Communards
After leaving Bronski Beat in the spring of 1985, vocalist Jimmy Somerville (b. James Somerville, 22 June 1961, Glasgow, Scotland) teamed up with the classically trained pianist Richard Coles (b. 23 June 1962, Northampton, England) to form the Committee. When a rival group laid claim to that name, they became the Communards, a title borrowed from a nineteenth-century group of French Republicans. Their debut single, the disco-styled "You Are My World" reached the UK Top 30. The follow-up, "Disenchanted", was another minor hit, after which the duo decided to augment the line-up with various backing musicians. Meanwhile, their self-titled debut album climbed to number 2 in the UK. In September 1986, the group unexpectedly reached number 1 with a revival of Harold Melvin's "Don't Leave Me This Way". The song was most memorable for the vocal interplay between the falsetto of Somerville and the husky tones of guest singer Sarah Jane Morris. Her statuesque presence added much to the group's live appeal, especially when dancing alongside the diminutive Somerville. A further UK Top 10 hit followed with "So Cold The Night".
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- Don't Leave Me This Way
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