Early life
She was born in Montreal and reared in Vancouver, Canada, although some sources list her birthplace as Detroit, Michigan. As a teenager, Miquel frequented nightclubs, influencing her dream of becoming a performer. As a young woman, Miquel read Medicine at George Washington University in Washington D.C., during which time she married and had daughter Sinitta Renet Malone (popularly known as Sinitta, of 'So Macho' and 'Toy Boy' fame) in Seattle, Washington.
She was prompted to leave the university after she auditioned for the U.S. touring company of the musical Hair and landed the part of Sheila.
Miquel arrived in the UK in May of 1973, having divorced her husband. She was cast as the lead in Decameron '73 at the famous Roadhouse in London and through this earned critical acclaim - 'a star is born.' She was then given an interview on the Michael Parkinson Show, and later appeared in the pilot of The Sweeney with John Thaw.
In 1974 she was granted a part in the film Rollerball with James Caan, as well as the role of Miriam in the tele-play Regan. She also held a two year association with the singing and dancing group 'Second Generation', during which time she appeared in the BBC production of Armchair Theatre.
Through the next two years she performed various parts in Bubbling Brown Sugar and television appearances in Seaside Special, Supersonic, The Ronnie Corbett Show, Jack Parnell's Show, Vince Hill's Musical Time Machine and Bruce Forsyth's Bring on the Girls.
Music career
In 1976 she played Sister Anna in the musical Mardi Gras (which opened Thursday, March 18 at the Prince of Wales Theatre, London). It was through this that she was discovered and signed for her first record release, 'The First Time Around'. This led her to musician Alan Hawkshaw (of Emile Ford and the Checkmates, and The Shadows), who signed her for an album deal. The album 'Symphony of Love' (1978) was her first real international hit, which included the title track, 'Dancin' with the Lights Down Low', 'This is Something New to Me', 'The Day They Got Disco in Brazil', 'Do It' and 'Something Made of Love'. This album shot up the American charts to No. 26 (her music was very popular within the gay community), only to come down again in the early 1980s as disco 'died' (at least in America).
Also in 1978 she appeared in the American film Superman, as the non-speaking 8th reporter in a scene following the first Superman spotting.
In need of a producer in the early '80s, Miquel crossed the paths of Ian Levine and Fiachra Trench in 1983. Together with Record Shack Records, they created the album 'Manpower', a Hi-NRG classic. The first single released from the album' So Many Men, So Little Time' became a huge hit and peak at number #2 on the club charts and put Miquel on the international music map.
In the two years following Manpower, she appeared in stage productions of Only in America, the Lieber and Stoller Musical; The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and One Mo' Time, as well as in numerous international clubs but did not release any more albums until 1985. 'Close to Perfection' (also produced by Levine) was indeed a great album, but could not compete with her first success. The album featured two massive U.S. dance radio & dance chart hits, with "Black Leather" and "Close to Perfection."
Later songs include 'On the Radio' (not the Donna Summer song), 'Footprints in the Sand' and 'This Time It's Real', all with Nightmare Records (Ian Levine's own attempt at a record label).
In 1989 she was seen as Jill in the second episode of the fourth series ('Accidents Happen') of the British show Casualty.
The 1990s
Then in 1995, she starred as the Housekeeper in Solomon and Sheba, with Halle Berry. Also in 1995 she played Sgt. Patton in French Kiss, with Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline (a mini-part in the United States Embassy scene). She can be heard on the London cast recordings of Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens (1993) and Fame (1995) (as Miss Sherman, the English teacher).
The Year 2000 To Present
Brown kick off the new millennium playing the Negro Woman in the 2001 play A Streetcar Named Desire at the Royal National Theatre (Lyttelton), in London, directed by Trevor Nunn and starring Glenn Close as Blanche DuBois.
She also appeared in the brilliant 2001 film Wit, where she has a brief exchange with Emma Thompson (who plays Vivian Bearing), as the 2nd Technician.
In 2004, Brown appeared as Idella in the London production of Purlie at the Bridewell Theatre in London (a role originally played by Helen Martin, from the American sitcom 227). Her performance was critiqued as 'forcefully played'.
Miquel Brown: The Lady, Her Loves and Her Lord was presented at the Bullion Room Theatre in London in 2005. This one-person revue was said to be 'a musical journey through her life from birth to the present'.
In 2005, Miquel appeared as Chloe the old maid in An American Haunting with Sissy Spacek. As it like the novel of the same name, it is based on the account of the Bell Family, allegedly tormented by The Bell Witch of Red River, Tennessee. The following year, 2006, she co-starred along side Robert Ashe in the drama film 9/11: The Twin Towers.
In 2007 Brown is starring in the original London production of Menopause: The Musical.
Discography
Albums
* Symphony of Love 1978
* Manpower 1983
* Close to Perfection 1985
* The Best of Miquel Brown Hot Productions 1991
Singles
* "First Time Round"
* "Dancin' With the Lights Down Low"
* "This Is Something New to Me"
* "The Day They Got Disco In Brazil"
* "Do It"
* "Something Made to Love"
* "Beeline"
* "So Many Men, So Little Time"
* "He's A Saint, He's A Sinner"
* "Close to Perfection"
* "Black Leather"
* "On The Radio"
* "Footprints In The Sand"
* "This Time It's Real"
So Many Men So Little Time
Miquel Brown Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And everything's still the same
I turn to the guy who stayed last night
And ask him, "What's your name?"
It seems to happen more and more
I love those men one and all
Each new one I meet makes my heart beat fast
When I see them so strong and tall
So many men, so little time
How can I lose?
So many men, so little time
How can I choose?
They tell me I'm up to no good
I should just settle down
But I don't wanna stay with just one man
I wanna sell for what's around
Feels like heaven every night
Being here with someone new
A physical thrill, a beautiful smile
And wonderful muscles, too
So many men, so little time
How can I lose?
So many men, so little time
How can I choose?
So really, who cares about love?
Who wants to feel taken away?
For fifty-two weeks of every year
There's a new man every day
It's too hard a choice to make up my mind
So many men can turn on my light
Don't want true love, don't want friends
Just give me the bodies tonight
So many men, so little time
How can I lose?
So many men, so little time
How can I choose?
So really, who cares about love?
Who wants to feel taken away?
For fifty-two weeks of every year
There's a new man every day
It's too hard a choice to make up my mind
So many men can turn on my light
Don't want true love, don't want friends
Just give me the bodies tonight
So many men, so little time
How can I lose?
So many men, so little time
How can I choose?
The song "So Many Men, So Little Time" by Miquel Brown is a classic disco anthem that also touches on themes of casual sex and noncommittal relationships. The singer wakes up next to yet another man, seemingly undisturbed by the fact that she does not know his name. She goes on to describe the thrill of meeting new men and being physically intimate with them. Her attitude towards love is blasé, claiming that having a new man every day for all 52 weeks of the year is much more exciting than falling in love with just one person. The phrase "so many men, so little time" is repeated throughout the song, emphasizing the singer's seemingly insatiable desire for physical pleasure.
The lyrics of this song can be interpreted as both empowering and problematic. On one hand, the singer is unapologetically enjoying her sexuality and making her own choices. On the other hand, the language used ("selling for what's around" and referring to the men as "bodies") can be seen as objectifying and dehumanizing. In addition, the casual nature of the relationships being described may perpetuate stereotypes of gay men as promiscuous or unable to commit to meaningful relationships.
Overall, "So Many Men, So Little Time" is an iconic example of disco music and a fascinating snapshot of attitudes towards casual sex and relationships in the LGBTQ+ community during the 1980s.
Line by Line Meaning
It's morning, I open my eyes
The beginning of a new day.
And everything's still the same
Another day with the same old routine.
I turn to the guy who stayed last night
A one night stand lying next to her.
And ask him, "What's your name?"
Asking the one night stand his name.
It seems to happen more and more
Having one night stands is becoming a pattern.
I love those men one and all
She loves having one night stands with every man she meets.
Each new one I meet makes my heart beat fast
She gets excited every time a new man comes her way.
When I see them so strong and tall
She is attracted to men who are physically fit and tall.
So many men, so little time
There are too many men to choose from.
How can I lose?
Having sex with different men is always thrilling.
They tell me I'm up to no good
People criticize her for living this lifestyle.
I should just settle down
People advise her to find a stable relationship.
But I don't wanna stay with just one man
She doesn't want to be tied down to one person.
I wanna sell for what's around
She wants to explore her options with different men.
Feels like heaven every night
Having sex with different men feels euphoric to her.
Being here with someone new
She values the thrill of new experiences.
A physical thrill, a beautiful smile
She is turned on by physical attributes and a charming personality.
And wonderful muscles, too
A man's physique is a major factor for her attraction.
So really, who cares about love?
She doesn't value emotional connection.
Who wants to feel taken away?
She doesn't want to be swept off her feet.
For fifty-two weeks of every year
She wants to live a life of endless pleasure.
There's a new man every day
She wants to have sex with new men regularly.
It's too hard a choice to make up my mind
Choosing one partner is difficult for her.
So many men can turn on my light
She gets aroused by several men.
Don't want true love, don't want friends
She only wants sexual encounters, not relationships or friendships.
Just give me the bodies tonight
She is only interested in physical interactions.
So many men, so little time
Choosing one partner is difficult for her.
How can I lose?
Having sex with different men is always thrilling.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: FIACHRA TRENCH, IAN LEVINE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind