George Anthony Newley (born on September 24, 1931 in the London Borough of … Read Full Bio ↴George Anthony Newley (born on September 24, 1931 in the London Borough of Hackney; died on April 14, 1999) was an English actor, singer and songwriter. A graduate of the Italia Conti Academy stage school, his first major film role was as the Artful Dodger in David Lean's 1948 rendition of Oliver Twist, the classic Charles Dickens tome.

Newley had a successful pop music career, with two number one hits in 1960: "Why?" and "Do You Mind?". He won the 1963 Grammy Award for Song of the Year for "What Kind of Fool Am I", but he was also well-known for "Gonna Build a Mountain" and comic novelty songs such as his version of "Strawberry Fair". He wrote songs that others made hits including Goldfinger (the title song of the James Bond movie), and Feeling Good, which became a hit for Nina Simone. With Leslie Bricusse, he wrote the musical Stop the World - I Want to Get Off in which he also performed, earning a nomination for a Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical. His other musicals included The Roar of the Greasepaint—the Smell of the Crowd (1965) and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971), based on the children's book by Roald Dahl. The play was released in a film version in 1971.

Newley's vocal style has been recognised as a major influence on that of David Bowie. In recognition of his creative skills and body of work, Newley was elected to the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1989.

The shortlived 1960 ATV series "The Strange World of Gurney Slade" in which Newley starred, continues to have a cult following due to its postmodern premise that the Newley character is trapped inside a television programme. Apart from a repeat of one episode on Channel 4 in 1992, it has not been seen in the UK in recent years. The show's theme tune by Max Harris may be better-known today than the series itself.

His last feature role in the cast of EastEnders was to be a regular role, but Newley had to withdraw after a few months when his health began to fail.

Gone With The Wind
Anthony Newley Lyrics

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Gone with the wind,
Just like a leaf thart has blown away.
Gone with the wind,
My romance has flown away.
Yesterday's kisses
Are still on my lips,
I found a lifetime of heaven
At my fingertips.

But now all is gone,
Gone is the rapture that filled my heart.
Gone with the wind,
The gladness that stilled my heart.
Just like a flame,
Love burned brightly then became
An empty smokedream
That is gone, gone with the wind!

Now all is gone,
Gone is the rapture that filled my heart.
Gone with the wind,
The gladness that stilled my heart.
Just like a flame,
Love burned brightly then became
An empty smokedream

That is gone, gone with the wind!
Adios, goodbye, she's gone!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Anthony Newley’s song ‘Gone With the Wind’ are an expression of heartbreak and the loss of a romance that once burned bright but has now disappeared. The words, ‘Gone with the wind, just like a leaf that has blown away’ suggests that the romance was not strong enough to withstand the slightest pressure or wind. The metaphorical use of the natural elements, emphasizes the idea that the love was fleeting, unpredictable and doomed to end.

The singer is reminiscing moments of his lost love when he says, ‘Yesterday’s kisses are still on my lips, I found a lifetime of heaven at my fingertips’. We see that the love they shared gave him immense happiness and ecstasy, that he still remembers and cherishes deeply, but which he has now lost. The phrases ‘empty smoke dream’ and ‘adios, goodbye, she’s gone,’ paint a picture of the emptiness and finality of the loss. The song is essentially a lamentation of lost love, with a sad tone that the listeners can relate to.

Gone With The WindAnthony Newley Lyrics

John Gibson

Paul Vivian

Gone With The Wind
Anthony Newley Lyrics