In his day he … Read Full Bio ↴David Whitfield was a popular Tenor of the mid 1950s.
In his day he was fabulously popular and sang to capacity crowds. He appeared on the Ed Sullivan show several times with great aplomb. In the later 1950s his style of singing had to compete with the likes of Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley ,and by the early 1960s had moved into musicals such as "The Desert Song" and "Rose Marie" and recorded classic albums such as "Alone" with his wonderful semi operatic style of singing.
In his day he sang a large range of songs and was sometimes likened to the great Mario Lanza. He just loved travelling, and visited Canada and especially Australia many times. His great hits were those he recorded with Mantovani, his favorite being "When You lose the one you love". Many of his songs were written for his voice alone with well known exceptions being "I Believe" (1953) and "That's When your Heartaches Begin" (1958).
He was and is the most popular British recording artist of the 1950s with a career extending into the 60s and 70s appearing on many quiz programs on Australian television as a special guest.
Bridge of Sighs
David Whitfield Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But not the same old lies
You know my heart is waiting for you dear
Here on the bridge of sighs
Tell me again you love me
And gaze into my eyes
I'm yours tonight, so why keep me waiting
How many times we pledged our love anew
When little quarrels came our way
I know the reason why I'm missing you
My love of happy yesterday
Tell me you're mine forever
Mine just to idolise
Take me away, stop breaking my heart dear
Here on the bridge of sighs.
(Musical Break)
I know the reason why I'm missing you
My love of happy yesterday
Tell me you're mine forever
Mine just to idolise
Take me away, stop breaking my heart dear
Here on the bridge of sighs.
The lyrics of David Whitfield's "Bridge of Sighs" speak of a longing for love and a desire to reconcile with a past lover. The singer is asking for the old love story to be told, but not the same old lies that have caused previous strife. The singer's heart is waiting for their lover on the bridge of sighs, a metaphor for the place where one contemplates and reflects on loss and despair. The singer wants their lover to declare their love and gaze into their eyes so that they may be together tonight, instead of waiting in sorrow.
The lyrics focus on the rekindling of love by acknowledging past quarrels and why they miss their lover. The singer wants to be assured that they are still loved and wants to be taken away from their heartache. The Bridge of Sighs is a fitting metaphor for the song, as it refers to a famous bridge in Venice that joins the Doge's Palace to the prison. Prisoners would cross this bridge to their cells, and it was believed they would take their last breath of freedom while crossing it, heaving a sigh. In the song, it is a metaphor for the place where the singer's heart is held captive from the pain of love.
Overall, "Bridge of Sighs" is a song about the longing for love and the desire to revive it. The lyrics paint a picture of a wistful and melancholic longing for love that has been lost, but the singer is hopeful for reconciliation.
Line by Line Meaning
Tell me that old love story
Narrate our memories that we both cherish together.
But not the same old lies
Express genuine feelings and avoid insincere statements.
You know my heart is waiting for you dear
My love for you is unconditional, and I am eagerly waiting to be with you.
Here on the bridge of sighs
I am longing for your presence on this lonely bridge of sighs.
Tell me again you love me
Reaffirm your love for me.
And gaze into my eyes
Look deeply into my eyes to show your sincerity.
I'm yours tonight, so why keep me waiting
I am all yours tonight, so why are you making me wait?
Here on the bridge of sighs
I am still waiting for you on this lonely bridge of sighs.
How many times we pledged our love anew
We have vowed our love countless times over the years.
When little quarrels came our way
Despite minor disagreements, we always found a way to rekindle our love.
I know the reason why I'm missing you
I am aware that my yearning for you is because I miss our happy days together.
My love of happy yesterday
My intense love for the joyful moments we had in the past.
Tell me you're mine forever
Promise me that you will be mine for eternity.
Mine just to idolise
I want to cherish you and love you endlessly as the object of my admiration.
Take me away, stop breaking my heart dear
Please take me away from this sadness, because it's breaking my heart.
Here on the bridge of sighs.
I am still hoping to find solace and happiness with you on this lonely bridge of sighs.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BILLY REID
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@pebblesstleonards
My grandad's favourite singer ❤
@sylviaabraham3284
Never fails to bring immense enjoyment to a listener of really wonderful singers
@nellykevbbc
love this song and performance...decca records..great quality.....kevin
@eddiemac303
good old yorkshire lad, great singer!!
@Chiefmicah
I still miss him. Big crush on him.
@daphnestocker9532
He sang I'll find you on the film sea wife we watched it while on honeymoon in 1957 always loved it fantastic singer