In the 1970s, Essex emerged as one of the UK's top performers. His biggest hits during this decade included a pair of Number One singles : "Gonna Make You A Star" (1974), a satirical look at his success; and "Hold Me Close" (1975), a cheerful singalong. He also appeared in Stardust, a 1974 sequel to That'll Be The Day; the title song was another Top 10 hit. In 1976, Essex covered the Beatles song, “Yesterday”, for the musical documentary All This and World War II.
Essex's pop idol looks gave him a strong female fan base and his British tours created scenes of hysteria reminiscent of Beatlemania. According to the Guinness Book of British Hit Singles - 16th Edition - ISBN 0-85112-190-X 'he was voted the number one British male vocalist in 1974, and was a teen idol for more than a decade'.
In 1978, he appeared on Jeff Wayne's concept album, a musical version of The War of the Worlds, as the Artilleryman. The two album set remains a bestseller.
In the same year, Essex played the character Che, loosely based on Che Guevara, in the original production of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Evita, and his recording of the show's "Oh What a Circus" reached Number 3. Two years later, he starred in the film Silver Dream Racer; and the soundtrack song "Silver Dream Machine" was yet another Top 10 hit in the UK singles chart. In 1985, he wrote and starred as Fletcher Christian in the West End musical Mutiny!, based on the novel Mutiny on the Bounty by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall. The score produced two more hit singles, including "Tahiti," his tenth Top 10 success.
Essex has continued to perform in all areas of show business, to varying degrees of success. A 1989 sitcom, "The River", achieved good ratings. In 1991, a compilation entitled His Greatest Hits reached Number 13; a 1993 album, Cover Shot, peaked at Number 3. His autobiography, A Charmed Life, was published in 2002, and became a bestseller.
In 1999, Essex was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire. He still tours the UK on a yearly basis and releases albums through his website. Surprisingly, despite his long and thriving British career, he remains largely unknown in the United States. "Rock On" reached Number 5 in 1974, and was his only Billboard Top 40 hit single.
The grandson of an Irish Traveller, Essex told Jake Bowers of the BBC's Rokker Radio, a programme for Gypsies and Travellers, on 30th July 2006, that he has always been openly proud of his Traveller roots, but that having moved to the US, Essex has said he feels it inappropriate for him to continue as Patron of Britain's National Gypsy Council, which works for equal rights, education, and services for Romany and Irish Travellers.
In 2005, he appeared as a guest vocalist on Saint Etienne's album Tales from Turnpike House. Also that year, he appeared in the Channel 4 documentary Bring Back...The Christmas Number One.
Essex was due to join the cast of soap opera EastEnders, in early 2006, as new character Jack Edwards. However, the role was expanded beyond the three weeks planned, and Essex was unable to commit the time. The role instead went to Nicky Henson.
A model and recording of Essex is featured in the museum of West Ham United Football Club. In the recording, he explains his reasons for supporting West Ham and his love of the team. He remains a popular, hard working and respected star, who has nevertheless not achieved a more global presence.
For Emily Whenever I May Find Her
David Essex Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pressed in organdy
Clothed in crinoline of smoky burgundy
Softer than the rain
I wandered empty streets
Down past the shop displays
I heard cathedral bells
Tripping down the alley ways
And when you ran to me
Your cheeks flushed with the night
We walked on frosted fields
Of juniper and lamplight
I held your hand
And when I awoke and felt you warm and near
I kissed your honey hair with my grateful tears
Oh, I love you, girl
Oh, I love you
The lyrics to David Essex’s song ‘For Emily Whenever I May Find Her’ describe a dream in which the singer sees a woman he is in love with, clothed in crinoline of smoky burgundy and softer than the rain. He then describes walking through empty streets, hearing cathedral bells, and eventually meeting the woman. The two of them walk together on frosted fields of juniper and lamplight, holding hands. The dream ends with the singer waking up and finding the woman beside him. He expresses his love for her, kissing her hair and shedding grateful tears.
The song conveys the powerful emotions associated with being in love with someone, and the dream-like quality of the lyrics creates a sense of ethereal beauty. The reference to the cathedral bells adds a sense of grandeur and majesty to the lyrics, and the use of sensory details such as the description of the woman’s clothes and the juniper fields creates a vivid image of the dream world.
Overall, the song is a deeply romantic tribute to the power of love and the beauty of the dream world. The lyrics are poetic and lyrical, conveying a sense of longing and tenderness that is sure to resonate with listeners.
Line by Line Meaning
What a dream I had
This line signifies the beginning of the dream he had which he wants to explain in the next lines.
Pressed in organdy
Here, the dreamer is explaining that he dreamed of a girl all dressed up in a delicate, thin cotton fabric called organdy.
Clothed in crinoline of smoky burgundy
The dreamer is talking about the girl in the dream wearing a smoky burgundy crinoline, a stiff fabric well-known for its structure and texture.
Softer than the rain
This line talks about the dreamer's feeling towards the girl in the dream, who he considers to be as soft and delicate as rain.
I wandered empty streets
This line explains the dreamer's loneliness before he met the girl.
Down past the shop displays
The dreamer went past many shops and stores, but they couldn't keep him from his loneliness.
I heard cathedral bells
Cathedral bells are used here to create an atmosphere of hope and love, now that the girl has arrived in the dream.
Tripping down the alley ways
The bells' sounds traveled through the dream's alleyways, making the dreamer feel as if the whole world was dancing and rejoicing.
As I walked on
This line shows the dreamer walking through the empty streets, hearing the bells, and enjoying the feeling of his dream.
And when you ran to me
This line marks the beginning of the dreamer and the girl's encounter.
Your cheeks flushed with the night
The girl's rosy cheeks are indicative of her running to meet him in the night time.
We walked on frosted fields
Here, the dreamer is describing how he and the girl walked on fields covered in frost.
Of juniper and lamp light
Juniper berries' scent and the streetlights fill the air, making the atmosphere feel lighter and dreamier.
I held your hand
The dreamer describes the feeling of reaching down and holding the girl's hand in his.
And when I awoke and felt you warm and near
This line describes the dreamer's transition to reality, feeling the girl's warmth beside him.
I kissed your honey hair with my grateful tears
The dreamer is so happy that he might cry, and he's expressing his gratefulness towards the girl.
Oh, I love you, girl
The dreamer expresses his love and affection for the girl he dreamed of.
Oh, I love you
This line repeats the message of the song - that the dreamer loves the girl he dreamed of.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Paul Simon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind