Bryn Terfel Jones was born in Pantglas, North Wales, the son of a farmer (he knew of another Welsh baritone named Delme Bryn-Jones, so Terfel chose Bryn Terfel as his professional name). Terfel had an interest in and talent for music from a very young age. A family friend taught him how to sing, starting with traditional Welsh songs. After winning numerous competitions for his singing, Terfel moved to London in 1984 and entered the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, from which he graduated in 1989, winning the Gold Medal. He came in second behind Dmitri Hvorostovsky in the Cardiff BBC Singer of the World Competition the same year, though won the Lieder Prize.
In 1990, Terfel made his operatic début as Guglielmo in CosÏ fan tutte at the Welsh National Opera, and later in the same season he sang the title role in The Marriage of Figaro, a role with which he made his debut with the English National Opera in 1991.
Terfel made his United States début as Figaro at the Santa Fe Opera. In 1992, he made his Royal Opera House, Covent Garden début as Masetto in Don Giovanni, with Thomas Allen in the title role. Terfel's international breakthrough came when he sang Jochanaan in Strauss's Salome at the 1992 Salzburg Festival. Terfel went on to make his début as Figaro at the Vienna State Opera. That year, he also signed an exclusive recording contract with Deutsche Grammophon, and returned to the Welsh National Opera to sing Ford in Falstaff. In 1993, he recorded the role of Wilfred Shadbolt in The Yeomen of the Guard, by Gilbert and Sullivan. Terfel has said that he would like to record "an album of Gilbert and Sullivan arias."
In 1994, Terfel sang Figaro at Covent Garden, and made his Metropolitan Opera début in the same role. He also sang Mahler's Eighth Symphony at the Ravinia Festival under the baton of James Levine. However, back surgery in 1994 (and again in 2000) prevented him from performing in several scheduled events. In 1996, Terfel expanded his repertoire to include Wagner, singing Wolfram in TannhÀuser at the Metropolitan Opera, and Stravinsky, singing Nick Shadow in The Rake's Progress at the Welsh National Opera.
In 1997, Terfel made his La Scala début as Figaro. In 1998, Bryn had a recital at Carnegie Hall which included works by Wolf, Fauré, Brahms, Schumann, Schubert, and others. In 1999, Terfel performed in Paris the title role of Don Giovanni for the first time. That year, Terfel also debuted in the title role in Falstaff at the Sydney Opera House for Opera Australia and then performed the same role at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
Here I'll Stay
Bryn Terfel Lyrics
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Billy pulls into town
Thunder rolled and the lightnin' bolts
Come crashin' to the ground
Cold as ice, hard as stone
As he walks into the room,
With another man who was feelin' the same way
All hell's breakin' loose
Bang bang, shoot'em up
Bang bang, blow you away
It's a showdown, in a no-man's land
For the cowboy of the modern day
Come on, sundown, don't be hangin' 'round,
'Cause the cowboy will blow you away
Al Capone and A Bad Boy Jones
On the wrong side of the law
Johnny D and his company,
Always first to the draw
Gangster lean, feelin' so mean,
Tryin' to take more than their share
'Cause all they saw was ruling it all
The seed of blood was in the air
Bang bang, shoot'em up
Bang bang, blow you away
It's a showdown, in a no-man's land
For a cowboy of the modern day
Come on, sundown, don't be hangin' 'round,
'Cause the cowboy will blow you away
Here we are and we've come this far,
But it's only getting worse
The foreign lands with their terrorist demands,
Only 'cause the good to hurt
The USA the USSR, with their six guns to their sides
I see the message written on the wall,
Too much anger deep inside
Bang bang, shoot'em up
Bang bang, blow you away
It's a showdown, in a no-man's land
For the cowboy of the modern day
Come on, sundown, don't be hangin' 'round,
'Cause the cowboy will blow you away
It's a showdown
in a no-man's land. The song "Here I'll Stay" by Bryn Terfel is an ode to the Wild West and its infamous cowboys, as well as a commentary on modern-day violence and conflict. The song begins with a vivid image of a stormy night, invoking the classic Western trope of a lone cowboy riding into town. The lyrics describe the tension and aggression between men, perhaps over a woman or a dispute over territory. The chorus, which repeats the refrain "Bang bang, shoot'em up, bang bang, blow you away," invokes the gunslinging violence that is synonymous with the Wild West.
As the song progresses, it becomes clear that the lyrics are not just an homage to classic Western movies, but a commentary on modern-day conflict as well. The song references Al Capone, a notorious gangster during the prohibition era, and compares him to modern-day terrorists with their demands for power and control. The lyrics suggest that the same seed of violence that was present in the Wild West is now present in modern society; the message is clear that the same old ways of conflict and violence that were once so celebrated will only lead to destruction.
In conclusion, "Here I'll Stay" is a powerful commentary on the cyclical nature of human conflict and violence, invoking imagery from the Wild West to make a statement about modern society. The song is a warning against the destructive nature of pride, greed, and ego, standing as a reminder that "the cowboy will blow you away" and the only way to achieve true peace is through understanding and compromise.
Line by Line Meaning
Stormy night under jet black skies
In this dark and foreboding atmosphere, anything can happen.
Billy pulls into town
A stranger arrives in this unstable environment.
Thunder rolled and the lightnin' bolts
Come crashin' to the ground
The situation is escalating, and the environment reflects the tension.
Cold as ice, hard as stone
As he walks into the room
The stranger's demeanor is unwavering, despite the danger he faces.
With another man who was feelin' the same way
All hell's breakin' loose
The other man is similarly unyielding, and the situation appears to be escalating rapidly.
Bang bang, shoot'em up
Bang bang, blow you away
Violence is the only solution to this conflict.
It's a showdown, in a no-man's land
For the cowboy of the modern day
This is the modern-day equivalent of the Western-style showdown, only with more deadly weapons and higher stakes.
Come on, sundown, don't be hangin' 'round,
'Cause the cowboy will blow you away
The cowboy is ready to do whatever it takes to win, so don't get in his way.
Al Capone and A Bad Boy Jones
On the wrong side of the law
These are archetypal outlaws, who have flouted the law and brought trouble upon themselves.
Johnny D and his company,
Always first to the draw
These gunslingers are notorious for being quick on the draw, making them even more dangerous opponents.
Gangster lean, feelin' so mean,
Tryin' to take more than their share
These criminals are ruthless and selfish, willing to do whatever it takes to get ahead.
'Cause all they saw was ruling it all
The seed of blood was in the air
Their lust for power has blinded them to the consequences of their actions, and violence is inevitable.
Here we are and we've come this far,
But it's only getting worse
Despite all the advances humanity has made, we still find ourselves mired in violence and conflict.
The foreign lands with their terrorist demands,
Only 'cause the good to hurt
Even outside the US, violence and terrorism continue to wreak havoc on innocent people.
The USA the USSR, with their six guns to their sides
I see the message written on the wall,
Too much anger deep inside
Even nations with nuclear weapons are poised to unleash deadly force against one another, and the fear of mutually assured destruction looms large.
It's a showdown
The conflict is coming to a head, and the consequences will be dire.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Round Hill Music Big Loud Songs
Written by: JEFF KEITH, TOM SKEOCH, FRANK HANNON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind