She had released a number of standards throughout the 1970's on the Pye label and was a popular draw on the cabaret circuit but her gospel tinged country cover of the song written by Marijohn Wilkin and Kris Kristofferson proved to be an unlikely success at the height of disco and new wave, topping the UK singles chart for three weeks in November 1979. Her follow up single failed to chart so she has the dubious honour of being classified as a one hit wonder.
Although out of the limelight for a while while nursing her sick mother, Lena has now returned to the music business and is still touring the UK. She has recently released a few albums on the ScotDisc label which have been very successful[citation needed].
Her audience's favourite still remains "One Day At A Time", though there are many others who absolutely adore "The Old Rugged Cross"!
Help Me Make It Through the Night
Lena Martell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Shake it loose and let it fall
Layin' soft upon my skin
Like the shadows on the wall
Come and lay down by my side
Till the early mornin' light
All I'm takin' is your time
I don't care who's right or wrong
I don't try to understand
Let the devil take tomorrow
Lord tonight I need a friend
Yesterday is dead and gone
And tomorrow's out of sight
And it's sad to be alone
In Help Me Make It Through the Night, Lena Martell sings about a simple but profound desire for companionship and comfort. The opening lines, "Take the ribbon from your hair, Shake it loose and let it fall," are an invitation for intimacy -- to let one's guard down and be vulnerable. The second line, "Layin' soft upon my skin, Like the shadows on the wall" reminds us of the tender, fleeting nature of these moments, and how we must savor them before they disappear.
The next stanza emphasizes the urgency of the singer's plea: "Come and lay down by my side, Till the early mornin' light, All I'm takin' is your time, Help me make it through the night." The repetition of "help me make it through the night" is both a reminder of the song's central theme and a call for help. The singer does not need material possessions or grand gestures, just someone to be with them until the morning.
The next two stanzas express a sense of resignation and defeat. The singer says they do not care about right or wrong or try to understand, implying that they have given up on trying to make sense of the world or their problems. They then plead with the Lord to let the devil take tomorrow, asking only for comfort in the present moment. They acknowledge the fleeting nature of time, lamenting the past and fearing a lonely future.
Overall, Help Me Make It Through the Night is a simple but poignant song about the power of companionship and the fear of loneliness. Lena Martell's emotive performance captures the raw vulnerability of the lyrics and the basic human desire for connection.
Line by Line Meaning
Take the ribbon from your hair
Remove the decoration from your hair.
Shake it loose and let it fall
Unleash your hair and let it flow down.
Layin' soft upon my skin
The hair feels gentle as it rests on my skin.
Like the shadows on the wall
The hair is like the shadows of the light.
Come and lay down by my side
Come lie beside me.
Till the early mornin' light
Stay with me until the morning arrives.
All I'm takin' is your time
The only thing I request is your company for a while.
Help me make it through the night
Assist me in enduring this dark hour.
I don't care who's right or wrong
It doesn't matter who prevails or fails.
I don't try to understand
I am not trying to figure things out.
Let the devil take tomorrow
Leave the fate of the next day to chance.
Lord tonight I need a friend
I require companionship tonight.
Yesterday is dead and gone
The past is over and cannot be undone.
And tomorrow's out of sight
What will come tomorrow is unknown.
And it's sad to be alone
The thought of being alone is depressing.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Kris Kristofferson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind