Dana Rosemary Scallon

Dana Rosemary Scallon (born Rosemary Brown; 30 August 1950), known professionally as Dana (), is an Irish singer, songwriter and politician. While still a schoolgirl she won the Eurovision Song Contest 1970 with "All Kinds of Everything". It became a worldwide million-seller and launched her music career.

She entered politics in 1997, as Dana Rosemary Scallon, running unsuccessfully in the Irish presidential election, but later being elected as an MEP for Connacht–Ulster in 1999. Scallon was again an independent candidate in the Irish 2011 presidential election, but was eliminated on the first count. Scallon served as a politician as a Member of the European Parliament from 1999 to 2004.

Background

Scallon was born Rosemary Brown in Islington, London, England, one of seven children. Originally from Derry, Northern Ireland, Robert moved his family to London to seek employment opportunities after World War II.

At age six, Scallon won her first talent contest. Scallon later attended Thornhill College, a girls' Catholic school in Derry. When she was 14, Scallon worked a summer job at the Bazooka chewing gum factory in Essex. A disappointing result after a marketing campaign that included a new look for Scallon, a music video, life-size posters in major cities, and retailers receiving bonus flexi discs. In Ireland it made #22. The album's title track was also released, followed by "I Can't Get Over Getting Over You", which she sang live on Top of the Pops in October, her final appearance on the show. The sad and reflective track "Thieves of Paris", written by Barry Blue and Lynsey de Paul, has been rated one of the "stand out tracks" on the album. They also wrote her 1972 single, "Crossword Puzzle", a #2 hit in Thailand.

A new phase in her career began after Pope John Paul II came to Ireland in September 1979, inspiring her to write with her husband the Irish chart-topper, "Totus Tuus".

Outside her chart career, Scallon had remained a popular personality since her 1970 Eurovision win. She had played the part of a tinker girl in Flight of the Doves (1971), a children's adventure film starring Ron Moody and Jack Wild and directed by Ralph Nelson. She also performed in summer seasons at resorts and seasonal pantomimes as well as performing at venues such as the Royal Albert Hall, the Royal Festival Hall and a week of sell-out shows at the London Palladium. Scallon also performed extensively in cabaret venues and was voted Top Female Vocalist at the National Club Acts Awards in 1979. BBC Television gave her two shows of her own: a series of A Day with Dana in 1974 and four series of Wake Up Sunday in 1979. For BBC Radio she presented a series of I Believe in Music in 1977.

1980s – Catholic music

Having scored an Irish number one in January 1980 with the song that was based on the Pope's motto: Totus Tuus, Latin for Totally Yours, the much larger American Christian market became a possible outlet for her music. Not long after returning home from a promotional visit to the National Religious Broadcasters conference in Washington, opened by US President Jimmy Carter, she was contacted by award-winning songwriter Kurt Kaiser, vice president of Word Records. He invited her back to the USA where she was offered a recording contract. Meanwhile, Warwick Records issued Everything is Beautiful in late 1980. Recorded in September at Pye Studios in London, the LP subtitled 20 Inspirational Songs was advertised on TV and became her biggest-selling album in the UK, reaching #43 in the chart on 10 January 1981. It was followed later that year by Totally Yours, her first Christian album for Word Records; the songs "Praise the Lord", "The Soft Rain" and "Totus Tuus" were credited to "Dana and Damien Scallon". As was "Little Baby (Grace's Song)", written while she was pregnant with their first child.

She was soon back in the studios again to make Magic in 1982, a pop album for Lite Records made at Morgan Studios and Maison Rouge Studios in London. It included four songs by her younger brothers John and Gerald Brown, as well as the single "I Feel Love Comin' On", written by Barry White, which peaked at #66 in the UK on 22 May. Collaborating with her younger brothers they wrote the official Northern Ireland 1982 FIFA World Cup song "Yer Man", and she recorded it with the full squad before they headed to Spain for the finals. Following this, her second album for Word was completed; Let There Be Love contained up-tempo Christian pop, jazz, ballads, and an old Irish hymn sung in Gaelic called Ag Criost an Siol.

