She was born Laura Nigro on 18th October 1947 in the Bronx, New York, of Italian-American and Jewish-American parents. As a child, she taught herself piano, read poetry, and listened to her mother's records by Leontyne Price, Billie Holiday and classical composers such as Ravel and Debussy. She composed her first songs at age eight. While in high school, she sang with a group of friends in subway stations and on street corners.
As a teenager she experimented with using different names, and Nyro was the one she was using at the time. She sold her song "And When I Die" to Peter, Paul and Mary for $5,000, and made her first extended professional appearance in 1966, at age 18, singing at the "hungry i" coffeehouse in San Francisco. Mogull negotiated her a recording contract, and she recorded her debut album, More Than a New Discovery, for the Verve Folkways label. The album provided material for other artists, notably the 5th Dimension.
In 1967, Nyro made only her second major live appearance, at the Monterey Pop Festival. Although some accounts described her performance as a fiasco that culminated in her being booed off the stage,[8] recordings later made public contradict this view.[
Nyro was best known by the general public – and had the most commercial success – as a songwriter rather than a performer. Her best-known songs include "And When I Die" (made a hit by Blood, Sweat & Tears), "Stoney End" (covered by Barbra Streisand), "Wedding Bell Blues", "Stoned Soul Picnic", "Sweet Blindness", "Save the Country" (all covered by The 5th Dimension), and "Eli's Coming" (a hit for Three Dog Night). Ironically, Nyro's own best-selling single was "Up on the Roof", a cover of the Carole King-Gerry Goffin hit originally recorded by The Drifters in 1962.
She died on 8th April 1997.
In 2012 she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
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Laura Nyro Lyrics
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I can’t wear it no more
Here’s your old love letters
I can’t read ’em anymore
Love, you’ve gone from me
And left behind
So many memories
Here’s your old teddy bear
That you won for me
At the state fair
Here’s more lingering love
It’s in my heart and it’s tearing it apart
Love, you’ve gone from me
Left behind
So many memories
In this song, Laura Nyro reflects upon a past relationship and the tangible remnants of it that she has held onto. She begins by returning the friendship ring that her former partner had given her, acknowledging that she can no longer wear it. Similarly, she cannot bring herself to read the old love letters that they had written to each other, suggesting that the feelings expressed within them are now painful to revisit.
Nyro goes on to mention a teddy bear that had been won for her at a state fair, perhaps symbolizing playful and innocent moments that they once shared. However, even as she returns these sentimental objects, she acknowledges that the memories themselves cannot be returned or abandoned so easily. The lingering love that resides within her heart is tearing her apart, suggesting that the pain of the breakup remains vivid and raw.
Overall, Nyro's lyrics capture the complexity of letting go of a past relationship, recognizing that while certain physical tokens can be discarded or returned, the emotional impact and memories of the relationship endure.
Line by Line Meaning
Here’s your old friendship ring
I cannot continue to wear the symbol of our friendship that no longer exists.
I can’t wear it no more
It hurts too much to hold onto something that reminds me of what we used to have.
Here’s your old love letters
I cannot bring myself to read the words that once brought me so much joy.
I can’t read ’em anymore
The thought of the love we shared feels too painful now that you are gone.
Love, you’ve gone from me
The person I loved so deeply has left my life.
And left behind
Although you have physically left, your memory remains.
So many memories
The memories we shared together are all that remains.
Here’s your old teddy bear
The teddy bear that you once gave me as a gift still belongs to you.
That you won for me
The bear represents a time when you won my heart and made me feel loved.
At the state fair
The bear reminds me of the fun times we shared at the fair.
Here’s more lingering love
Despite the pain, there are still traces of love that remain within me.
It’s in my heart and it’s tearing it apart
The love that still lingers is causing me immense pain and heartbreak.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: LAURA NYRO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind