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.
Someone To Watch Over Me
Melissa Manchester Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Still we're often told, seek and ye shall find
So I'm going to seek a certain lad I've had in mind
Looking everywhere, haven't found him yet
He's the big affair I cannot forget
Only man I ever think of with regret
Tell me, where is the shepherd for this lost lamb?
There's a somebody I'm longin' to see
I hope that he, turns out to be
Someone who'll watch over me
I'm a little lamb who's lost in the wood
I know I could, always be good
To one who'll watch over me
Although he may not be the man some
Girls think of as handsome
To my heart he carries the key
Won't you tell him please to put on some speed
Follow my lead, oh, how I need
Someone to watch over me
Won't you tell him please to put on some speed
Follow my lead, oh, how I need
Someone to watch over me
Someone to watch over me
The lyrics to Melissa Manchester's song "Someone to Watch Over Me" convey the longing and desire for a certain individual to be by the singer's side. The song begins with the acknowledgment that love is often subjective and doesn't always follow a set pattern. The singer mentions the proverbial saying that love is blind, but also acknowledges the common advice that if you seek love, you may find it. With this in mind, she expresses her intention to search for a specific person she has in mind.
Despite the singer's efforts, she admits that she has not yet found the person she's looking for. This person holds an exceptional place in her heart, overshadowing any other individuals she may have encountered in the past. She confesses that she constantly thinks of him, and the memory of him brings her feelings of regret. The singer expresses her desire to mark her connection with this person by adding his initial to her monogram, a symbolic gesture of unity.
The song then shifts to the singer describing herself as a lost lamb in need of guidance and protection. She believes that she has the potential to be a good companion to someone who will watch over her. She disregards physical appearances, asserting that even if the person she longs for may not be conventionally attractive, he holds the key to her heart.
In the final part of the song, the singer pleads to someone, likely a friend, to deliver a message to the man she desires. She implores this person to ask him to hurry and catch up to her, to follow her lead. The singer emphasizes her urgent need for someone to watch over her and offers vulnerability in her plea. The repetition of the closing lines reinforces her longing for someone to be there for her and watch over her.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a saying old, says that love is blind
Love is often said to be blind, meaning that it does not see faults or imperfections.
Still we're often told, seek and ye shall find
Despite love being blind, we are advised to actively search for someone to love.
So I'm going to seek a certain lad I've had in mind
I have a specific person in mind and I am determined to find him.
Looking everywhere, haven't found him yet
I have searched in various places but have not yet found the person I'm looking for.
He's the big affair I cannot forget
He is the significant person I can't forget about, the one who left a lasting impression on me.
Only man I ever think of with regret
He is the only man I remember with a sense of regret, perhaps for not pursuing a relationship with him earlier.
I'd like to add his initial to my monogram
I wish to add the first letter of his name to my monogram, symbolizing my desire to be connected to him.
Tell me, where is the shepherd for this lost lamb?
I wonder where the protector or guide is for someone like me who feels lost and in need of direction.
There's a somebody I'm longin' to see
I have a strong desire to see a particular person.
I hope that he, turns out to be
I hope that this person I long to see will meet my expectations or desires.
Someone who'll watch over me
I desire someone who will protect me and look out for my well-being.
I'm a little lamb who's lost in the wood
I see myself as a helpless and vulnerable person, like a lost lamb in unfamiliar territory.
I know I could, always be good
I believe that if someone were to watch over me, I would always behave well and do the right things.
To one who'll watch over me
I am seeking someone who will take care of me and protect me.
Although he may not be the man some
Even if he may not fit the conventional standards that some people consider handsome
Girls think of as handsome
That many girls consider handsome based on their own preferences.
To my heart he carries the key
He holds the key to my heart, symbolizing that he has the ability to unlock my love and affection.
Won't you tell him please to put on some speed
Could you please ask him to hurry up and take action towards being with me?
Follow my lead, oh, how I need
I urge him to follow my guidance and desires, as I strongly desire his presence in my life.
Someone to watch over me
I am looking for someone who will protect and care for me.
Won't you tell him please to put on some speed
Please request him to act quickly and move towards a relationship with me.
Follow my lead, oh, how I need
I desperately need him to follow my guidance and be with me.
Someone to watch over me
I desire someone who will watch over me and be there for me.
Lyrics © DistroKid, Kanjian Music, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ira Gershwin, George Gershwin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind