Claire & Friends

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Claire and friends were a British one-hit wonder, consisting of Stockport schoolgirl Claire Usher and her friends. Their one hit was the novelty record "It's 'orrible being in love (when you're eight and a half)", released by BBC records, which entered the United Kingdom singles chart Top 20 on 7 June 1986, reached No. 13. The song, about the emotional impact that an infatuation with a fellow school pupil has on an eight and a half year old, consisted of several verses on this theme, with a chorus as follows: It's 'orrible being in love when you're eight 'n 'arf. I got your picture on me wall Got your name upon me scarf Oh it's 'orrible being in love, 'orrible being in love when you're eight 'n 'arf. The boy in the song was named Jimmy, though on TV performances the scarf actually bore the name Steven, as Claire had borrowed it from her brother. The song, written and produced by Mick Coleman (who, as one half of duo Brian and Michael, was also responsible for the 1978's number 1 hit "Matchstick Men and Matchstick Cats and Dogs") originated from a talent-spotting feature on the children's television programme Saturday Superstore, where it beat a thousand other entries. This was followed by a second single, "Superman" (which continued the story from the original hit) and an album, mostly of cover versions with a few further originals by Coleman, entitled "Super Claire", neither of which had the same commercial success. Claire and Friends' hit was released on both 7" an

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