Anne Murray Duets: Friends & Legends showcases a wide variety of Anne's favorite female vocalists. Among the album’s tracks and collaborating artists are "Snowbird" with Sarah Brightman, "You Needed Me" with Shania Twain, "Nobody Loves Me Like You Do" with Anne’s daughter Dawn Langstroth, "Danny's Song" with Martina McBride, “Another Pot O’ Tea” with Emmylou Harris, “A Little Good News” with Indigo Girls, “Cotton Jenny" with Olivia Newton-John, “Could I Have This Dance” with Amy Grant, “Daydream Believer” with Nelly Furtado, “A Love Song” with k.d. lang, “Time Don’t Run Out On Me” with the song’s writer, Carole King, and more.
In 1979, Anne and Dusty Springfield each recorded the song "I Just Fall In Love Again." Anne's version became a hit single that garnered her Canada’s Juno Award for "Single of the Year" in 1980. Anne and Dusty remained friends until Dusty’s passing in 1999, and for Anne, releasing an album with this type of sisterly theme wouldn't seem complete without Dusty's inclusion. With the blessing of the Springfield family and estate, a new version pairing Dusty's original with Anne’s newly recorded vocals is featured on the album.
Anne Murray Duets: Friends & Legends was produced by one of the most respected music producers in the world, Phil Ramone (Tony Bennett, Bob Dylan, Elton John, Barbra Streisand, Billy Joel), who counts 14 Grammy Awards and 32 Grammy nominations among his many honors. Together, Anne and Phil decided they would treat the songs on their own terms and not adhere rigidly to the arrangements of Anne’s classic versions. While Anne had designs on how she imagined the arrangements, she gave Phil free rein to rework the songs.
“We approached the sessions as if we were just handed these songs and told to make this record,” explains Ramone. “While arrangements were changed, there are also licks on some songs that I didn’t mess with. We stayed true to the song.”
Working with Anne for the first time, Ramone adds, was an easy task. “What I love about Anne is there are no words minced about whatever she feels,” he says. “This is not a person you have to think, ‘Will she tell me the truth?’ When we met for a few hours in Michigan before we started, we agreed we wanted to bring some daring ideas and some freshness to this album.”
“I said to Phil,” joked Anne, “The only reason I asked you was that I’m the only singer left that you haven’t worked with!”
“I’ve done duets throughout my career,” Anne says. “I did duets when I started out on (CBC Television’s) ‘Singalong Jubilee.’ I did a duets album in 1971 with Glen Campbell. Growing up I did lot of group singing at school and sang with my brothers. I’ve always loved singing harmony.”
Since releasing her debut album in 1967, Anne Murray has been honored with a spectacular number of awards. She is the proud recipient of four Grammy Awards, three American Music Awards, three Country Music Association Awards, three Canadian Country Music Association Awards and twenty-four Juno Awards. Anne has also been honored with the Legacy Award from the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (2006), the East Coast Music Association Directors' Special Achievement Award (2001), induction into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame (2002), and induction into the Juno Hall of Fame (1993).
Anne Murray will tour to several U.S. cities in February and March 2008 (confirmed tour dates listed below). For updates and additional information, visit Anne Murray’s official Website: www.annemurray.com
In 2011, Billboard ranked her 10th on their list of the 50 Biggest Adult Contemporary Artists Ever, and on July 1, 2017, in celebration of Canada’s 150th Anniversary, the Toronto Sun listed Anne at #1 in Canada’s Top 160 Influences that helped define Canadian culture!
Help Me Make It Through The Night
Anne Murray Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Shake it loose and let it fall
Layin' soft upon my skin
Like the shadows on the wall
Come and lay down by my side
Till the early mornin' light
All I'm takin' is your time
I don't care who's right or wrong
I don't try to understand
Let the devil take tomorrow
Lord tonight I need a friend
Yesterday is dead and gone
And tomorrow's out of sight
And it's sad to be alone
Anne Murray's song "Help Me Make It Through The Night" is a heartfelt plea for companionship and physical comfort. The opening lines, "Take the ribbon from your hair, shake it loose and let it fall, layin' soft upon my skin, like the shadows on the wall" set the tone for the longing in the lyrics. The singer is asking their partner to remove their adornments and join them in bed. They desire to be wrapped in their lover's warmth and feel the closeness of their touch.
The bridge of the song takes a philosophical turn as the singer asserts, "I don't care who's right or wrong, I don't try to understand, let the devil take tomorrow, Lord tonight I need a friend." Here, the singer is rejecting the importance of ideas such as right and wrong, instead valuing the comfort that their friend can provide. The devil taking tomorrow suggests a "live in the moment" mentality, indicating that the singer is only concerned with the present experience.
The final stanza reveals the depth of the singer's loneliness. "Yesterday is dead and gone, and tomorrow's out of sight, and it's sad to be alone" suggests that the singer's previous attempts at finding comfort have been unsuccessful, and they fear the prospect of another lonely tomorrow. Overall, "Help Me Make It Through The Night" is a touching exploration of the human need for physical and emotional connection.
Here are 10 interesting facts about the song:
Line by Line Meaning
Take the ribbon from your hair
Remove your adornment and let your hair down.
Shake it loose and let it fall
Release any burdens and let them fall away.
Layin' soft upon my skin
Experience the feeling of closeness and vulnerability.
Like the shadows on the wall
Move together in unison like shadows on a wall.
Come and lay down by my side
Join me in physical and emotional closeness.
Till the early mornin' light
Stay with me until the new day begins.
All I'm takin' is your time
I seek only your presence and attention.
Help me make it through the night
Assist me in overcoming the struggles that plague me in the darkness.
I don't care who's right or wrong
The outcome doesn't matter if we support each other.
I don't try to understand
I don't need to know all the details to provide comfort.
Let the devil take tomorrow
I don't want to worry about the future or dwell on negative outcomes.
Lord tonight I need a friend
I require emotional support and companionship.
Yesterday is dead and gone
The past is over and cannot be changed.
And tomorrow's out of sight
The future is unknown and uncertain.
And it's sad to be alone
Being by oneself can be a challenging and distressing experience.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Kris Kristofferson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Robert Thompson
on Me Too
Lyrics found here are completely wrong; completely different song.