Kathleen Battle (born August 13, 1948, Portsmouth, Ohio, USA) is an African… Read Full Bio ↴Kathleen Battle (born August 13, 1948, Portsmouth, Ohio, USA) is an African-American soprano known for her agile and light voice and her silvery, pure tone. One of the most prominent recitalists and opera singers of her generation, she is admired for her wide ranging recital repertoire and performances of the operas of Georg Friedrich Händel and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Battle initially became known for her work within the concert repertoire through performances with major orchestras during the early and mid 70s. She made her opera debut in 1975 and by the early 1980s had become a favorite at many of the world's best opera houses within the soubrette repertoire. Battle expanded her repertoire into light lyric soprano and lyric coloratura soprano roles during the 1980s and early 1990s. In 1985, Michael Walsh of Time magazine called her "the best lyric coloratura in the world". Although she no longer appears in operas, Battle remains active in concert and recital performances.

As a child and young adult, Battle was both a good student and a good singer, but her ambitions were not grand. She was awarded a scholarship to the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music in Ohio, but she chose to major in music education rather than risk a performance career. In 1971, with both bachelor's and master's degrees, Battle set out to teach music to Cincinnati's inner-city youth. While teaching 5th and 6th grade music, she continued to study voice privately, which resulted in an audition with Thomas Schippers (then conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra). He was so moved by Battle's remarkable voice that he hired the almost totally inexperienced singer to perform at the 1972 Festival of Two Worlds in Spoleto, Italy.

Prelude to a Kiss
Kathleen Battle Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

If you hear
A song in blue
Like a flower crying
For the dew
That was my heart serenading you
My prelude to a kiss

If you hear a song that grows

From my tender sentimental woes
That was my heart trying to compose
A prelude to a kiss

Though it's just a simple melody
With nothing fancy
Nothing much
You could turn it to a symphony
A Shubert tune with a Gershwin touch

Oh how my love song gently cries
For the tenderness within your eyes
My love is a prelude that never dies
A prelude to a kiss

Though it's just a simple melody
With nothing fancy
Nothing much
You could turn it to a symphony
A Shubert tune with a Gershwin touch

Oh how my love song so gently cries
For the tenderness within your eyes

My love is a prelude that never dies
A prelude to a kiss

Overall Meaning

The song, "Prelude to a Kiss" by Kathleen Battle is a romantic ballad that describes the emotions of a lover who is deeply in love with their partner. The lyrics express the profound love the singer feels, and they use the language of music to describe their emotions. When the singer says, "If you hear a song in blue, like a flower crying for the dew, that was my heart serenading you," they are saying that their heart is singing a sad song for their partner, longing to be with them.

The singer goes on to explain that their love is like a prelude to a kiss, a simple melody that can be transformed into a beautiful symphony. They suggest that their love is something that can be built upon and expanded, much like how a prelude is the beginning of a larger musical piece. They describe their love as a "Shubert tune with a Gershwin touch," implying that it is a classic piece of music that has been elevated by a touch of modernity.

In the final stanza, the singer describes how their love song gently cries for the tenderness within their partner's eyes. They express that their love is a prelude that never dies, a never-ending song that will continue to serenade their partner for eternity. Overall, "Prelude to a Kiss" is a beautiful love song that uses the language of music to express the depth of the singer's emotions.

Line by Line Meaning

If you hear
If you listen intently

A song in blue
A song filled with sadness and longing

Like a flower crying
Like a flower that is thirsty for water to survive

For the dew
Waiting for a romantic partner

That was my heart serenading you
My heart sings this song for you

My prelude to a kiss
A song that precedes a kiss

If you hear a song that grows
If you hear a song that gradually builds up

From my tender sentimental woes
From my emotional pain

That was my heart trying to compose
That was my heart attempting to create a song

A prelude to a kiss
A song that comes before a kiss

Though it's just a simple melody
Despite it being an uncomplicated tune

With nothing fancy
Without any embellishments

Nothing much
Not very significant

You could turn it to a symphony
It can be transformed into a grand musical piece

A Shubert tune with a Gershwin touch
A composition that is both classic and contemporary

Oh how my love song gently cries
My song of love expresses its emotions very delicately

For the tenderness within your eyes
Inspired by the kindness I perceive in your gaze

My love is a prelude that never dies
My love for you is everlasting

A prelude to a kiss
A song that precedes a kiss

Lyrics © DistroKid, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave
Written by: DUKE ELLINGTON, IRVING MILLS, IRVING GORDON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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