Samantha Sang
Template:Short description Template:Distinguish Template:Use Australian English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox musical artist
Cheryl Lau Sang (born 5 August 1951), known professionally as Samantha Sang, is an Australian singer. She had an earlier career as a teenage singer under the stage name Cheryl Gray, before adopting the stage name she is more widely known as in 1969. She first received nationwide recognition in Australia in 1967, after releasing the top ten single "You Made Me What I Am".
By 1969, Sang relocated to the United Kingdom, where she worked with the Bee Gees, before returning to Australia in 1975. She reconnected with the Bee Gees in 1977 and had an international hit with their song "Emotion", peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100, number two in Australia and number eleven in the United Kingdom. The single's parent album, Emotion (1978), reached the top thirty on Billboard 200 and included two other singles.
Life and career
Early life
Sang was born to Reg and Joan (née Clarke) Sang in Melbourne, Australia,<ref name="Trove"/> the great-great-granddaughter of a Chinese herbalist and surgeon.<ref name="SamSang"/> Both parents were 1940s Radio Revue singers.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Her father ran a singing school and performed professionally as Reg Gray. Sang began her career at the age of eight, as Cheryl Gray, by singing on Australian radio<ref name="Emotion"/> and entered and won talent contests. Her first performance on television was at the age of eleven.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
1966-1974: First recordings
In December 1966, she released her debut single, "The Real Thing" (not to be confused with fellow Australian Russell Morris' 1969 hit song "The Real Thing"), under the name "Cheryl Gray".<ref name="McF"/> It was issued by EMI Records on its His Master's Voice label and was quickly followed by her second single, "In a Woman's Eyes".<ref name="Miles"/>
Her third single, "You Made Me What I Am", was released in May 1967 and reached number eight on the Go-Set Top 40.<ref name="McF"/><ref name="GoSet"/> Teen magazine, Go-Set ran a poll in August for pop performers and Gray was voted third in the 'Top Girl Singer' category behind Lynne Randell and Bev Harrell.<ref name="KentThesis"/> Sang released three more singles on His Master's Voice but none charted.<ref name="McF"/> She became a singer on Australian television, but she felt her career was limited if she remained in Australia. In 1969, Sang travelled to the United Kingdom where Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees heard her singing and urged his manager, Robert Stigwood, to sign her. Under Stigwood's management she changed her name to "Samantha Sang". Gibb co-wrote "Love of a Woman" with his brother Maurice.<ref name="APRALoveWoman"/> Sang's version – with Barry Gibb supplying backing vocals, guitar and producing – was released in August.<ref name="McF"/><ref name="GibbSongs"/> It was a minor hit in some European countries.<ref name="Emotion"/>
Sang followed with "Nothing in the World Like Love" written by UK pop singer-songwriter Labi Siffre.<ref name="McF"/><ref name="APRATheresNothing"/> Visa restrictions forced her out of the UK and she returned to Australia.Template:Citation needed
1975-1990s: Mainstream success
By 1975, Sang had changed management and signed with Polydor which released three singles and her debut album, Samantha Sang and Rocked the World.
In 1977, she recorded "When Love Is Gone", the theme song for French drama film Bilitis.<ref name="NLABilitis"/>
She visited Barry Gibb in France while the Bee Gees were recording songs for the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. A new song, "Emotion", was written for her by Barry and Robin Gibb. The single was co-produced by Barry with the Bee Gees' production team of Albhy Galuten and Karl Richardson. Released in 1978, with backing vocals by Barry, it showcased a softer style and became a major hit worldwide.<ref name="McF"/> It reached number three on the US Billboard Hot 100 in March 1978, and earned a platinum record.<ref name="AllmusicSingles"/><ref name="RIAA"/> It peaked at number eleven on the UK Singles Chart and at number two on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart.<ref name="Roberts"/><ref name="Kent"/>
Her following album, Emotion, although not produced by Barry Gibb, included a version of "Charade", a little-known Bee Gees' song from their 1974 album Mr. Natural. Emotion peaked at No. 29 on the Billboard 200 and achieved a gold record in March 1978.<ref name="RIAA"/><ref name="AllmusicAlbums"/> Determined to succeed on her own merits, Sang did not record another Gibb song to capitalise on her success, but chose a disco track, "You Keep Me Dancing", as her next single. It peaked at No. 56 on the US Hot 100<ref>[Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–2002]</ref> (NZ # 21,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Canada AC #10<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>) and was followed into the charts by her cover of Wilson Pickett's "In the Midnight Hour".<ref name="AllmusicSingles"/>
She recorded a cover of Eric Carmen's Top 20 single, "Change of Heart", featured as the B-side of "You Keep Me Dancing". Her third album, From Dance to Love, was released by United Artists in 1979.<ref name="McF"/>
1999-present: Later years
In 1999, residing again in Melbourne, Sang made a short return to live performing, with her father Reg as guest vocalist. In 2004, Sang's three albums were released for the first time on CD in a two-piece set as the compilation The Ultimate Collection.Template:Citation needed
Discography
Studio albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| AUS <ref name=aus>Template:Cite book</ref> | ||
| Samantha Sang and Rocked the World | — | |
| Emotion |
|
35 |
| From Dance to Love |
|
— |
| And the World Listened |
|
— |
Compilation albums
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| The Ultimate Collection |
|
Singles
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions |
Certification | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUS <ref name=aus/> |
UK <ref>Template:Cite book</ref> |
US <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> | ||||
| 1969 | "The Love of a Woman" | — | — | — | rowspan="3" Template:Non-album singles | |
| 1972 | "Nothing in the World Like Love" | — | — | — | ||
| "It's Been Raining Every Day Since Monday" | — | — | — | |||
| 1974 | "It Could Have Been" | — | — | — | Samantha Sang and Rocked the World | |
| 1975 | "Can't You Hear the Music of My Love Song" | — | — | — | ||
| 1977 | "Emotion" | 2 | 11 | 3 |
|
Emotion |
| 1978 | "You Keep Me Dancing" | 40 | — | 56 | ||
| 1979 | "I Can Still Remember" | — | — | — | From Dance to Love | |
| "In the Midnight Hour" | — | — | 88 | |||
| "From Dance to Love" | — | — | — | |||
| 1981 | "Let's Start Again" Template:Small | — | — | — | Template:Non-album single | |
Awards and nominations
Go-Set Pop Poll
The Go-Set Pop Poll was coordinated by teen-oriented pop music newspaper Go-Set and was established in February 1966 and conducted an annual poll from 1966 to 1972 of its readers to determine the most popular personalities.<ref name="Top40TV">Template:Cite web</ref>
Template:Awards table |- | 1967 | herself (Cheryl Gray) | Top Female Singer | style="background:tan;"| 3rd |- | 1968 | herself (Cheryl Gray) | Top Female Singer | 5th |- Template:End
TELEVISION
| Title | Year | Performance | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | The Go!! Show | Herself as Cheryl Gray | TV series, 8 episodes |
| 1969 | The Rolf Harris Show | Herself as Cheryl Gray | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1969 | The Tommy Leonetti Show | Herself | TV series |
| 1970 | In Melbourne Tonight | Herself sings "Nothing Can Stop Me Now" / "To Love Somebody" | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 1970 | In Melbourne Tonight | Herself sings "The Love Of A Woman" | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1972 | Kamahl | Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1972-1975 | The Graham Kennedy Show | Herself sings "Resurrection Shuffle" | TV series, 4 episodes |
| 1973 | The Graham Kennedy Show | Herself sings "This Is My Life (La Vita)" | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1973 | The Graham Kennedy Show | Herself sings "Didn't We" | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1974 | It's Magic | Guest Performer | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1974-1976 | The Ernie Sigley Show | Herself | TV series, 4 episodes |
| 1975 | The Ernie Sigley Show | Herself sings "Can't You Hear The Music Of My Love Song" | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1975;1978 | Countdown | Herself sings "You Made Me What I Am" | ABC TV series, 3 episodes |
| 1975 | The Graham Kennedy Show | Herself sings "You Made Me What I Am" | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1975 | The Ernie Sigley Show | Herself sings "Land Of A Thousand Dances" | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1975 | Samantha Sang And Rocked The World | Herself | TV special |
| 1977 | Countdown Silver Jubilee Show | Herself | ABC TV special |
| 1977 | The Celebrity Cabaret | Herself sings "Emotion" / "Where The Love Has Gone" | TV special, US |
| 1978 | Dick Clark's American Bandstand | Herself | TV series US, 1 episode |
| 1978-1979 | The Mike Douglas Show | Herself - Singer | TV series US, 3 episodes |
| 1978 | The Mike Walsh Show | Guest - Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1978 | Top Of The Pops | Herself sings "Emotion" | TV series UK, 1 episode |
| 1978 | Thank You, Rock 'N' Roll: A Tribute To Alan Freed | Herself sings "Emotion" | TV special, US |
| 1978 | Countdown | Herself - Co-host sings "Midnight Hour" | ABC TV series, 1 episode |
| 1978, 1979 | The Mike Walsh Show | Guest - Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1978 | Australian Music To The World | Herself | TV special |
| 1979 | The Merv Griffin Show | Herself | TV series US, 1 episode |
| 1979 | The Mike Walsh Show | Guest - Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1982 | Telethon 1982 | Guest - Herself | TV special |
| 1989; 1989 | The Bert Newton Show | Herself sings "Old Man River" | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1989; 1989 | The Bert Newton Show | Herself sings "I've Got My Song To Sing" | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1989; 1989 | The Bert Newton Show | Herself sings "Resurrection Shuffle" | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1989 | In Melbourne Today | Guest - Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1989 | The Bert Newton Show | Herself sings "Waiting For The Last Goodbye" | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1999;2000 | Good Morning Australia | Herself sings "How Am I Supposed To Live Without You" | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2000 | Good Morning Australia | Herself sings "Resurrection Shuffle" | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2008 | Wrok Down | Herself | TV series, 1 episode |
References
External links
- Official website archived at .
- Pop Archive feature "Emotion"
- 1951 births
- Australian dance musicians
- Australian disco musicians
- Australian expatriates in England
- Australian women pop singers
- Australian people of Chinese descent
- EMI Group artists
- Living people
- Singers from Melbourne
- Private Stock Records artists
- 20th-century Australian women singers
- 21st-century Australian women singers