Finding his voice in a school choir, Crawford began his professional career still a teenager. Having some luck on the London stage in the early 60s, he then found his way onto the BBC and starred in various programmes such as 'Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em'. He also had film roles in 'The War Lover', 'A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum'. and 'How I Won the War' (which brought him into the same work as John Lennon).
Andrew Lloyd Webber's casting of him opposite Sarah Brightman and Steve Barton as the Phantom in 1986 shot his career into high gear. Winning a Tony Award for his role, Crawford also had the aforementioned tune, "The Music Of The Night", reach the British Top Ten. He has released several studio albums such as 'A Touch of Music in the Night' and 'On Eagle's Wings' among others.
The Holy City
Michael Crawford Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I stood in old Jerusalem, beside the temple there
I heard the children singing and ever as they sang
I thought the voice of Angels from Heaven in answer rang
I thought the voice of Angels from Heaven in answer rang
Jerusalem, Jerusalem
Lift up your gates and sing
Hosanna to your King
And once again the scene was changed, new earth there seemed to be
I saw the Holy City beside the tideless sea
The light of God was on its streets, the gates were open wide
And all who would might enter and no one was denied
No need of moon or stars by night or sun to shine by day
It was the new Jerusalem that would not pass away
It was the new Jerusalem that would not pass away
Jerusalem, Jerusalem
Sing for the night is o'er
Hosanna in the highest
Hosanna for evermore
Hosanna in the highest
Hosanna for evermore
The song "The Holy City" by Michael Crawford is a religious hymn that describes a dream the singer had while sleeping. In this dream, the singer finds himself standing in the ancient city of Jerusalem, next to the temple. He hears the children singing and is struck by the heavenly quality of their voices. He reflects that their voices may be the voices of angels from heaven responding to them.
The song then transitions to a new scene where the singer sees a new earth and a holy city located next to a tideless sea. The singer describes the beauty of this new holy city and how the light of God illuminates the streets. The gates of the city are open wide, and anyone who wants to enter is allowed. The singer emphasizes that there is no need for the sun, moon, or stars because everything is perfectly lit. The city is the new Jerusalem that will never pass away.
Overall, the song depicts the beauty and glory of the holy city of Jerusalem and the promise of eternity. It symbolizes hope and conveys the message that heaven is not beyond our reach but instead can be accessed by anyone who desires to enter.
Line by Line Meaning
Last night I lay a sleeping there came a dream so fair
I was asleep last night when I had a beautiful dream.
I stood in old Jerusalem, beside the temple there
In my dream, I found myself standing next to the temple in Jerusalem.
I heard the children singing and ever as they sang
While I was there, I heard a group of children singing.
I thought the voice of Angels from Heaven in answer rang
Their singing was so beautiful, I felt like I was hearing the voices of angels from heaven in response.
Jerusalem, Jerusalem
Lift up your gates and sing
Hosanna in the highest
Hosanna to your King
It felt like the city itself was singing and praising its king, telling its gates to open and welcoming him with cheers of 'Hosanna in the highest.'
And once again the scene was changed, new earth there seemed to be
I saw the Holy City beside the tideless sea
The light of God was on its streets, the gates were open wide
And all who would might enter and no one was denied
Suddenly, the dream shifted and I found myself looking at a new earth. There, I saw the Holy City next to a tideless sea. It was filled with the light of God and the gates were wide open so that anyone who wanted to enter was welcome and not turned away.
No need of moon or stars by night or sun to shine by day
It was the new Jerusalem that would not pass away
It was the new Jerusalem that would not pass away
In this new Jerusalem, there was no need for the light of the moon or stars at night or even the sun during the day - the city itself was so brilliant. This was the new Jerusalem that would never fade or disappear.
Jerusalem, Jerusalem
Sing for the night is o'er
Hosanna in the highest
Hosanna for evermore
Hosanna in the highest
Hosanna for evermore
This new Jerusalem brought so much joy that all I could do was sing out and praise it. The night was over, and now there was nothing left to do but continue cheering, saying 'Hosanna in the highest' forevermore.
Lyrics © DistroKid, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: STEPHEN ADAMS, HUGO FREY, FRED WEATHERLY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind