)  | Succeeded by

Co-Co
with "The Bad Old Days"

* v
* t
* e

United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest

* Discography
* National selection (Contestants)

Participation|

* 1957
* 1959
* 1960
* 1961
* 1962
* 1963
* 1964
* 1965
* 1966
* 1967
* 1968
* 1969
* 1970
* 1971
* 1972
* 1973
* 1974
* 1975
* 1976
* 1977
* 1978
* 1979
* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* ~~2020~~
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024

Artists|

* Andy Abraham
* Olly Alexander
* The Allisons
* Michael Ball
* Bardo
* Belle and the Devotions
* Black Lace
* Blue
* Patricia Bredin
* Brotherhood of Man
* Bucks Fizz
* Pearl Carr and Teddy Johnson
* Ronnie Carroll
* Co-Co
* Josh Dubovie
* Electro Velvet
* Emma
* Jade Ewen
* Scott Fitzgerald
* James Fox
* Nicki French
* Jessica Garlick
* Gina G
* Mary Hopkin
* Engelbert Humperdinck
* Imaani
* Samantha Janus
* Javine
* Jemini
* Joe and Jake
* Bryan Johnson
* Lucie Jones
* Katrina and the Waves
* Kathy Kirby
* Lindsay
* Live Report
* Love City Groove
* Lulu
* Kenneth McKellar
* Molly
* Matt Monro
* Mike Moran
* Mae Muller
* The New Seekers
* James Newman
* Olivia Newton-John
* Lynsey de Paul
* Precious
* Prima Donna
* Michael Rice
* Cliff Richard
* Rikki
* Clodagh Rodgers
* Frances Ruffelle
* Ryder
* Sam Ryder
* Daz Sampson
* Scooch
* The Shadows
* Sandie Shaw
* Sonia
* SuRie
* Sweet Dreams
* Bonnie Tyler
* Vikki

Songs|

* "All"
* "Are You Sure?"
* "The Bad Old Days"
* "Beg, Steal or Borrow"
* "Believe in Me"
* "Better the Devil You Know"
* "Bigger than Us"
* "Boom Bang-a-Bang"
* "Children of the Universe"
* "Come Back"
* "Congratulations"
* "Cry Baby"
* "Dizzy"
* "Don't Play That Song Again"
* "Embers"
* "Even If"
* "Flying the Flag (For You)"
* "Give a Little Love Back to the World"
* "Go"
* "Hold On to Our Love"
* "I Belong"
* "I Can"
* "I Love the Little Things"
* "I Wrote a Song"
* "I'm Never Giving Up"
* "It's My Time"
* "Jack in the Box"
* "Knock, Knock Who's There?"
* "Let Me Be the One"
* "Long Live Love"
* "Looking High, High, High"
* "Love City Groove"
* "Love Enough for Two"
* "Love Games"
* "Love Is..."
* "Love Shine a Light"
* "Love Will Set You Free"
* "Making Your Mind Up"
* "A Man Without Love"
* "Mary Ann"
* "A Message to Your Heart"
* ~~"My Last Breath"~~
* "Never Give Up on You"
* "No Dream Impossible"
* "One Step Further"
* "One Step Out of Time"
* "Only the Light"
* "Ooh Aah... Just a Little Bit"
* "Power to All Our Friends"
* "Puppet on a String"
* "Ring-A-Ding Girl"
* "Rock Bottom"
* "Runner in the Night"
* "Save Your Kisses for Me"
* "Say It Again"
* "Say Wonderful Things"
* "Sing, Little Birdie"
* "Space Man"
* "Still in Love with You"
* "Storm"
* "Teenage Life"
* "That Sounds Good to Me"
* "Touch My Fire"
* "We Will Be Free (Lonely Symphony)"
* "Where Are You?"
* "Why Do I Always Get It Wrong"
* "You're Not Alone"

* Note: Entries scored out signify where the United Kingdom did not compete

* v
* t
* e

Eurovision Song Contest 1977

Countries|

| Final|

* Austria
* Belgium
* Finland
* France
* Germany
* Greece
* Ireland
* Israel
* Italy
* Luxembourg
* Monaco
* Netherlands
* Norway
* Portugal
* Spain
* Sweden
* Switzerland
* United Kingdom

|

Withdrawn|

* Tunisia

Artists|

* Os Amigos
* Monica Aspelund
* Anne-Marie B
* Dream Express
* Forbes
* Ilanit
* Heddy Lester
* Pepe Lienhard Band
* Mia Martini
* Micky
* Marie Myriam
* Paschalis, Marianna, Robert and Bessy
* Lynsey de Paul and Mike Moran
* Schmetterlinge
* Silver Convention
* Anita Skorgan
* The Swarbriggs Plus Two
* Michèle Torr

Songs|

* "Ahava Hi Shir Lishnayim"
* "Beatles"
* "Boom Boom Boomerang"
* "Casanova"
* "Enséñame a cantar"
* "Frère Jacques"
* "It's Nice to Be in Love Again"
* "Lapponia"
* "Libera"
* "De mallemolen"
* "Mathima solfège"
* "A Million in One, Two, Three"
* "L'Oiseau et l'Enfant"
* "Une petite française"
* "Portugal no coração"
* "Rock Bottom"
* "Swiss Lady"
* "Telegram"

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF
* WorldCat

National|

* Germany
* United States
* Czech Republic
* Norway
* Poland
* Israel
* Belgium

Artists|

* MusicBrainz

Other|

* IdRef
* SNAC

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