In his time in the transitional King Crimson line-up of 1970, he appeared on the album Lizard, but quit the group during rehearsals for live work. A school friend with Robert Fripp, they previously worked together in an earlier version of League of Gentlemen. Haskell's more folk oriented interests were in conflict with Crimson's sound, so he elected to leave.
Subsequently, he released a series of solo albums, including -
It Is And It Isn't (1972) Atlantic, No.8 Radio Luxembourg chart
Serve At Room Temperature (1979) RCA (un-released until 1997)
In the 80s, after getting into some debt, he decamped to Denmark where he played in bars six nights a week . His voice became a lot stronger, and he paid off his debt. In the 1990s he continued to make more albums, and even released some singles. The "Almost Certainly" single, released in 1990, went to number one in South Africa. An album called Hambledon Hill followed this. It did well on airplay with BBC Radio 1's DJ, Bob Harris saying "he loved it". A single of the same name was planned. Alas the distributor went bankrupt, and so the deal fell through. However in 1994 the Voiceprint record label re-issued the album, and more followed like -
It's Just A Plot To Drive You Crazy (1994) Voiceprint
Butterfly In China (1996) Wilderness Records (A single from Butterfly In China was planned called "More Yin Than Yang", but only promo copies were available).
All In The Scheme Of Things (1999) Wilderness Records
Look Out (2001) Flying Sparks
Look Out contained a song entitled "How Wonderful You Are". This was given to Johnnie Walker of BBC Radio 2 the day before 9/11, and he liked the song, so he played it to listeners, who made it the most requested song in the radio station's history. Due to public demand, this was released as a single for the UK Christmas number one chase. Despite only 25% TV & radio publicity, it still crashed in to the Christmas number two spot in the UK Singles Chart, selling 400,000 copies. It was narrowly beaten by Robbie Williams & Nicole Kidman's cover of "Something Stupid", which had 95% publicity.
Warner Bros. signed Gordon for a long-term album deal, and Harry's Bar was released under the East West record label on 7 January 2002. It also crashed into number 2 in the UK Albums Chart, making Haskell's comeback a great success. European audiences also embraced Harry's Bar and it became more successful.
Later on that year Shadows On The Wall was released, but only made Number 44 in the UK Albums Chart.
Then Haskell decided to write his autobiography with David Nobbs author of The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin. His next album The Lady Wants To Know comprises eleven tracks and was produced by Hamish Stuart and featured Tony O'Malley and Robbie McIntosh (Stuart and McIntosh were formerly members of the Scottish rock band, Average White Band). The album reached Number 14 in the Polish album charts.
A DVD, "The Road To Harry's Bar", was released in 2005 and Haskell also published his autobiography under the same title, with the foreword written by David Nobbs, creator of The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin.
After commuting from the Greek island of Skopelos for eight years he returned to the UK in 2017 for a British tour with Hannah's Yard.
Sunshine In The Night
Gordon Haskell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In this cold and cruel world they soon get tossed aside
Diamond pearls and pots of gold are few and far between
And a love that's made in heaven is so very seldom seen.
Lovely Lady what have I done?
I've got the sunshine and moonlight rolled into one
I throw my hands up to heaven and praise him for the light
For who else could have sent me
All of my uncertainty was gone without a trace
It melted from the moment I saw the sunlight on your face
I was running scared on empty, barely keeping pace
But you brought me to a standstill treasuring your grace.
Lovely Lady what have I done?
I've got the sunshine and moonlight rolled into one
I throw my hands up to heaven and praise him for the light
For who else could have sent me
The Sunshine in the Night.
You're the sunshine in the night.
Malinda Malindalay, Malinda Malindalay ...
Lovely Lady what have I done?
I've got the sunshine and moonlight rolled into one
I throw my hands up to heaven and praise him for the light
For who else could have sent me
The Sunshine in the Night.
You're the sunshine in the night.
Yeah, you're the sunshine in the night.
Malinda Malindalay, Malinda Malindalay ...
Gordon Haskell's song "Sunshine In the Night" is a tribute to the power of love and the transformative effect it can have on a person's life. The opening lines lament the rarity of genuinely good and caring people in the world, contrasting them with material possessions that are fleeting and ultimately unsatisfying. The lyrics express gratitude for finding someone who possesses those elusive qualities and whose love fills the singer's life with light and joy, even in the darkest of times. The repeated phrase, "Lovely Lady what have I done?" suggests that the singer recognizes the incredible luck or fate that brought this person into his life and he wants to honor it.
The chorus of the song reinforces the idea of this person as the "sunshine in the night" - an unexpected and rare gift, like a literal beam of sunshine breaking through the darkness. The imagery of hands raised in praise to heaven gives the song a spiritual and reverent tone, suggesting that the love shared between the two people is something to be celebrated and cherished. The final refrain repeats the name "Malinda Malindalay" - though its meaning or significance is unclear, it adds a mystical and mysterious quality to the song, suggesting that the love between the two is something special and unique.
Overall, "Sunshine In the Night" is a heartfelt tribute to the power of love and the transformative effect it can have on a person's life. It highlights the rarity of genuine kindness and caring in the world and celebrates the good that can come from finding someone who possesses those qualities. The final refrain adds a mystical quality to the song, suggesting that this love is something unique and special.
Line by Line Meaning
Super Souls and golden hearts sure are hard to find
It's difficult to come across people with kind hearts and pure souls in a world that can be cold and cruel
In this cold and cruel world they soon get tossed aside
People with good hearts are often overlooked and ignored in a world that doesn't value true kindness
Diamond pearls and pots of gold are few and far between
Wealth and material possessions are rare and not always fulfilling, unlike true love and genuine connections with others
And a love that's made in heaven is so very seldom seen.
It's not common to find a truly special and meaningful love that feels like it was meant to be
Lovely Lady what have I done?
The singer is addressing his partner and expressing confusion at how he was lucky enough to find her
I've got the sunshine and moonlight rolled into one
The singer feels that his partner brings light and warmth to his life in every sense
I throw my hands up to heaven and praise him for the light
The singer is grateful to a higher power for bringing him someone so special
For who else could have sent me The Sunshine in the Night.
The singer believes that his partner is a blessing and that her presence in his life is not just luck, but divine intervention
All of my uncertainty was gone without a trace
The singer no longer feels unsure or anxious about his future now that he has his partner in his life
It melted from the moment I saw the sunlight on your face
Just being in his partner's presence makes all of the singer's fears and worries disappear
I was running scared on empty, barely keeping pace
Before meeting his partner, the singer felt lost and like he had nothing to hold onto
But you brought me to a standstill treasuring your grace.
His partner has helped him find inner peace and value the beauty of life
You're the sunshine in the night.
The singer's partner brings light and hope to even the darkest moments of his life
Malinda Malindalay, Malinda Malindalay ...
This line is likely a nonsensical refrain that doesn't hold any specific meaning
Writer(s): Haskell Gordon
Contributed by Parker B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.