Scallon starred in a West End production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, staged at the Phoenix Theatre during the 1983 Christmas and New Year pantomime season. The venue's first panto broke box-office records and was extended into February. She played Snow White for over fourteen years, each time in a different city, beginning the run at the New Theatre, Hull in 1982.

In 1984 Dana recorded a single "So Clear". It was the theme for the British soap opera Brookside with added lyrics. She performed the song on several television shows around Christmas 1984, but the song was never released commercially.

A tour of America took place in 1984 to promote her two Word albums. Appearances were made in concert halls, churches, colleges and also on TV and radio.

After fifteen years in show business Hodder and Stoughton published Dana – An Autobiography in 1985. It told the story of her childhood, married life and music career, as well as her growing devotion to God. At the same time as her book launch came the release of her fifties tribute album If I Give My Heart to You, featuring her last UK chart entry "Little Things Mean a Lot", #92 on 13 July 1985. In Ireland in made #27, as did the album's title track.

Due to work commitments in 1979, she was not in the country when Pope John Paul II became the first pope ever to visit Ireland. But she eventually saw him in 1987 at the Superdome in New Orleans, having been invited there to perform "Totus Tuus" before a gathering of 80,000 or more. After her performance the pontiff made his way to the stage to personally thank her for writing the song.

1990s

Catholic music

Soon after completing a concert tour of England in early 1990, she took her family to Florida for an Easter holiday. Her break was interrupted by a request to fly to Irondale, Alabama and make a guest appearance at Eternal Word Television Network's (EWTN) tenth anniversary show. Afterwards, the network's founder Mother Angelica enquired if her ex-hotelier husband would like to work there, setting up a retreat centre to look after the hundreds of visitors the network attracted each day. Then mid holiday she sang at a Rosary Rally in Palm Beach, and was asked to write a theme song for the Rosary. The result was The Rosary, an album released with Heart Beat Records in 1991 that has amassed over a million sales around the world.

By August 1991 the Scallons were living in Mountain Brook, close to EWTN's headquarters where Damien now worked. Thoughts of winding down her career were dashed when her husband was asked if his wife would like to work there, presenting a music programme. Say Yes became the first TV series she made for them. Three more followed: We Are One Body, Backstage and Dana and friends. With this exposure she became a popular Catholic music singer, appearing at conferences and public gatherings across America. Heart Beat Records, the US Catholic music label, issued a number of her music and prayer albums.

To help celebrate the sixth World Youth Day event held in Cherry Creek State Park, Denver in 1993, she was invited to sing in the presence of Pope John Paul II the theme song for the occasion, "We Are One Body", a song she composed herself. She also sang at the World Youth Day celebrations held in Paris in 1997, Toronto in 2002 and Sydney in 2008.

Politics

thumb|200px|Scallon in 1999

In June 1997, she received a letter from the Christian Community Centre in Ireland suggesting she seek election as president of Ireland. Having no interest in politics at the time, and never having heard of that organisation, she threw the "incredible" proposal in the bin. But they persisted and similar mail arrived from other people. Then the media got involved. She eventually decided to seek nomination as a candidate in the 1997 Irish presidential election, standing as an Independent under the name Dana Rosemary Scallon. Her campaign was based on the Irish Constitution and her belief that it could only be amended with the agreement of the Irish people by public ballot. She became the first-ever presidential candidate to secure a nomination solely from County and City Councils, rather than from members of the Oireachtas. Polling day was 31 October, and Scallon received 175,458 of the first-preference votes (13.8%), coming third to Fianna Fáil's candidate and eventual winner Mary McAleese. Before returning to America she told reporters: "I may not be a president, but I am a precedent."

Member of European Parliament

She was granted US citizenship in 1999, requiring her to swear an oath renouncing allegiance to any other state. That same year she again stood as an independent, this time winning a seat in the European Parliament, representing Connacht–Ulster. She campaigned on family values and her strong anti-abortion beliefs. Scallon is opposed to abortion in all cases. In 2013 she said "there is no legal or constitutional obligation for politicians to legislate for the deliberate killing of an unborn child and there is no medical evidence to support this radical change to how we treat our mothers and their children and the taking of an innocent and defenceless human life can never be justified". She was also vocal for her opposition to divorce and same sex marriage, along with a Eurosceptic line on the EU. Scallon refused to associate with any political party despite Fianna Fáil making several approaches for her to join them. On becoming an MEP, her eight-year stay in the US came to an end.

2000s onwards

Scallon also had public disagreements at the time with the Catholic hierarchy (notably with Cardinal Desmond Connell), the latter wishing instead to negotiate a consensus solution.

Returning to the world of entertainment in 2005, she spent seven weeks on the RTÉ television series The Afternoon Show, where she did a fitness routine with a trainer and lost fifteen pounds in weight in time for her eldest daughter's wedding. In 2006, she and dancer Ronan McCormack were paired together in the RTÉ dance series Celebrity Jigs 'n' Reels. They made it to the final show and came second. That same year, Scallon and her husband launched their own music label, DS Music Productions. One of the first albums released was Totus Tuus, a compilation of songs dedicated to the memory of Pope John Paul II and issued on the anniversary of his death. A children's album was released in 2007, along with a DVD in 2008, titled Good Morning Jesus: Prayers & Songs for Children of All Ages, which featured in a special series on EWTN. The Scallons and their new label were sued in 2007 by Heart Beat Records for copyright violations on several of the albums they'd recently released.

Gill & Macmillan published her second autobiography in 2007. Her political career took centre stage in All Kinds of Everything. To coincide with the book launch, her first secular album since Forever Christmas a decade earlier, was released. A Thing Called Love was produced by her and her youngest brother Gerry, who also played guitar and keyboards, while her youngest son Robert played drums.

In 2009, Scallon became a judge on The All Ireland Talent Show, and in the summer of 2010 she participated in the Best of British Variety tour. She was a contestant in the fourth series of the reality television programme, Celebrity Bainisteoir, in 2011, but was forced to withdraw by RTÉ when she announced she would run for the Irish presidency again.

Recent recordings

In 2019, Scallon announced she was back in the studio and was recording a new album. She appeared on Lorraine, RTÉ Today and several radio stations to promote new single "Falling". The album My Time was released on 1 November 2019.

In 2023, Scallon released a new version of her hit ‘Fairytale’ and gave a series of interviews including UTV Live, Good Morning Britain and GB News. Carlow County Council was the first to nominate her. She was then nominated by other county councils thus becoming a candidate. There were seven candidates in total, five men and two women.

In the first debate, held on RTÉ Radio 1's News at One, independent candidate Scallon explained she had delayed her entry into the race due to numerous family bereavements. Appearing on The Late Late Show alongside the other candidates, Scallon displayed a copy of the EU Constitution, telling her audience: "This is what this election is about. I have the knowledge and experience to be able to protect our sovereignty and that's the only question I think that's really urgent at this time." When asked by Ryan Tubridy if she would refuse to sign any bill threatening , she responded by saying, "You bet your boots I would". In fact, the President does not have such a veto power, being able only to refer a Bill to the Council of State for its consideration.

Speaking on Newstalk's The Right Hook programme on 5 October 2011, Scallon said: "I am not anti Europe. I have always said that Europe, the concept of Europe is good. We want to be in Europe."

It was revealed on 7 October 2011 that Scallon had dual US and Irish citizenship, but she denied hiding this from the public, saying that her US citizenship, which involved her taking an oath renouncing allegiance to Ireland, was not an issue then or now and she had no reason to hide it. The incident was described as "bizarre" by some media. It later transpired that the statement referred to her brother, John Brown, who had been accused in 2008, in the course of litigation in the US among family members, of having sexually abused his niece. He denied the allegation.

John Brown was found not guilty and unanimously cleared on all charges on 25 July 2014. Marian Finnucan of RTÉ said he was falsely accused. Brown has since taken legal action against his accusers and a journalist and newspaper. Brown has since won successful libel and defamation actions against a number of newspapers including the Irish Independent and Sunday World newspapers who published false and defamatory stories.

