On TV, she is best known for her role as Abby Bradford, the stepmother on "Eight is Enough", and for her recurring role on "Oz".
On film, she has appeared in "Carrie", "Tender Mercies", "Frantic" and "Simply Irresistible".
Betty Lynn Buckley has made ten solo recordings, including "With One Look", "The London Concert", "Live at the Donmar", "The Doorway", "Children Will Listen", "Much More" and "Heart to Heart".
She now concertizes extensively across the United States, performing an eclectic mix of Broadway, blues, country, popular and cabaret songs. She receives uniformly rave reviews wherever she sings for her interpretative and dramatic skills.
In 2003, Betty Buckley moved to a 35-acre ranch outside of Weatherford, Texas, where she owns and shows cutting horses.
Tell Me on a Sunday
Betty Buckley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't call me at 3 a.m. from a friend's apartment
I'd like to choose how I hear the news
Take me to a park that's covered with trees
Tell me on a Sunday please
Let me down easy
No big song and dance
No long faces, no long looks
I know the way we should spend the day
Take me to a zoo that's got chimpanzees
Tell me on a Sunday please
Don't want to know who's to blame
It won't help knowing
Don't want to fight day and night
Bad enough you're going
Don't leave in silence with no word at all
Don't get drunk and slam the door
That's no way to end this
I know how I want you to say goodbye
Find a circus ring with a flying trapeze
Tell me on a Sunday please
I don't want to fight day and night
Bad enough you're going
Don't leave in silence with no word at all
Don't get drunk and slam the door
That's no way to end this
I know how I want you to say goodbye
Don't run off in the pouring rain
Don't call me as they call your plane
Take the hurt out of all the pain
Take me to a park that's covered with trees
Tell me on a Sunday please
The lyrics of the song "Tell Me on a Sunday" by Betty Buckley depict a person who is being left by their partner or lover. The singer wants to know about the breakup or separation face to face, in order to process it in a better way, and to have a closure of sorts. The lyrics talk about how one should deliver such news, and that it should be done in a simple, considerate and truthful way, without drama, noise or fury. The song reveals the feelings of sorrow, disappointment and fear of being left alone by someone you still love. The song encapsulates the vulnerability and fragility of the human heart when it undergoes a heartbreak, and how the news should be delivered in a manner that will be gentler on the receiving end.
The song was written for the one-woman musical "Tell Me on a Sunday," which was a collaboration between playwright Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyricist Don Black. It was first performed in 1979, and has been performed by various artists including Marti Webb, Sarah Brightman, and Elaine Paige. The musical involves a British woman who moves to New York City to find love and who goes on a journey of self-discovery as she navigates through several challenging romantic relationships. The show has been reworked several times, including as part of the musical "Song and Dance," which incorporated dance numbers and was performed on Broadway by Bernadette Peters.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't write a letter when you want to leave
If you're planning to leave, don't just write a letter, have the courage to tell me in person.
Don't call me at 3 a.m. from a friend's apartment
When you decide to leave, don't call me suddenly in the middle of the night from someone else's place.
I'd like to choose how I hear the news
I would appreciate it if you let me have some control when it comes to how you break the news to me.
Take me to a park that's covered with trees
I would prefer if you break the news to me in a peaceful and natural environment.
Tell me on a Sunday please
Please choose a quiet and calm day to tell me. Don't rush it.
Let me down easy
I'm aware you're going to leave, but if you're gentle, it might make it easier on me.
No big song and dance
I don't need flashy and dramatic gestures.
No long faces, no long looks
There's no need for long, drawn-out sad faces or looks.
No deep conversation
I don't need a deep conversation unnecessarily filled with verbalized emotions and explanations.
I know the way we should spend the day
I already have an idea of what we should do for the rest of the day after you break the news to me.
Take me to a zoo that's got chimpanzees
After you break the news to me, let's go somewhere fun and lighthearted, like a zoo with chimpanzees.
Don't want to know who's to blame
I don't care about pointing fingers and placing blame. It won't help in any way.
It won't help knowing
Knowing who's at fault won't change anything for the better.
Don't want to fight day and night
There's no need to get into a screaming match the entire day and night.
Bad enough you're going
It's already bad enough that you're leaving; let's not make it worse by fighting endlessly.
Don't leave in silence with no word at all
It's better to say goodbye than to leave me in total silence wondering what happened.
Don't get drunk and slam the door
Don't just rage out and slam the door while drunk. That's not respectful and doesn't solve anything.
That's no way to end this
This isn't the way to finish our relationship, with you leaving that way.
I know how I want you to say goodbye
I have my idea of how we should part ways in a respectful manner.
Find a circus ring with a flying trapeze
My idea of how we should part ways is in a fun and light environment, like at a circus with flying trapeze artists.
Don't run off in the pouring rain
Leaving in the middle of a heavy rainstorm is not a good idea. Please, let's talk and leave in a better way.
Don't call me as they call your plane
Don't hurry, running late, and call me while boarding your flight as if nothing has happened. That's not kind.
Take the hurt out of all the pain
Let's try to make the pain and heartache that comes with breaking up a little bit easier to bear.
Take me to a park that's covered with trees
After we talk, let's change our environment and clear our minds by walking in a park with a lot of trees.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: RODNEY WILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind