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.

Rescue me
Melissa Manchester Lyrics

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Rescue me
Protect me in your arms
Rescue me
I want your tender charm
'Cause I'm lonely
And I'm blue
I need you
And your love too

Come on and rescue me

Come on, baby, and rescue me
Come on, baby, and rescue me
'Cause I need you by my side
Can't you see that I'm lonely

Rescue me
Come on and take my heart
Take your love and conquer every part
'Cause I'm lonely
And I'm blue
I need you
And your love too
Come on and rescue me

Come on, baby, and rescue me
Come on, baby, and rescue me
'Cause I need you by my side
Can't you see that I'm lonely

Rescue me
Protect me in your arms
Rescue me
I want your tender charm
'Cause I'm lonely
And I'm blue
I need you
And your love too
Come on and rescue me

(Come on baby)
Take me baby (take me baby)
Hold me baby (hold me baby)
Love me baby (love me baby)
Can't you see I need you baby
Can't you see that I'm lonely

Rescue me
Come on and take my hand
C'mon, baby and be my man
'Cause I love you
'Cause I want you
Can't you see that I'm lonely

Mmm-hmm (mmm-hmm)
Mmm-hmm (mmm-hmm)
Take me baby (take me baby)
Love me baby (love me baby)
Need me baby (need me baby)

Mmm-hmm (mmm-hmm)
Can't you see that I'm lonely

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Melissa Manchester's song "Rescue Me" express a deep sense of loneliness and longing for love. The singer is pleading for someone to come into their life and protect them, offering themselves up to be rescued. The repetition of the phrase "rescue me" emphasizes the singer's desperation for companionship and love. They see their potential rescuer as someone who can provide comfort and emotional support, expressed through the lyrics "protect me in your arms" and "take your love and conquer every part."

The repetition of "come on, baby, and rescue me" highlights the sense of urgency and need for immediate attention from their rescuer. The singer emphasizes their need for love and how much they want their rescuer, expressed through the lyrics, "I want your tender charm" and "I need you and your love too." In the third verse, the singer pleads with their rescuer to hold them, love them, and make them feel needed, expressing a yearning to be cherished and valued.

Overall, the song delivers a powerful message of longing and vulnerability, highlighting the universal experience of searching for love and connection.

Line by Line Meaning

Rescue me
Asking for help and protection

Protect me in your arms
Seeking comfort and safety

Rescue me
Reaffirming the need for help

I want your tender charm
Yearning for love and affection

'Cause I'm lonely
Expressing feelings of isolation

And I'm blue
Feeling sad and down

I need you
Declaring dependence on the other person

And your love too
Desiring love and emotional support

Come on and rescue me
Making a plea for immediate help

Come on, baby, and rescue me
Directly addressing the person she wants help from

'Cause I need you by my side
Emphasizing the necessity of the other person