Billy Fury from Liverpool, England began music lessons, on the piano, at age 11. He got his first guitar at age 14. By 1955, the skiffle music boom had begun in England and Fury was leading his own local group, while still working on a tugboat and/or as a stevedore. By 1958, he had won a talent competition and had begun to write his own songs.
In a story which was legend among the British youth of the period, Fury was discovered by impressario Larry Parnes on October 1, 1958. That night, Fury attended a performance of The Larry Parnes Extravaganza, hoping to offer his songs to Marty Wilde, one of the featured performers and a well-known rock-&-roll star because of his appearances on the television series, "Oh Boy!" Fury did get backstage, and was seen by Parnes while performing one of his own songs for Wilde. Parnes booked Fury to appear on the Extravaganze that same night and the rest, as they say, is history - the applause which Fury received earned him a permanent spot on the tour and Parnes as his agent. Parnes' established proceedure was to give his singers stage names representing emotions and attributes: Marty Wilde, Johnny Gentle, Vince Eager. Thus, Ronald Wycherley became Billy Fury.
By the British standards of the day, Fury's early performances were so suggestive that a curtain was brought down on one of his shows. This forced Fury to restrain himself from his more overtly sexual stage moves. Fury's recording career began in early, 1959, with "Maybe Tomorrow," a song which he had written and which charted soon after its release. Fury's television debut came soon after in "Strictly For Sparrows." After that, Fury became a fixture on musical showcases such as "Oh Boy!"
After a string of hit singles, Fury cut his debut album, "The Sound of Fury," in 1960. Fury's back-up players included Joe Brown, one of England's few serious rockabilly players at that time, and drummer Andy White, who later played on the original release version of The Beatles' debut single "Love Me Do." The album sold well and has been re-released a half-dozen times since, including a CD version in the early 1990s. In an interview during the '70s, Keith Richards declared "The Sound of Fury" one of the greatest rock 'n roll albums of its era.
In 1960, DECCA Records decided to soften Fury's sound, at least on his singles, and Fury's early 60's recordings took on a more sophisticated air. "Talkin' In My Sleep" and "Don't Worry," backed by The Four Kestrels, were two results of this change. "Halfway to Paradise," in 1961, began Fury's brief assault on the top of the charts. The orchestrated "Halfway to Paradise" hit #3. A few months later, "Jealousy" reached #2; "I'd Never Find Another You" reached #5. By 1962, Fury was England's top rock-n-roll attraction, backed by the legendary Tornadoes of "Telstar" fame, appearing regularly on television. During this time, he also ventured to America where he got to meet Elvis Presley on the set of "Girls, Girls, Girls." (Many considered Fury to be the closest that England came to producing its own Elvis Presley, capable of dark, brooding, sexual performances, as well as gentle, vulnerable ballads.)
It was the arrival of another group from Liverpool, The Beatles, which ended Fury's dominance of the British teen music scene. (Interesting aside - The Beatles had tried, and failed, to become Fury's back-up during one of his tours.) Nonetheless, Fury continued to chart records into 1964. During that summer, he starred in a semi-autobiographical movie, "I've Got a Horse." Later the same year, he got his own television show. By 1965, however, Fury's health had begun to deteriorate and his records seldom charted better than the mid-20s.
Fury left DECCA Records in 1966 and signed a five-year contract with EMI's Parlophone Records. During those five years, Fury saw some very modest success but nothing like the frenzied stardom of his first seven years in music.
Fury underwent heart surgery in 1970 and in 1971, but resumed performing in 1972. England's rock-n-roll revival during the mid-70s saw the re-release of "The Sound of Fury," as well as other parts of Fury's catalog. During those years, Fury toured England with his one-time idol Marty Wilde. When he wasn't performing, Fury looked after his other interests, including wildlife preservation.
Another heart operation, in 1976, essentially ended Fury's musical career although there were still occasional recordings and television appearances. In 1978, Fury re-recorded his classic songs for K-Tel; in the early '80s he recut his old hits yet again for Polydor, which, by that time, owned DECCA Records. In 1981, a single, "Be Mine Tonight," just missed the British charts.
On March 4, 1982, Fury collapsed and nearly died while working on his farm. Nonetheless, that summer, he again went back on tour and placed the singles "Love Or Money" and "Devil Or Angel" on the English charts. Plans were made for a new album and a national tour, but Fury was found unconscious in his home on January 28, 1983. He died that same day in hospital.
A posthumous single, "Forget Him," charted in England later that same year. Numerous re-issues, as well as releases of previously unreleased material, have continued to appear in the compact disc era, most recently the "40th Anniversary Anthology," a double CD set and Beat Goes On's two-on-one CD of "We Want Billy" and "Billy."
On 10 April 1983, a tribute concert for Billy was held at the Beck Theatre in Hayes, Middlesex. All the artists performed for free and the money raised was donated to the Billy Fury memorial fund for research into heart disease. On the bill were such names as Marty Wilde with his daughter Kim Wilde, Joe Brown, Alvin Stardust, Dave Berry, Helen Shapiro, and John Miles.[citation needed]
In 1999 a TV documentary about Billy called Halfway to Paradise was broadcast on the BBC channel. It was narrated by Ian Dury.
Between 1999 and 2000 the song "Wondrous Place", a favourite of Fury's (he re-recorded it at least three times during his career), later received wide airplay on British television when it was used as the theme for a Toyota Yaris car advertisement.
On 19 April 2003 a bronze statue of Fury was unveiled by Jack Good at the National Museum of Liverpool Life. The sculpture, by Tom Murphy, a Liverpool sculptor, was donated by 'The Sound of Fury' fan club after the money was raised by fans.
In 2005 Spencer Leigh from BBC Radio Merseyside published a biography book about Billy Fury called Wondrous Face – The Billy Fury Story.
In 2008 a biographical documentary film Billy Fury His Wondrous Story was released on DVD.
Eight of his EMI recordings remained unreleased on mainstream CD until June 2010, when they appeared on a 29-track issue, The Complete Parlophone Singles, released by Peaksoft (PEA009). The singer's estate licensed the tracks to benefit his memorial fund, which finances equipment purchases for hospital heart units.
In November 2011, further co-operation between the estate and Peaksoft resulted in the issuing of a second CD, The Lost Album (PEA014), which attempted to construct the format of an album recorded by Fury in 1967–71, but which was never released.
In 2010 Camden Council, London, named a small formerly nameless road Billy Fury Way in his honour. It starts just off Finchley Road near Finchley & Frognal station and runs to West Hampstead Station. He had recorded at the nearby Decca Studios. The alleyway was decorated with a large mural of his face (at the West Hampstead end), which was unveiled and blessed on Friday 29 July 2011.
Play It Cool was released for the first time on DVD on 10 February 2014.
Maybe Tomorrow
Billy Fury Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Up in the heavenly sky
I only know my heaven is here on earth
Each time you look into my eyes
The way you do baby
Thank you, thank you baby
My beautiful bird, you have flown away
I can see
You're all I need to get by
No one else can make me cry
The way you do baby
'Cause
You are the book that I read each day
You are the song that I sing
(Gonna sing it to you)
You are the 4 seasons of my life
But maybe tomorrow
You'll change your mind girl
Maybe tomorrow
You'll come back to my arms girl
You're all I need to get by
No one else can make me cry
The way you do baby
You are the book that I read each day
You are the song that I sing
(Gonna sing it to you)
You are the 4 seasons of my life
But maybe tomorrow
You'll change your mind girl
Maybe tomorrow
You'll come back to my arms girl
You are the book that I read each day
(Sing it, sing it, sing it, yeah)
You are the song that I sing
(Sing it , sing it, sing it, yeah)
You are the 4 seasons of my life
But maybe tomorrow
You'll change your mind girl
Maybe tomorrow
You'll come back to my arms girl
You are the book that I read each day
You are the song that I sing
(Gonna sing it to you)
You are the 4 seasons of my life
But maybe tomorrow
You'll change your mind girl
Maybe tomorrow
You'll come back to my arms girl
The song "Maybe Tomorrow" by Billy Fury is a classic love song that speaks about a love that seemingly drifted away from the singer. In the first verse, the singer admits to not knowing how many stars there are in the sky, but remains aware of how heaven feels like whenever his lover looks into his eyes. He acknowledges holding his lover too tight, causing her to leave; however, he also mentions that she is all he needs to get by and that no one else can make him cry the way she does.
The chorus is where the singer reiterates the importance of his lover to him. He describes her as the book he reads every day, the song he sings, and the four seasons of his life. The chorus highlights how much the singer loves and needs his lover, even though she seems to have left him. The chorus also ends with the hope that perhaps, she would change her mind and return to him tomorrow.
In the second verse, the singer repeats his earlier sentiment of needing his lover to get by. He describes her as the only one who can make him cry and admits he holds her very close. The song ends with yet another repetition of the chorus and the hope that maybe tomorrow, the singer's lover would return to his arms.
Overall, "Maybe Tomorrow" speaks of a deep love that has been lost through an error in judgment. The singer's hopes of his lover's return are evident throughout the song, and he recognizes the centrality of his lover in his life.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't know how many stars there are Up in the heavenly sky
The singer is uncertain about the magnitude of the universe's wonders
I only know my heaven is here on earth Each time you look into my eyes
The singer's ultimate euphoria exists within the embrace of their beloved
The way you do baby Thank you, thank you baby
The singer thanks their significant other for the affection they provide
My beautiful bird, you have flown away I held you too tight
The artist has lost their beloved by holding onto them too possessively
I can see You're all I need to get by No one else can make me cry The way you do baby 'Cause
The artist understands that their lover is essential to their happiness, as no one else could evoke the same intense emotions
You are the book that I read each day You are the song that I sing (Gonna sing it to you)
The beloved is compared to the most meaningful aspects of the singer's life
You are the 4 seasons of my life But maybe tomorrow You'll change your mind girl Maybe tomorrow You'll come back to my arms girl
The singer hopes that their lover will return, even if it is uncertain if they will change their mind
You are the book that I read each day (Sing it, sing it, sing it, yeah) You are the song that I sing (Sing it , sing it, sing it, yeah)
The artist reaffirms that their beloved remains integral to their life and identity
You are the 4 seasons of my life But maybe tomorrow You'll change your mind girl Maybe tomorrow You'll come back to my arms girl
The artist repeats their hope for reconciliation with their beloved
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: RONALD WYCHERLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind