'Les Brown and the Band of Renown' brought Doris Day into prominence with their recording of Sentimental Journey in 1945. The release of Sentimental Journey coincided with the end of WWII in Europe and was the homecoming theme for many veterans. They had nine other number-one hit songs, including I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm.
Les Brown and the Band of Renown performed with Bob Hope on radio, stage and TV for almost fifty years. They did 18 USO Tours for American troops around the world, and entertained over three million. Before the Super Bowls were televised, the Bob Hope Christmas Specials were the highest-rated programs in television history. Tony Bennett was "discovered" by Bob Hope and did his first public performance with Les and the Band.
Les Brown and the Band were also the 'house band' for the Dean Martin Variety Show, which ran for ten seasons, and for the Steve Allen show.
Les Brown and the Band of Renown performed with virtually every major performer of their time, including Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Nat "King" Cole.
In 2001, Les Brown Jr. became the full-time leader of the Band of Renown. They continue to perform throughout the world and have a regular big band show in Branson, Mo. Les Brown Jr. also hosts a national radio show on the Music Of Your Life network. Les Jr. was a television actor in the 1960s (Gunsmoke, General Hospital, Gilligan's Island), a rock musician and producer who worked with Carlos Santana, and a concert promoter for many country music artists including Merle Haggard and Loretta Lynn. In 2004 Les Brown Jr. received the Ambassador of Patriotism award from the POW Network.
Les Brown Sr. is interred in the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.
Midnight Sun
Les Brown Lyrics
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Warmer than the Summer night.
The clouds were like an alabaster palace,
Rising to a snowy height.
Each star its own Aurora Borealis,
Suddenly you held me tight,
I could see the midnight sun.
Or was that a moonlit veil?
The music of the universe around me,
Or was that a nightingale?
And then your arms miraculously found me,
Suddenly the sky turned pale,
I could see the midnight sun.
Was there such a night?
It's still a thrill I don't quite believe;
But after you were gone
There was still some stardust on my sleeve!
The flame of it may dwindle to an ember,
And the stars forget to shine,
And we may see the meadow in December,
Icy white and crystalline.
But oh, my darlin', always I'll remember
When your lips were close to mine,
And I saw the midnight sun.
The flame of it may dwindle to an ember,
And the stars forget to shine,
And we may see the meadow in December,
Icy white and crystalline.
But oh, my darlin', always I'll remember
When your lips were close to mine,
And I saw the midnight sun,
The midnight sun,
The midnight sun,
The midnight sun.
The lyrics of Les Brown's song Midnight Sun describe a night of intense passion and beauty. The singer's lover's lips are seen as a "red and ruby chalice" that is "warmer than the Summer night." The clouds in the sky are compared to a magnificent palace, rising to a snowy height. The writer interprets the stars in the sky as their own Aurora Borealis, turning the night sky into a breathtaking sight. In the midst of all this wonder, the singer's lover pulls them close, and they "hold each other tight." It's as if they are the only two people in the world, wrapped up in this magical moment.
The singer is unable to explain the feelings that overwhelm them. They see "silver rain" fall around them, or perhaps they visualize a "moonlit veil." They hear the "music of the universe" in the form of a nightingale's song. They are caught up in the passion of the moment, and nothing else seems real or important. When the lover's arms close around them, the sky seems to turn pale, and they see the "midnight sun." This moment is so profound that the singer can hardly believe it happened. They recall it as a "thrill" that defies explanation or belief. Even after their lover is gone, they still feel the stardust of that night on their sleeve. It is a memory that they will always cherish.
Line by Line Meaning
Your lips were like a red and ruby chalice,
Your kiss was like a precious, beautiful treasure, shining bright and catching my eye.
Warmer than the Summer night.
Your kiss was like the warmth of a summer evening, comforting and familiar.
The clouds were like an alabaster palace,
The clouds were as white and pure as a palace made of alabaster, soaring high and seemingly endless.
Rising to a snowy height.
The clouds were so tall and majestic, they looked as though they reached a height of snowy peaks.
Each star its own Aurora Borealis,
Every star in the sky was like its own Northern Lights display, sparkling and dancing with light.
Suddenly you held me tight,
All of a sudden you enveloped me in a warm embrace, holding me tightly and making me feel safe and secure.
I could see the midnight sun.
In that moment, I felt like I could see the impossible - the midnight sun, shining brightly even in the darkest of nights.
I can't explain the silver rain that found me,
I can't find words to explain the strange occurrence of silver rain that suddenly fell upon me - it was like a magical, unexpected gift.
Or was that a moonlit veil?
Or perhaps it was simply a veil of moonlight, drifting down upon me like a soft, gentle touch.
The music of the universe around me,
At that moment, I could hear the symphony of the entire universe playing around me - it was like a beautiful, magical song.
Or was that a nightingale?
Or maybe it was just the soft, sweet song of a nightingale, adding to the magic of the moment.
And then your arms miraculously found me,
As if by a miracle, your arms found their way to me once more, embracing me in a warm, loving hug.
Suddenly the sky turned pale,
In that moment, everything around me seemed to lose its color and turn pale, as if all the focus was on you and I alone.
Was there such a night?
Looking back, it's almost hard to believe that such a magical and perfect night could have really happened.
It's still a thrill I don't quite believe;
Even now, the memory of that night still fills me with excitement and wonder - it's almost hard to believe it really happened.
But after you were gone
Once you were gone and the night had ended, life returned to its normal, everyday existence.
There was still some stardust on my sleeve!
But even after you were gone, I could still feel the magic of that night clinging to my clothes like stardust.
The flame of it may dwindle to an ember,
Over time, the passionate flame of that night may have dwindled and faded to a mere ember of its former self.
And the stars forget to shine,
The stars themselves may have forgotten the magic they held that night, and stopped shining as brightly as they once did.
And we may see the meadow in December,
Even in the darkest and coldest of seasons, when everything seems to be frozen over and lifeless, we may find ourselves in a meadow surrounded by snow.
Icy white and crystalline.
The snow in that meadow is like a luminous, icy wonderland of white and crystal, radiant even in the darkest months.
But oh, my darlin', always I'll remember
But despite the cold and the darkness, I will always remember that night and the love we shared beneath the midnight sun.
When your lips were close to mine,
I will always remember the feeling of your warm kiss, so close to mine and filling me with a sense of joy and wonder.
And I saw the midnight sun.
For that one magical night, I could see the impossible - the midnight sun - and it was all thanks to the love we shared.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, SENTRIC MUSIC
Written by: ERROLL GARNER, JOHNNY BURKE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind