Beverley Knight MBE (born 22 March 1972), born Beverley Ann Smith, is a cri… Read Full Bio ↴Beverley Knight MBE (born 22 March 1972), born Beverley Ann Smith, is a critically acclaimed British soul singer, songwriter and record producer who released her debut album in 1995. Heavily influenced by soul greats such as Sam Cooke and Aretha Franklin, Knight has released five studio albums and one compilation collection to date. Widely labelled as one of Britain's greatest soul singers, Knight is best known for her hit singles "Greatest Day", "Shoulda Woulda Coulda" and "Come As You Are" and "Made It Back". After a decade in the industry, she was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Urban Music Awards in 2004.

In 2006 Knight starred in BBC1 music TV show, Just The Two Of Us, and is the host of the Radio 2 show Beverley's Gospel Nights, which explores the origins and impact of gospel music. Now in its second season, the show has featured interviews with stars such as Destiny's Child and Shirley Caesar.

Knight is an ambassador for many charities such Christian Aid and has travelled to areas affected by disease and poverty to help raise awareness. She is an active campaigner for anti-Aids organisations such as the Stop AIDS Campaign and The Terrence Higgins Trust and is also a vocal campaigner against homophobic lyrics in urban music. She became an MBE in 2006, the only musician to be granted such an honour in the Queen's eightieth birthday honours list.

In February 2006 Knight consolidated her move into the mainstream audience by appearing on BBC1 music show, Just The Two of Us. The show, featuring celebrities who duet with established singers, ran for two weeks and proved to be a relative disappointment in terms of audience figures – averaging between fifteen and twenty-five percent audience shares.[17] Nevertheless it provided a platform for Knight to reach out to a bigger audience and demonstrate her talent by performing a different array of songs than she would otherwise be known for. Reaching out to new audiences was also a driving force behind Knight’s decision to join Take That on their reunion arena tour. Take That - The Ultimate Tour 06, which ran from April to July 2006, sold 270,000 tickets in less than four hours on sale at the box office and featured Knight as a support act.

In March 2006 Beverley released her fifth album, a compilation set featuring the majority of her top forty UK singles entitled Voice - The Best Of Beverley Knight. The album, which was certified Gold less than a month after its release,[19] became her second highest charting of her career when it entered the UK albums chart at number ten and rose to number nine a month later. It was preceded by the single "Piece of my Heart" – a cover of the Erma Franklin classic made famous by Janis Joplin and entered the singles chart at number sixteen, spending eleven weeks inside the UK top 75 singles chart and becoming her longest-running chart single to date.

In October 2006, Knight recorded her fifth studio album, Music City Soul, in Nashville. Completed in less than five days, the album was released on 7 May 2007 and features collaborations with musicians such as Ronnie Wood and Scotty Moore. It has spawned three singles thus far, "No Man's Land", released on 16 April 2007, "After You", released on 2 July 2007 and "The Queen of Starting Over", released on 15 October 2007.

Beverley will be releasing her next album in spring 2009.

Sites: YouTube

Angels
Beverley Knight Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I sit and wait does an angel contemplate my fate and do they know the places
Where we go when we're grey and old
'cos I have been told that salvation lets their wings unfold
So when I'm lying in my bed thoughts running through my head
And I feel that love is dead I'm loving angels instead

And through it all she offers me protection a lot of love and affection
Whether I'm right or wrong and down the waterfall

Wherever it may take me I know that life won't break me
When I come to call she won't forsake me I'm loving angels instead

When I'm feeling alone and my pain walks down
Down a one way street
Well I look above
And I know that I'll always be blessed with love
As the feeling grows
She breathes flesh to my bones and when love is dead
I'm loving angels instead

And through it all she offers me protection a lot of love and affection
Whether I'm right or wrong and down the waterfall
Wherever it may take me I know that life won't break me
When I come to call she won't forsake me I'm loving angels instead

And through it all she offers me protection a lot of love and affection
Whether I'm right or wrong and down the waterfall

Wherever it may take me I know that life won't break me
When I come to call she won't forsake me I'm loving angels instead

Overall Meaning

Beverley Knight's "Angels" is a testament to the power of love and faith. In the song, the singer wonders if angels exist and if they contemplate her fate. She has been told that salvation lets their wings unfold, and that is what she clings to in difficult times. When she is lying in bed and feels that love is dead, she turns to angels for comfort. The angels offer her protection and a lot of love and affection, no matter whether she is right or wrong. The singer believes that life won't break her because she knows that she can turn to the angels whenever she needs to.

The song's chorus repeats the line, "I'm loving angels instead," emphasizing the singer's faith and reassurance in the presence of angels. The reference to "down the waterfall" could be a metaphor for life's challenges and uncertainties. The fact that the singer recognizes that she won't be forsaken by the angels, even in tough times, is a testament to her belief in something greater than herself.

Overall, the song offers a message of hope and comfort to anyone who is struggling. It reminds listeners that they are not alone and that there is always something or someone to turn to for protection and support.

Line by Line Meaning

I sit and wait does an angel contemplate my fate and do they know the places
I wonder if there are angels watching over me, considering my destiny and knowing where my soul will go.

Where we go when we're grey and old
When we become old and frail, we tend to think about our destination after death.

'cos I have been told that salvation lets their wings unfold
I've been told that angels can spread their wings and offer their help to those who are saved.

So when I'm lying in my bed thoughts running through my head
When I'm unable to sleep and my mind is wandering aimlessly on my bed.

And I feel that love is dead I'm loving angels instead
If I feel like I lost all meaningful relationships, I find comfort in the company of angels.

And through it all she offers me protection a lot of love and affection
The angel's love and care protect me during challenging times.

Whether I'm right or wrong and down the waterfall
Whether I do things right or make mistakes and face difficult times, the angel is by my side.

Wherever it may take me I know that life won't break me
Regardless of where life takes me, I'm confident that I can withstand any hardship.

When I come to call she won't forsake me I'm loving angels instead
When I need someone to rely on, I know that the angel will be there, and I find comfort in their presence.

When I'm feeling alone and my pain walks down Down a one way street
When I feel isolated and facing emotional distress that only goes in one direction.

Well I look above And I know that I'll always be blessed with love
I raise my eyes above and find solace in the love and compassion the angels provide.

As the feeling grows She breathes flesh to my bones and when love is dead I'm loving angels instead
As my appreciation of the angels deepens, the love they provide sustains and revives me, especially during times when I feel loveless.

Contributed by Charlotte H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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