Voting took place on 27 October and the fourth and final count was completed two days later. Scallon received 51,220 votes (2.9%) and came sixth to Labour's Michael D. Higgins.

Personal life

On 5 October 1978 she married hotelier Damien Scallon at St Eugene's Cathedral in Derry, where her parents were married. The couple first met in 1970 at his Ardmore Hotel in Newry, where a reception took place following a "Dana Place" street-naming ceremony in nearby Hilltown, to honour her recent Eurovision success.

As of 2011, the Scallons were living in Claregalway, County Galway.

Discography

Albums

Studio albums

All Kinds of Everything (1970)
Have a Nice Day (1975)
Love Songs & Fairytales (1976)
The Girl is Back (1979)
Everything is Beautiful (1980) (UK #43)
Totally Yours (1981)
Magic (1982)
Let There Be Love (1983)
Please Tell Him That I Said Hello (1984)
If I Give My Heart to You (1985)
In the Palm Of His Hand (1987)
No Greater Love (1988)
The Gift of Love (1989)
Dana's Ireland (1990)
The Rosary (1991)
Lady of Knock (1992)
Hail Holy Queen (1993)
Say Yes! (1994)
The Healing Rosary (1995)
Heavenly Portrait (1996)
Humble Myself (1997)
Forever Christmas (1998)
Stations of The Cross (1999)
Perfect Gift (2004)
In Memory of Me (2005)
Totus Tuus (2006)
Good Morning Jesus! (2007)
A Thing Called Love (2008)
Praise & Thanks (2012)
Ave Maria (2013)
My Time (2019)

Compilation albums

The World of Dana (1975)
All Kinds of Everything (1990)
Dana The Collection (1996)
The Best of Dana (1998)
The GTO Years (2010)

Singles

{| class="wikitable"

! rowspan="2" | Year

! rowspan="2" | Title

! colspan="10" | Chart positions

!AUS

!AUT

!BEL (FL)

!BEL (WA)

!GER

!IRE

!NL

!NZ

!SWI

!UK

|1967

|"Sixteen"

| style="text-align:center;" | -

| rowspan="2" |1968

|"Come Along Murphy"

| style="text-align:center;" | -

|"Heidschi Bumbeidschi"

| style="text-align:center;" | -

|1969

|"Look Around"

| style="text-align:center;" | -

| rowspan="2" |1970

|"All Kinds of Everything"

| style="text-align:center;" | 37

| style="text-align:center;" | 7

| style="text-align:center;" | 1

| style="text-align:center;" | 16

| style="text-align:center;" | 4

| style="text-align:center;" | 1

| style="text-align:center;" | 2

| style="text-align:center;" | -

| style="text-align:center;" | 3

| style="text-align:center;" | 1

|"I Will Follow You"

| style="text-align:center;" | -

| rowspan="3" |1971

|"Who Put the Lights Out"

| style="text-align:center;" | 80

| style="text-align:center;" | -

| style="text-align:center;" | 5

| style="text-align:center;" | -

| style="text-align:center;" | 14

|"Today"

| style="text-align:center;" | -

| style="text-align:center;" | 55

|"Isn't It a Pity"

| style="text-align:center;" | -

| rowspan="2" |1972

|"New Days......New Ways"

| style="text-align:center;" | -

|"Crossword Puzzle"

| style="text-align:center;" | -

| rowspan="3" |1973

|"Do I Still Figure in Your Life"

| style="text-align:center;" | -

|"Corner of the Sky"/"Morning Glow"

| style="text-align:center;" | -

|"Sunday, Monday, Tuesday" (B-side of "Corner of the Sky/Morning Glow")

| style="text-align:center;" | -

| style="text-align:center;" | 4

| style="text-align:center;" | -

| rowspan="4" |1975

|"Please Tell Him That I Said Hello"

| style="text-align:center;" | 99

| style="text-align:center;" | -

| style="text-align:center;" | 27

| style="text-align:center;" | 7

| style="text-align:center;" | -

| style="text-align:center;" | 18

| style="text-align:center;" | -

| style="text-align:center;" | 8

|"Are You Still Mad at Me"

| style="text-align:center;" | -

| style="text-align:center;" | 37

| style="text-align:center;" | -

|"Rivers Are for Boats" (Denmark-only release)

| style="text-align:center;" | -

|"It's Gonna Be a Cold Cold Christmas"

| style="text-align:center;" | -

| style="text-align:center;" | 3

| style="text-align:center;" | -

| style="text-align:center;" | 4

| rowspan="3" |1976

|"Never Gonna Fall in Love Again"

| style="text-align:center;" | -

| style="text-align:center;" | 31

|"Fairytale"

| style="text-align:center;" | 99

| style="text-align:center;" | 19

| style="text-align:center;" | 2

| style="text-align:center;" | 37

| style="text-align:center;" | 21

| style="text-align:center;" | -

| style="text-align:center;" | 3

| style="text-align:center;" | -

| style="text-align:center;" | 13

|"It's Gonna Be a Cold Cold Christmas" (reissue)

| style="text-align:center;" | -

| style="text-align:center;" | 12

| style="text-align:center;" | -

| rowspan="2" |1977

|"I Love How You Love Me"

| style="text-align:center;" | -

| style="text-align:center;" | 11

| style="text-align:center;" | 44

| style="text-align:center;" | -

| style="text-align:center;" | 27

| style="text-align:center;" | -

|"Put Some Words Together"

| style="text-align:center;" | -

| rowspan="4" |1979

|"Something's Cooking in the Kitchen"

| style="text-align:center;" | 93

| style="text-align:center;" | -

| style="text-align:center;" | 22

| style="text-align:center;" | -

| style="text-align:center;" | 44

|"The Girl is Back (in Town)"

| style="text-align:center;" | -

|"I Can't Get Over Getting Over You"

| style="text-align:center;" | -

|"Totus Tuus"

| style="text-align:center;" | -

| style="text-align:center;" | 1

| style="text-align:center;" | -

|1980

|"When a Child is Born"

| style="text-align:center;" | -

| rowspan="2" |1981

|"Lady of Knock" (Ireland-only release)

| style="text-align:center;" | -

| style="text-align:center;" | 23

| style="text-align:center;" | -

|"Dream Lover"

| style="text-align:center;" | -

| style="text-align:center;" | 26

| style="text-align:center;" | -

| rowspan="3" |1982

|"I Feel Love Comin' On"

| style="text-align:center;" | -

| style="text-align:center;" | 66

|"Yer Man" (with The Northern Ireland 1982 World Cup Squad)

| style="text-align:center;" | -

|"You Never Gave Me Your Love"

| style="text-align:center;" | -

|1983

|"If You Really Love Me"

| style="text-align:center;" | -

| rowspan="2" |1985

|"Little Things Mean a Lot"

| style="text-align:center;" | -

| style="text-align:center;" | 27

| style="text-align:center;" | -

| style="text-align:center;" | 92

|"If I Give My Heart to You"

| style="text-align:center;" | -

| style="text-align:center;" | 27

| style="text-align:center;" | -

| rowspan="2" |1986

|"Everything Is Beautiful"

| style="text-align:center;" | -

| style="text-align:center;" | 42

| style="text-align:center;" | -

|"Lipstick on Your Collar"

| style="text-align:center;" | -

|1988

|"Summer Romeo"

| style="text-align:center;" | -

|1989

|"Harmony" (with Gerry Brown)

| style="text-align:center;" | -

|1991

|"Creggan Vale" (Ireland-only release)

| style="text-align:center;" | -

|2005

|"Children of the World"

| style="text-align:center;" | -

|2019

|"Falling"

| style="text-align:center;" | -

| align="center" colspan="14" style="font-size: 85%"| "-" denotes releases that did not chart.

Notes

References

External links

Official website of Dana
Facebook: Official Dana Facebook
YouTube channel: Official Dana YouTube
YouTube channel: Friends of DANA