Manchester was born in the Bronx area of New York city to a musical family … Read Full Bio ↴Manchester was born in the Bronx area of New York city to a musical family of Jewish descent. Her father was a bassoonist for the New York Metropolitan Opera. Manchester started a singing career at an early age, learning the piano and harpsichord at the Manhattan School of Music and Arts, singing commercial jingles at age 15, and becoming a staff writer for Chappell Music while attending New York City's High School of the Performing Arts.

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.

Bright Eyes
Melissa Manchester Lyrics

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Bright eyes is here again
And I am so low, and so alone
Sweet lady night
Keep me from sunny's light.
Slippin' through stone
I'm into bein' bone.

I was raised on the good books of mornin'

And I learned how to laugh and get by.
I was gamin' and pleasin',
With never a reason why.

So the promise of heaven was broken
And I held on and I didn't care.
Just a dance for a changer,
A stranger to brush my hair.

And I know I'm an angel who's fallen from the sky.
And I shine like a star, I burn out, down to die.
Crawlin' back to my hurt and my heart, hear me cry.
Oh my heart, I cry
Oh my heart, I cry
Oh my heart, I cry

I must cry for the song of my mama
For the love lyin' somewhere in me
For the devil in dark night
Who needed the light to see

Touch me once if you like, make me over.
I am lust, I am am sleek, and I'm good.
But I'm startin' to shiver
Climb up and feel the sun.

And I know I'm an angel who's fallen from the sky.
And I shine like a star, I burn out, down to die.
And I'm tryin' to get back to my hurt or my heart
Oh my heart, my heart
Oh my heart, my heart
Oh, Oh my heart I cry

Oh I cry
Ah, I cry
Ooh

I cry
I cry

Overall Meaning

The song "Bright Eyes" by Melissa Manchester talks about a state of loneliness and despair experienced by the singer, symbolized by the night and the lack of light from the sun. The lyrics suggest a feeling of emptiness and loss, possibly due to broken promises and unfulfilled expectations. The phrase "slipping through stone, I'm into being bone" seems to describe a state of profound sadness and resignation, as the singer feels like they are turning into nothingness, losing their identity and their purpose.

The second part of the lyrics explores the singer's past and the reasons behind their current situation. The mentions of "the good books of morning" and the promise of heaven suggest a religious upbringing and the belief in a better life after death. However, the singer seems to have lost faith in these ideals and now finds themselves in a world that is cold and unfeeling. The lines "And I'm trying to get back to my hurt or my heart" suggest a desire to reconnect with their emotions and their inner self, possibly through the act of crying.

Overall, "Bright Eyes" is a song that deals with themes of loneliness, disillusionment, and the search for meaning in life. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a person who is struggling to come to terms with their own identity and their place in the world.

Line by Line Meaning

Bright eyes is here again
I am feeling optimistic again

And I am so low, and so alone
I am feeling sad and lonely

Sweet lady night
I am reaching out to night-time to keep me comforted

Keep me from sunny's light.
Help me avoid the harsh realities of life

Slippin' through stone
I am finding it difficult to progress

I'm into bein' bone.
I feel very tired and weak

I was raised on the good books of mornin'
I was brought up to believe that life is positive

And I learned how to laugh and get by.
I have developed coping mechanisms to deal with life's challenges

I was gamin' and pleasin',
I was living life with no real purpose

With never a reason why.
I didn't really understand my life's purpose

So the promise of heaven was broken
My beliefs about life have been challenged

And I held on and I didn't care.
I kept going despite the difficulties

Just a dance for a changer,
I was living for the moment, with no real plan or direction

A stranger to brush my hair.
I was turning to strangers for comfort and love

And I know I'm an angel who's fallen from the sky.
I feel like I used to be something special, but have lost my way

And I shine like a star, I burn out, down to die.
I feel like I have the potential for greatness, but am struggling to reach it

Crawlin' back to my hurt and my heart, hear me cry.
I am trying to work through my pain and emotions

Oh my heart, I cry
I am expressing my sadness and vulnerability

I must cry for the song of my mama
I am grieving for the loss of my mother's love and guidance

For the love lyin' somewhere in me
I am hoping to find love within myself

For the devil in dark night
I am struggling with my inner demons

Who needed the light to see
I am hoping to find a way out of my struggles

Touch me once if you like, make me over.
I am looking for someone to help me change my life

I am lust, I am am sleek, and I'm good.
I know I have a lot to offer, but am not currently living up to my potential

But I'm startin' to shiver
I am feeling anxious and uneasy

Climb up and feel the sun.
I am hopeful for a brighter future

Oh my heart, my heart
I am expressing my emotional pain once again

Oh my heart, my heart
Reiterating my emotional pain

Oh, Oh my heart I cry
I am expressing my feelings of sadness and despair

Oh I cry
Continuing to express my emotional pain

Ah, I cry
Expressing my pain and vulnerability

Ooh
An expression of the depth of my pain

I cry
Reiterating my emotional pain

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: JAMIE HARTMAN, ANDY STOCHANSKY, BONNIE ANDERSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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