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.
Energy
Melissa Manchester Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Need a love to bring me back to life
Got to find a way of breaking through
I'll find a way to get to you
I can hear the rockets lifting
I can see the atoms split in two
I can feel the planet shifting
It's pulling me to you
Energy between you and me
It's a body shock electricity
Energy
Turn it loose on me
You give it, I love it, energy
I never felt like this
I can feel the future in your kiss
I can feel the power start to rise
The universe has come alive
Can't you hear the rockets lifting
Can't you see the atoms split in two
Don't you feel the planet shifting
It's pulling me to you
Energy between you and me
It's a body shock electricity
Energy
Turn it loose on me
You give it, I love it, energy
Once I wished on a star; now here you are
I can't believe
Energy between you and me
It's a body shock electricity
Energy
Turn it loose on me
You give it, I love it, energy
The song "Energy" by Melissa Manchester is about the power of love and the energy that comes with it. The first verse talks about feeling stuck in a mundane life, but needing love to bring her back to life. The singer finds a way to break through and get to her love interest. She then describes the intense power of their connection as she feels the planet shifting and being pulled towards him. The chorus emphasizes the electric energy between them and how it is a body shock that she loves. The second verse repeats the imagery of rockets and atoms splitting, further emphasizing the intensity of their connection. The bridge talks about how the singer once wished on a star for love and now can't believe that it has come true.
Line by Line Meaning
Stuck in four walls day and night
I feel trapped in the same routine every day and night
Need a love to bring me back to life
I need love to break this monotony and rejuvenate me
Got to find a way of breaking through
I need to find a way to escape from this mundane life
I'll find a way to get to you
I will find a way to reach out to my loved one
I can hear the rockets lifting
I can sense the surge of passion rising within me
I can see the atoms split in two
I can see the sparks flying between us
I can feel the planet shifting
I can feel fate leading us both together
It's pulling me to you
Our love is drawing us closer than ever before
Energy between you and me
Our love is electric with an intense connection
It's a body shock electricity
The energy we share is a physical sensation that electrifies me
Turn it loose on me
Let this energy flow freely through and between us
You give it, I love it, energy
The more you share your energy with me, the more I adore and appreciate it
I never felt like this
I have never experienced such intense feelings before
I can feel the future in your kiss
I can sense the promises of a beautiful future together in your kiss
I can feel the power start to rise
I can sense the building up of the powerful love between us
The universe has come alive
Our love has given life and meaning to the universe around us
Can't you hear the rockets lifting
Don't you feel the strong passion between us?
Can't you see the atoms split in two
Can't you see the sparks fly and the passion between us ignite?
Don't you feel the planet shifting
Don't you feel the strong fate bringing us together?
Once I wished on a star; now here you are
I have always wished for this love, and now it is here in front of me
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: AMANDA CEE, ARIC DEVONNE SHUFORD, PETER RICHARD LORIMER, RICHARD D GONZALEZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
KamikaseRevolver
Stuck in four walls day and night
Need a love to bring me back to life
Got to find a way of breaking through
I'll find a way to get to you
I can hear the rockets lifting
I can see the atoms split in two
I can feel the planet shifting
It's pulling me to you
Energy between you and me
It's a body shock electricity
Energy
Turn it loose on me
You give it, I love it, energy
I never felt like this
I can feel the future in your kiss
I can feel the power start to rise
The universe has come alive
Can't you hear the rockets lifting
Can't you see the atoms split in two
Don't you feel the planet shifting
It's pulling me to you
Energy between you and me
It's a body shock electricity
Energy
Turn it loose on me
You give it, I love it, energy
Once I wished on a star; now here you are
I can't believe
Energy between you and me
It's a body shock electricity
Energy
Turn it loose on me
You give it, I love it, energy
m46279
Unlike many of you, I'm 45 and this was one of my favorite songs in the 80s. I just learned about the Duck Sauce version after searching for this original, so I guess I'm the opposite of most others here. Very cool to see and hear it resurrected after all these years!
MaskedMan66
Duck... sauce?
tity servin
@MaskedMan66 They made a "remix" or a more current version of this song and it's called NRG and flans also made a version of this song in Spanish (although that song is from the same era)
God's Revolver
I very much prefer the original!
MI - DA
Now you're 52.
deliveryguyrx
YES!! From her 'Mathamatics' release.My girlfriend and I saw her live at Merriweather Post Pavillion in '83 or '84 and she opened with this song.I still LOVE Melissa!!
Michael Barrs
I wanted to go to this concert so badly but couldn't afford it. I'm glad to see she opened with this song--it seems the perfect choice!
Plant-Strong Latina
Ignacio Martin: I just found out this is the original song. I love the FLANS version, but this is very good too! Flans did a great job covering it-- they all had great voices! The Spanish translation actually is "Today for you, tomorrow for me." Flans | Hoy Por Ti, Mañana Por Mi
MaskedMan66
Such power this woman's voice has!
kandaraugh
I love this song! Epic tribute by Duck Sauce, as well.