Rivera was born Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero in Washington, D.C., the daughter of Katherine (Anderson), a government clerk, and Pedro Julio Figueroa del Rivero,[3][4] a clarinetist and saxophonist for the United States Navy Band. Her father was Puerto Rican, and her mother was of Scottish and Italian descent.[5] Rivera was seven years old when her mother was widowed and went to work at The Pentagon.
In 1944, Rivera's mother enrolled her in the Jones-Haywood School of Ballet (now the Jones Haywood School of Dance).[6] Later, when she was 15, a teacher from George Balanchine's School of American Ballet visited their studio; and Rivera was one of two students picked to audition in New York City; she was accompanied to the audition by Doris Jones, one of the people who ran the Jones-Haywood School. Rivera's audition was successful, and she was accepted into the school and given a scholarship[
A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square
Chita Rivera Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So the legends tell
Songbirds sing
And winters turns to spring
Every winding street in Mayfair
Falls beneath the spell
I know such enchantment can be
That certain night, the night we met
There was magic abroad, in the air
There were angels dining at The Ritz
And a nightingale sang in Berkeley Square
I may be right, I may be wrong
But I'm perfectly willing to swear
That when you turned and smiled at me
A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square
The moon that lingered over London town
Poor puzzled moon, he wore a frown
How could he know we two were so in love?
But the whole darn world seemed upside down
The streets of town were paved with stars
It was such a romantic affair
And as we kissed and said goodnight
A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square
I know 'cause I was there
That night in Berkeley Square
Chita Rivera's song "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" is a romantic ballad that speaks about the magic of falling in love in Mayfair, London. The song truly paints a picture of the enchantment and romance one can experience while wandering the streets of this famous district. As the legends tell us, when two lovers meet in Mayfair, songbirds sing and winter turns to spring, and every winding street in Mayfair falls beneath the spell. These lines allude to the idea that falling in love in Mayfair is like something out of a fairytale.
The singer shares their own personal experience of falling in love as it happened one evening to them. They recount the atmosphere of the night, where there was magic abroad in the air, and even angels were dining at The Ritz. The singer reveals that when they turned and smiled at their partner, they heard the nightingale sing in Berkeley Square. The moon was also lingering over London town, seemingly perplexed by the love two people shared. Despite the world feeling upside down, the streets of the town were paved with stars - highlighting the romance of the evening. As they kissed and said goodnight, the nightingale sang once more.
Overall, the lyrics of "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" evoke a feeling of magic and enchantment, and a love that is meant to be. The mention of the nightingale singing at various points in the song also serves to emphasize the romantic atmosphere of the evening.
Line by Line Meaning
When two lovers meet in Mayfair
According to legends, love blossoms in Mayfair, England
So the legends tell
The story is passed down through generations
Songbirds sing
Nature responds to the magic of love with beautiful melodies
And winters turns to spring
True love has the power to brighten the darkest of seasons
Every winding street in Mayfair
The streets of Mayfair are enchanting and romantic
Falls beneath the spell
Everyone who visits Mayfair is under its magical influence
I know such enchantment can be
Personally experienced the mysterious magic of Mayfair and love
'Cause it happened one evening to me
Shares a personal experience of falling in love in Mayfair
That certain night, the night we met
Recalling the fateful night when two lovers met
There was magic abroad, in the air
The atmosphere was charged with an inexplicable energy
There were angels dining at The Ritz
Symbolic of the heavenly feeling of being in love
And a nightingale sang in Berkeley Square
Nature herself rejoiced at the romantic love story unfolding in Mayfair
I may be right, I may be wrong
Admits that this is a subjective experience
But I'm perfectly willing to swear
Convinced that the experience was real and transcendent
That when you turned and smiled at me
The moment when two eyes met and love was born
A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square
Nature rejoiced in the magic of love
The moon that lingered over London town
The full moon, a symbol of romance and mystery
Poor puzzled moon, he wore a frown
The moon, despite its beauty, could not comprehend the depth of love shared by the two lovers
How could he know we two were so in love?
There are some things beyond human understanding
But the whole darn world seemed upside down
Love has the power to change one's perspective on the world
The streets of town were paved with stars
The world became a magical place, filled with wonder and awe
It was such a romantic affair
The love story was nothing short of a grand affair
And as we kissed and said goodnight
The perfect end to a perfect evening
A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square
Nature joined in the lovers' joy and sent a nightingale to sing in celebration
I know 'cause I was there
Shares a personal testimony of the magic of love experienced firsthand
Writer(s): Manning Sherwin, E. Maschwitz Copyright: Shapiro Bernstein & Co. Inc.
Contributed by Audrey O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.