Barlow is one of Britain's most successful songwriters, having written fourteen Number 1 singles and twenty four top 10 hits. He has had three Number 1 singles, six top 10 singles and two Number 1 albums as a solo artist, and has had seventeen top 5 hits, twelve Number 1 singles and seven Number 1 albums with Take That. He is also a six-time recipient of the Ivor Novello Award and has sold over 50 million records worldwide. He was appointed an OBE in 2012 for services to music and charity.
Barlow's solo career was predicted to be very successful, being described as 'the next George Michael'. His first two solo singles "Forever Love" (released July 1996) and "Love Won't Wait" (composed by Madonna and Shep Pettibone) both leapt to the number one spot in his home country. "Forever Love" was also used as the soundtrack to the film The Leading Man. His debut album "Open Road" reached number 1 in the UK Albums Chart and went on to sell 2 million copies worldwide. Barlow's first single to be released in the United States as a solo artist was "So Help Me Girl", which reached number 44 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and number 1 on the US Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. He then achieved another top ten hit in the UK with "Open Road" peaking at number 7 and number 8 in the Netherlands with "Are You Ready Now".
After the success of his first solo album he released his second LP "Twelve Months, Eleven Days" in 1999. Barlow released "Stronger" as the lead single preceding the album. However, due to an expected backlash against Barlow, it received minimal support and airplay and only peaked at number 16. The second single "For All That You Want" again was subjected to minimal radio play and peaked at number 24, however it peaked just outside the top 5 in Finland. "Twelve Months, Eleven Days" was released soon after the first single to little promotion and peaked at a disappointing number 35, which led to Sony recalling Barlow's 'greatest' song according to critics, the scheduled third single from his second album "Lie to Me". This resulted in both Barlow and BMG parting company. To date Barlow has sold 5 million records worldwide as a solo artist.
On September 2013, Barlow announced via his Twitter account that he would be releasing his first full-length solo album in 14 years, on 25 November 2013. Barlow encouraged his followers and fans to tweet #GBSOLO to reveal the album artwork and title, with their profile pictures being used to create a collage of the album cover. On 4 October 2013, Barlow revealed his new album would be called "Since I Saw You Last", and would be preceded by his first single from the LP, titled "Let Me Go", released worldwide on 17 November 2013. He also announced that he would be touring the album in April 2014, playing some of the biggest arenas in the UK.
6th Avenue
Gary Barlow Lyrics
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A moment in time
A change of direction
Your life in a face
Your Words on a page
Now your heart needs no protection
In just a few words I could tell it would hurt
To leave you without knowing when I might see you again
So again I depend on the unknown
I've traveled six thousand miles thirty thousand feet just to see you
Where is the danger
I have my return ticket ready with nothing to lose
Has time taken leave of our senses
Or has sense taken leave of our time
If all of my life has been leading to this rendezvous
Let it happen on 6th Avenue
I've always lived life in search of surprise
I keep my eyes open
What you can't control you can't leave alone
So don't choose be chosen
Now your tongue can't say the questions cos you know the answers
In just a few words I could tell it would hurt
To leave you without knowing when I might see you again
I've traveled six thousand miles thirty thousand feet just to see you
Where is the danger
I have my return ticket ready with nothing to lose
Has time taken leave of our senses
Or has sense taken leave of our time
If all of my life has been leading to this rendezvous
Let it happen on 6th Avenue
On any other day I'd have taken Broadway
In a New York minute
To think I could have missed you
I've traveled six thousand miles thirty thousand feet just to see you
Where is the danger
I have my return ticket ready with nothing to lose
Has time taken leave of our senses
Or has sense taken leave of our time
If all of my life has been leading to this rendezvous
Let it happen on 6th Avenue
I've traveled six thousand miles thirty thousand feet just to see you
Where is the danger
I have my return ticket ready with nothing to lose
Has time taken leave of our senses
Or has sense taken leave of our time
If all of my life has been leading to this rendezvous
Let it happen on 6th Avenue
In Gary Barlow's song "6th Avenue," the lyrics describe a moment of profound realization and decision-making. The strip of sunlight represents a moment of clarity and an opportunity for change. The singer is faced with a choice: to stay or to go. The lines "In one conversation I saw what I always believed in / In just a few words I could tell it would hurt / To leave you without knowing when I might see you again" suggest that the singer has found what they have been looking for and that leaving will be painful. However, they also recognize that life is full of surprises and that sometimes it is necessary to let go of control and take risks.
The chorus repeats the phrase "I've traveled six thousand miles thirty thousand feet just to see you / Where is the danger / I have my return ticket ready with nothing to lose / Has time taken leave of our senses / Or has sense taken leave of our time / If all of my life has been leading to this rendezvous / Let it happen on 6th Avenue." Here, the singer is acknowledging the distance they have traveled and the risks they have taken to be with the person they care about. They are also questioning the nature of time and whether their relationship is what their lives have been leading up to. By saying "Let it happen on 6th Avenue," they are suggesting that they are willing to let fate guide them and to take whatever risks necessary to be with the person they love.
Overall, "6th Avenue" is a song about taking risks, following your heart, and living in the moment. It is about recognizing that life is unpredictable and that the people we meet can change our lives in unexpected ways. The chorus, with its repetition and sense of urgency, highlights the idea that sometimes we have to take big leaps of faith in order to achieve our dreams.
Line by Line Meaning
A strip of sunlight
A small moment of happiness and positivity
A moment in time
A specific point in the past that has become important to me
A change of direction
An alteration to my usual path or way of living
Your life in a face
The essence of someone's life is present in their appearance
Your Words on a page
Your thoughts and feelings expressed in written form
Now your heart needs no protection
You are safe to express your true feelings without fear of judgement or harm
In one conversation I saw what I always believed in
I had a life-changing conversation that confirmed my beliefs
In just a few words I could tell it would hurt
I knew that leaving would cause emotional pain
To leave you without knowing when I might see you again
Parting with uncertainty about future meetings
So again I depend on the unknown
I am once again relying on what is uncertain or unpredictable
I've traveled six thousand miles thirty thousand feet just to see you
I have traveled a great distance to be with someone I care about
Where is the danger
What is the risk that comes with going to such lengths
I have my return ticket ready with nothing to lose
I am prepared to return home, having taken a chance and with no regrets
Has time taken leave of our senses
Are we losing our perspective on life due to time passing
Or has sense taken leave of our time
Has society's values and expectations surpassed and overshadowed our ability to live authentically
If all of my life has been leading to this rendezvous
If everything that has happened to me has culminated in this moment
Let it happen on 6th Avenue
Let this important moment occur on the streets of New York City
I've always lived life in search of surprise
I have always been seeking new and unexpected experiences
I keep my eyes open
I am alert and ready to take in everything around me
What you can't control you can't leave alone
If you cannot control something, it will stay on your mind
So don't choose be chosen
Let life happen to you instead of trying to control every aspect of it
Now your tongue can't say the questions cos you know the answers
You no longer need to ask because you already know the answer
On any other day I'd have taken Broadway
If things had been different, I would have taken a different route
In a New York minute
Very quickly
To think I could have missed you
I almost didn't find you and this important moment wouldn't have happened
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, IMAGEM MUSIC INC
Written by: GARY BARLOW, JOHN SHANKS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
tuttimatutti
I adore this song, it's a shame Gary didn't play it on his tour!
Sini Tuuli
I love Gary and all his songs. I'm obsessed. This song is so romantic and optimistic.
Andi Apple
It's a crime that this wasn't a single. I LOVE it.
Danry Tech Gaming
one of my favorite song from the album Since I Saw You Last
Barbara Giuliani
I love so much this song ❤
It's beautiful ❤ Gary is wonderful ❤
darren critchley
Loved this album! Still play it today
Laura
What a perfect, gorgeous man and his brilliant voice. I love him. ❤️
Zajptik
What a beautiful song.
Laiany Oliveira
I love this song ❤❤
Jair Hernández Rojas
I love him!