Tomlinson did not study music formally until well into his 20s. He played saxophone and ran a band as a hobby whilst studying for his degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics at University College, Oxford. It was only after graduating and finding himself drawn to London ’s jazz scene that he enrolled at the Guildhall School Of Music in 1990. It was at the Guildhall that his musical and romantic relationship with Stacey blossomed.
Since then, Tomlinson has worked in a wide variety of groups, from Brian Ferry to experimental big band composer, Michael Garrick. His own quartet has appeared at clubs and festivals across Europe. Most recently, he has toured almost exclusively with Stacey in Europe, USA and the Far East, reserving time to perform in a quintet dedicated to the music of Lester Young with fellow saxophonist and Guildhall graduate, Mark Crooks.
When not performing, Jim shares his passion for skiing with Stacey, a sport at which they both excel. Only touring commitments in Japan in March 2006 prevented them from racing in the Nastar US Championships for which they both qualified this season.
Tomlinson’s most recent CD, The Lyric (2005) features Stacey Kent extensively and is the first release on his own record label, Token. The album recently hit the charts in Poland, France, Spain, Hong Kong and the UK. The Lyric featuring Stacey Kent has also just been awarded "Album of the Year" at the 2006 BBC Jazz Awards, announced 13th July 2006.
The Lyric will be released in the USA in September 2006.
Stardust
Jim Tomlinson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Steals across the meadows of my heart
High up in the sky the little stars climb
Always reminding me that we're apart
You wander down the lane and far away
Leaving me a song that will not die
Love is now the stardust of yesterday
The music of the years gone by.
Sometimes I wonder, how I spend
The lonely nights
Dreaming of a song
The melody
Haunts my reverie
And I am once again with you
When our love was new
And each kiss an inspiration
But that was long ago
And now my consolation is in the stardust of a song
Besides the garden wall, when stars are bright
You are in my arms
The nightingale
Tells his fairytale
Of paradise, where roses grew
Though I dream in vain
In my heart it will remain
My stardust melody
The memory of love's refrain.
The lyrics of Jim Tomlinson/Stacey Kent's song Stardust express the feeling of longing, painful memories, and lost love. The first stanza sets the scene of a melancholic evening where the purple dusk of twilight time steals across the meadows of the singer's heart. Although the little stars climb high in the sky, they do nothing but remind the singer of their separation. As the subject wanders down the lane, leaving the singer behind, she is left with an unforgettable song, which is the only trace of the love that has now become stardust of yesterday, a memory of the years that have gone by.
In the second stanza, the singer wonders how they spend the lonely nights and dreams of a song that brings back memories of when their love was new, and each kiss was an inspiration. However, now that the love is lost, the only consolation for the singer is the stardust of a song, a memory of the love's refrain. The third stanza paints a picture of the singer holding their loved one in their arms, beneath the bright stars, and listening to the nightingale's fairytale. Even though this memory is all that remains of their love, the singer clings to it, regardless of the fact that the dream might be in vain.
Overall, the lyrics of Stardust convey a feeling of nostalgia, melancholy, and pensive reflection on lost love. The stardust of the song is a metaphor for the fragments left of a once-bright love now reduced to a memory.
Line by Line Meaning
And now the purple dusk of twilight time
The time of twilight has arrived and it is beautifully purple and pink in the sky.
Steals across the meadows of my heart
The colors of the dusk start to invade my thoughts and feelings.
High up in the sky the little stars climb
The stars are beginning to appear in the sky and seem to be reaching their highest points.
Always reminding me that we're apart
The presence of the stars always brings up the feeling of loneliness due to being away from a loved one.
You wander down the lane and far away
You have gone off and left me behind on my own.
Leaving me a song that will not die
You have left me with something that will stay with me forever; a song to keep me company in my lonesome times.
Love is now the stardust of yesterday
Our love is now a distant memory.
The music of the years gone by.
The music that reminds me of you is now from many years ago.
Sometimes I wonder, how I spend
There are times when I question the way I occupy myself.
The lonely nights
Those long nights that remind me how isolated I am without you.
Dreaming of a song
I drift off into unconsciousness while thinking of a song that reminds me of you.
The melody
The tune of that song constantly plays in my mind.
Haunts my reverie
It keeps popping up in my daydreams and even in my sleep.
And I am once again with you
Mentally, I transport myself back to the moments we shared together.
When our love was new
Those early days of blissful love and happiness.
And each kiss an inspiration
Every touch and smooch provided me with a different kind of stimulation back then.
But that was long ago
Sadly, those memories are from a time far back in the past.
And now my consolation is in the stardust of a song
The only thing giving me succor now is the melody of a song that reminds me of our bond.
Besides the garden wall, when stars are bright
Just on the other side of the garden, under the sparkling stars.
You are in my arms
You are close enough to wrap your arms around me.
The nightingale
The sweet little bird, the nightingale.
Tells his fairytale
He sings his charming songs about love and paradise.
Of paradise, where roses grew
The place the nightingale wants to take us to is one where roses blossomed and thrived.
Though I dream in vain
Even though my dreams of returning to those happier times are futile now.
In my heart it will remain
But the memory of those moments spent with you will always be in my heart.
My stardust melody
The song that reminds me of our past will forever be in my mind and heart.
The memory of love's refrain.
The memories of us being in love keep echoing in my heart, hauntingly and with every beat.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: CHRISTOPHER GENTRY, JOHN HUTCHINSON DEAN, MATTHEW EVERITT, SIMON IAN WHITE, STUART BLACK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind