Dickson was born in Dunfermline. Her singing career started in folk clubs around her native Fife in the sixties, exposing her to a rich combination of traditional and contemporary music. In the early seventies, she sang at a Liverpool folk club run by a young student teacher called Willy Russell. He showed Barbara the first draft of what would later become the award winning musical, ‘John, Paul, George, Ringo….and Bert’ and asked her to perform the music. The combination of fine writing, a superb cast of young unknowns, (including Antony Sher, Bernard Hill and Trevor Eve), and Barbara’s idiosyncratic interpretation of Beatles songs made the show hugely successful.
The show’s co-producer, Robert Stigwood, signed Barbara to his record label, RSO Records, where she recorded the album ‘Answer Me’, the title track becoming a top ten hit in 1976. This led to her guest residency on the much-loved series ‘The Two Ronnies’, which brought Barbara’s singing to the attention of more than 10 million BBC viewers every week.
Also impressed by Barbara’s performance were Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, who invited her to record ‘Another Suitcase in Another Hall’ from the new musical ‘Evita’, which became her second hit in 1977.
Other hits including ‘Caravan Song’ and ‘January, February’, followed in 1980.
In 1982, Willy Russell asked Barbara to star in his new musical ‘Blood Brothers’ in the pivotal role of the mother, Mrs. Johnstone. Although at first reluctant to accept, having never acted before, (not even in a school play!), she rose to the challenge, in the process garnering critical acclaim as well as Actress of the Year in a Musical from the Society of West End Theatres in 1984.
Later that year, Tim Rice approached Barbara to take part in the cast album recording of the musical ‘Chess’, which included the song ‘I Know Him So Well’, a duet sung with Elaine Paige. The song was a worldwide hit and remained at number one in the UK charts for many weeks.
During the 1990s Barbara appeared in various TV dramas including ‘Taggart’, the award winning ‘Band of Gold’ and ‘The Missing Postman’.
Acclaimed writer and director Chris Bond created a show for Barbara in 1996 called ‘The Seven Ages of Woman’ which won her the Liverpool Echo Actress of the Year Award. It premiered at the Liverpool Playhouse and toured extensively in 1997 and 1998.
In 1999, Barbara starred in ‘Spend, Spend, Spend’, a new musical by Steve Brown and Justin Greene. The show, based on the rollercoaster life story of pools winner, Viv Nicholson, played in the West End to capacity audiences. For her portrayal of Viv, Barbara was awarded ‘Best Actress in a Musical’ at the 2000 Laurence Olivier Awards.
Barbara continues to appear in concert and on record. She has in the last few years had great success with ‘The Platinum Collection’, which featured some of her most successful recordings.
Her last album, ‘Full Circle’, a journey back through her musical history, was hugely admired and well reviewed. Barbara’s most recent CD is an eclectic collection of the songs of Lennon, McCartney and Harrison called ‘Nothing’s Gonna Change My World.’
During 2006 she has appeared as the Timekeeper in Alan Ayckbourn and Denis King’s fantasy musical play
‘Whenever’ for BBC Radio 4 and presented ‘Finding A Voice’, also for BBC Radio 4.
Married with three teenaged sons, Barbara lives in Lincolnshire. An O.B.E. was conferred upon her in the Queens’ New Year’s Honours in 2002.
From the Heart
Barbara Dickson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Giving you everything
Oh, how I've cried out for you
Helplessly binds me
Ties and surrounds me
Oh, how I love you, you know
I hope that you
Meant straight from the heart
You will tear me in half
Should you turn me away
Hope burns within me
So much is in me
I care for nothing...like you
I feel without you
Just like I used to
Long before this came to me
I hope that you
Will accept what I want to give you
Meant straight from the heart
You will tear me in half
Should you turn me away
You are like firelight
Warming the half-light
Oh, how I love you, you know
Oh, how I love you, you know
From the Heart by Barbara Dickson is a beautiful love song that speaks of the depth of emotions that come with love. The song begins by expressing how the singer's heart sings, and how she gives everything to the person she loves. However, she also acknowledges how vulnerable she is to this love, as it has left her helpless and bound, yet she loves wholeheartedly.
The second verse reflects the fear of rejection that comes with giving someone your heart. The singer hopes that the person she loves will accept her love, which is pure and from the heart, and not turn her away. She expresses that the thought of being rejected would tear her apart. The chorus repeats the hope that her love will be accepted.
In the third and final verse, the song acknowledges that the love between the singer and the person she loves is like firelight, warming the half-light of their lives. The song ends with the powerful affirmation of love; "Oh, how I love you, you know." Overall, From the Heart is a romantic and emotional song that celebrates the beautiful vulnerability and depth of love.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, how my heart sings
My heart is overflowing with feelings and emotions
Giving you everything
I give you all of me, holding nothing back
Oh, how I've cried out for you
I have expressed my heart's desire for you with tears and longing
Helplessly binds me
My love for you is so strong that it ties me down with no strength to resist
Ties and surrounds me
You have captured my heart and soul completely, leaving me with no escape
Oh, how I love you, you know
My love for you is true and deep, and I hope you already know it
I hope that you
I desire and wish that you
Will accept what I want to give you
You will receive my love and affection with open arms
Meant straight from the heart
My feelings and emotions are authentic and genuine
You will tear me in half
If you reject my love and feelings, it will break me apart
Should you turn me away
In case you reject me and push me away
Hope burns within me
I hold on to the possibility of our love being realized and fulfilled
So much is in me
My love for you is abundant and boundless
I care for nothing...like you
My deepest affection is directed solely towards you, nothing else matters in comparison
I feel without you
Life without you is lacking and incomplete
Just like I used to
It reminds me of a time before you came into my life
Long before this came to me
When I was living without this profound love for you
You are like firelight
You bring warmth and comfort to my life, just like fire does in the night
Warming the half-light
You bring light and hope to the parts of my life that were once dark and dull
Oh, how I love you, you know
My love for you is true and deep, and I hope you already know it
Contributed by Hailey H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
mike london
Always loved this track. The B side of the 1991 release of the Tears of Rage single (which itself was a very different remix from the eventual album track). Great baseline on this track. Don’t think ever performed live??? Song was also written by Barbara and Ian Lynn.
andy stylianou
Lovely track by Barbara x
Davina Gemmell
Love it.
Ang B
Wow!❤👌😊
beyoncé b queen
Love