She studied songwriting at New York University with Paul Simon. Manchester then appeared on the Manhattan club scene, where she was discovered by Bette Midler and Barry Manilow, who took her on as a backup singer in 1971.
Her debut album, Home to Myself, was released in 1973; Manchester co-wrote many of its songs with Carole Bayer Sager. Two years later Manchester's album Melissa produced her first top ten hit, "Midnight Blue". Manchester collaborated with Kenny Loggins to co-write Loggin's 1978 hit duet with Stevie Nicks, "Whenever I Call You Friend". At this time, she guest-starred on the soap opera Search for Tomorrow to teach a main character, who was a singer-songwriter, the essentials of the craft. In 1979 Manchester made the top ten with her version of Peter Allen's "Don't Cry Out Loud", for which she received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Female Vocal Performance.
In 1980 Manchester became the first singer to have two movie themes nominated for an Academy Award—"Through The Eyes Of Love" from the film Ice Castles and "I'll Never Say Goodbye" from the film The Promise'.
Two years later she had her biggest hit "You Should Hear How She Talks About You", which won a Grammy for Best Female Vocal Performance. It was her last Top 40 Pop hit, but Manchester did well on the Adult Contemporary charts the rest of the 1980s. Her most recent big Adult Contemporary hit was a 1989 updating of Dionne Warwick's "Walk On By".
Through the 1980s and 1990s Manchester alternated recording with acting, appearing with Bette Midler in the film For the Boys and on the television series Blossom.
Melissa also wrote and starred in the musical I Sent A Letter To My Love based on the Bernice Rubens novel of the same name.
In spring 2004, Manchester returned with her first album in 10 years: When I Look Down That Road.
Better Days
Melissa Manchester Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
After all is said and done
You are here as you were before
'Cause it feels as if we've been
Through it all and back again
Now I know there'll be something more
No more tears left to hide
Better days on our side
Oh, it looks as though we're doing something right
And in perfect time we'll flow
Sometimes up and down we'll go
Like the ring in a carousel
No more tears left to hide
We have made it through a long and lonely night
Better days on our side
Say, it looks as though we're doing something right
Oh, it looks as though we're doing something right
No more tears left to hide
We have made it through a long and lonely night
Better days on our side
Oh, it looks as though we're doing something right
No more tears left to hide
The lyrics of Melissa Manchester's song "Better Days" convey a sense of resilience and hope in the face of adversity. The opening lines acknowledge that another day has come and gone, but there is a sense of assurance that the listener is in the same place they were before, indicating that they have weathered through whatever difficult time had passed. The next line, "it feels as if we've been through it all and back again," strengthens this sentiment of overcoming hardship.
The chorus repeats "No more tears left to hide, we have made it through a long and lonely night, better days on our side," which further emphasizes the idea that tough times have been endured, but hope and optimism are still present. The repeated phrase "it looks as though we're doing something right" also reinforces this positive outlook. The bridge utilizes the metaphor of a carousel to illustrate the idea that there will be ups and downs in life, but there is comfort in the fact that the journey is taken with someone else.
Overall, "Better Days" can be seen as an anthem for perseverance and endurance through trying times. The lyrics encourage listeners to keep going, as there is the potential for brighter days ahead, and to find comfort in the journey itself as well as the company of others.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, another day has come
A new day has arrived.
After all is said and done
Despite everything, we're still here.
You are here as you were before
You're still the same person I know.
'Cause it feels as if we've been Through it all and back again
We've been through a lot and survived.
Now I know there'll be something more
I have hope for the future.
No more tears left to hide
We've cried all we can, it's time to move on.
We have made it through a long and lonely night
We survived a difficult time.
Better days on our side
There's hope for better times ahead.
Oh, it looks as though we're doing something right
We're making progress.
And in perfect time we'll flow
Things will work out in the end.
Sometimes up and down we'll go
Life isn't always smooth sailing.
Like the ring in a carousel
Our lives are like a ride with its ups and downs.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CAROLE BAYER SAGER, MELISSA TONI MANCHESTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind