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.
MEMORY
Barbara Dickson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And a rose that is fading
Roses whither away like the sunflower
I yearn to turn my face to the dawn
I am waiting for the day
Midnight, not a sound from the pavement
Has the moon lost her memory?
The withered leaves collect at my feet
And the wind begins to moan
Memory, all alone in the moonlight
I can smile at the old days, I was beautiful then
I remember the time I knew what happiness was
Let the memory live again
Every street lamp
Seems to beat a fatalistic warning
Someone mutters and the street lamp gutters
And soon it will be morning
Daylight, I must wait for the sunrise
I must think of a new life
And I mustn't give in when the dawn comes
Tonight will be a memory too
And a new day will begin
Burnt out ends of smoky days
The stale cold smell of morning
The street lamp dies, another night is over
Another day is dawning
Touch me, it's so easy to leave me
All alone with the memory
Of my days in the sun if you touch me
You'll understand what happiness is
Look
A new day has begun
Barbara Dickson's song "Memory" is a beautiful and melancholic piece that speaks about the bittersweet experience of reminiscing about the past. The first verse talks about the transition from night to day, from a withered rose to a sunflower covered in dew. The singer yearns to turn her face towards the dawn, waiting for a new day to start. The second verse, however, is a stark contrast to the first, as it talks about the stillness of night, where not even a sound can be heard from the pavement. The singer wonders if the moon has also forgotten the past, smiling alone in the lamplight while the wind begins to moan and the leaves collect at her feet. The chorus then speaks of her being alone in the moonlight and how she can remember her old days and the happiness she once knew, wishing to relive those moments again.
The third verse speaks of the fatalistic warning coming from every street lamp, somebody muttering in the distance while the street lamp gutters. The singer then acknowledges that she must wait for the sunrise and think of a new life, not giving in to nostalgia when the new day comes. Finally, the last verse talks about the burnt ends of smoky days and the stale, cold smell of mornings. The street lamps die, signifying the end of another night, and another day is dawning. The singer invites someone to touch her, telling them that they will understand what happiness means if they do.
Line by Line Meaning
Daylight, see the dew on the sunflower
Observing the morning dew on the sunflower to represent new beginnings
And a rose that is fading
The dying rose symbolizing the passing of time
Roses whither away like the sunflower
Linking the wilting rose to the sunflower to emphasize the inevitability of aging
I yearn to turn my face to the dawn
Expressing a desire for a fresh start
I am waiting for the day
Anticipating the beginning of a new day
Midnight, not a sound from the pavement
The stillness of midnight setting a somber tone
Has the moon lost her memory?
Questioning the fickle and forgotten nature of time
She is smiling alone in the lamplight
The personification of the moon with a hopeful, if lonely, countenance
The withered leaves collect at my feet
The inevitability of change and decay
And the wind begins to moan
The ominous sound of the wind signaling impending change
Memory, all alone in the moonlight
Contemplating the past in the solitude of night
I can smile at the old days, I was beautiful then
Reminiscing about more pleasant times and the beauty of youth
I remember the time I knew what happiness was
Recalling when genuine happiness was present
Let the memory live again
Yearning to relive cherished memories
Every street lamp
An ominous warning
Seems to beat a fatalistic warning
Reinforcing the sense of doom pervading the song
Someone mutters and the street lamp gutters
The sound and image of street lamps growing dim and forlorn
And soon it will be morning
The inevitability of progress and change
Daylight, I must wait for the sunrise
The continuous cycle of waiting for and wanting a new day
I must think of a new life
The necessity of change and progress in a constantly evolving world
And I mustn't give in when the dawn comes
Choosing to stay resilient in the face of challenges and obstacles
Tonight will be a memory too
Acknowledging the fluidity of time and the passage of another night
And a new day will begin
Emphasizing new beginnings and fresh starts
Burnt out ends of smoky days
The remnants of past events and experiences
The stale cold smell of morning
The overwhelming scent of change and renewal
The street lamp dies, another night is over
The inevitability of progress and change
Another day is dawning
Another opportunity for a fresh start and new experiences
Touch me, it's so easy to leave me
The fear of being left alone, disconnected from a sense of purpose
All alone with the memory
The constant companion of memories, both good and bad
Of my days in the sun if you touch me
Referencing a time of bright happiness and joy
You'll understand what happiness is
Experiencing the fullness of happiness, even if only through memories
Look
A call to direct attention to a new beginning
A new day has begun
Emphasizing the day as a new opportunity for progress and growth
Lyrics © CONSALAD CO., Ltd., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Trevor Nunn, T.S. Eliot, Zdenek Hruby
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@malikaseisebay4021
Midnight, not a sound from the pavement
Has the moon lost her memory?
She is smiling alone
In the lamplight, the withered leaves collect at my feet
And the wind begins to moan
Memory, all alone in the moonlight
I can dream of the old days
Life was beautiful then
I remember the time I knew what happiness was
Let the memory live again
Every street lamp seems to beat
A fatalistic warning
Someone mutters and the street lamp sputters
And soon it will be morning
Daylight, I must wait for the sunrise
I must think of a new life
And I mustn't give in
When the dawn comes, tonight will be a memory too
And a new day will begin
Burnt out ends of smoky days
The stale, cold smell of morning
A street lamp dies, another night is over
Another day is dawning
Touch me, it's so easy to leave me
All alone with the memory
Of my days in the sun
If you touch me, you'll understand what happiness is
Look, a new day has begun
@wynstansmom829
Yes! Please put every Barbra Streisand movie, song and show on your list.
The Movie, Funny Girl and Barbra burst onto the film scene when I was barely ten.
Ms. Streisand and I grew up together. I was a Funny Girl and my nose had character but
I could not sing.
On a Clear Day, she helped me see the Forever. Clearly, Ms Streisand was someone
special in another life and was Himself the Brolin with her?
When her Hubbell said, "It was never not complicated, Katie"...I understood
The Way We Were.
I hope Barbra and I have many more songs and years together.
Thank you for the memories and songs of my past, present, and hopeful future.
@daveyyoutubey5686
No one can touch her. She truly is in a league of her own. No exaggeration - sublime, transcendent.
@brendenbroumand7580
it will be too close to call with CELINA DION AND BARBARA STREISAND.
@daveyyoutubey5686
@@brendenbroumand7580 I love Celine, went to Montreal to see her in concert, but very different voice types. (I'm not a voice expert)
@MrIOWBob
Listen to Lucy Thomas's version, she will change your mind.
@typicalnerd4065
@@MrIOWBob how come the coolest people just exist on the internet 😭
@dominickmilano4858
Karen Carpenter!
@grannie2010
I’m so great full I am 83 and have enjoyed all this wonderful music.....so many will never know.
@mickey259
Dorothy I sincerely hope that you enjoy many more years of wonderful music.
God Bless 🙏🏻.
@Vacc19
Grateful* sorry to be rude
@swiftlylovestruck
❤️❤️❤️❤️