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 Music Of The Night
Michael Crawford Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Darkness stirs, and wakes imagination,
Silently the senses, abandon their defenses,
Grasp it, sense it, tremulous and tender,
Slowly, gently night unfurls its splendor
Grasp it, sense it, tremulous and tender
Turn you face away from the garish light of day
And listen to the music of the night
Close your eyes and surrender to your darkest dreams
Purge your thoughts of the life you knew before
Close your eyes let your spirit start to soar
And you'll live as you've never lived before
Softly, deftly, music shall caress you
Hear it, feel it, secretly possess you
Open up your mind, let your fantasies unwind
In this darkness which you know you cannot fight
The darkness of the music of the night
Let your mind start a journey through a strange new world
Leave all thoughts of the world you knew before
Let your soul take you where you long to be
Only then can you belong to me
Floating, falling, sweet intoxication
Touch me, trust me, savor each sensation
Let the dream begin, let your darker side give in
To the power of the music of the night
You alone can make my song take flight
Help me make the music of the night
The song "The Music of the Night" is from Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical, "The Phantom of the Opera." In this song, the Phantom lures Christine to his underground lair and tries to hypnotize her with the music of the night. The lyrics convey the idea that the darkness of the night can heighten our senses and awaken our imagination. The phrase "grasp it, sense it, tremulous and tender" suggests that the music has the power to arouse our emotions, making us feel vulnerable yet captivated at the same time.
The song encourages us to turn away from the "garish light of day" and embrace the darkness where our fantasies can take flight. This is reflected in the lines "close your eyes and surrender to your darkest dreams, purge your thoughts of the life you knew before." The Phantom's use of music as a seductive tool is highlighted in the lines "softly, deftly, music shall caress you, hear it, feel it, secretly possess you."
The song also has a slightly ominous undertone, especially in the lines "the darkness of the music of the night" and "let your darker side give in." This hints at the dangerous and unpredictable nature of the Phantom's intentions towards Christine.
Line by Line Meaning
Night time, sharpens, heightens each sensation,
The night brings about a sharper and heightened sense of awareness that one may not feel during the day.
Darkness stirs, and wakes imagination,
The darkness of night brings a certain energy that allows imagination to come alive.
Silently the senses, abandon their defenses,
Quietly, one's senses let go of their guards and become more receptive and vulnerable.
Grasp it, sense it, tremulous and tender,
Hold on to this feeling, experience it, with both nervousness and tenderness.
Slowly, gently night unfurls its splendor
The beauty of the darkness gradually unfolds in a soft and soothing manner.
Turn you face away from the garish light of day
Look away from the obnoxiousness of daylight.
Turn your thoughts away from cold unfeeling light
Don't think about the cold and impersonal aspects of daytime.
And listen to the music of the night
Instead, pay attention to the sounds and feelings of the night.
Close your eyes and surrender to your darkest dreams
Shut your eyes and give in to your most intimate and private thoughts.
Purge your thoughts of the life you knew before
Get rid of any preconceived notions that might interfere with your current experience.
Close your eyes let your spirit start to soar
Let your inner self take off and fly freely without any restrictions.
And you'll live as you've never lived before
You'll experience life in a way you never have before.
Softly, deftly, music shall caress you
Gently and skillfully, the music will embrace you and make you feel comfortable.
Hear it, feel it, secretly possess you
Hear and feel the music as it takes hold of you without your awareness.
Open up your mind, let your fantasies unwind
Allow yourself to think openly and let your desires and dreams unravel.
In this darkness which you know you cannot fight
Accept and acknowledge the uncontrollable power of the night.
The darkness of the music of the night
The darkness that is spawned by the music of the night.
Let your mind start a journey through a strange new world
Allow yourself to enter an unknown realm, with your mind as your guide.
Leave all thoughts of the world you knew before
Forget about anything and everything from your past.
Let your soul take you where you long to be
Allow your deepest desires and emotions to take over and guide you.
Only then can you belong to me
Only then will you be able to connect with me on a deeper level.
Floating, falling, sweet intoxication
The feelings you experience are like being suspended in air or falling in a dream, with a pleasant and dizzy sensation.
Touch me, trust me, savor each sensation
Reach out and connect with me, believe in me and treasure each moment.
Let the dream begin, let your darker side give in
Allow yourself to embrace a fantasy and let your more secretive self take over.
To the power of the music of the night
Under the influence of the music of the night.
You alone can make my song take flight
No one else can elicit this form of artistry from me.
Help me make the music of the night
Cooperate with me in creating this beautiful music that is only possible at night.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Charles A. Hart, Richard Stilgo
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@michaell3105
Hard to find this version of the lyrics so here it is:
Nighttime sharpens, heightens each sensation
Darkness wakes and stirs imagination
Silently the senses abandoned their defenses
Helpless to resist the notes I write
For I compose the music of the night
Slowly, gently, night unfurls its splendor
Grasp it, sense it, tremulous and tender
Hearing is believing
Music is deceiving
Hard as lightning, soft as candlelight
Dare you trust the music of the night?
Close your eyes for your eyes will only tell the truth
And the truth isn’t what you want to see
In the dark it is easy to pretend
That the truth is what it ought to be
Softly, deftly, music shall caress you
Hear it, feel it, secretly possess you
Open up your mind
Let your fantasies unwind
In this darkness which you know you cannot fight
The darkness of the music of the night
Close your eyes
Start a journey through a strange new world
Leave all thoughts of the world you knew before
Close your eyes and let music set you free
Only then can you belong to me
Floating, falling, sweet intoxication
Touch me, trust me, savor each sensation
Let the dream begin, let your darkest side give in
To the power of the music that I write
The power of the music of the night
You alone can make this song take flight
Help me make the music of the night
@Ernie1978
Nobody sings "The Music of the Night" quite like Michael Crawford does. It's phenomenal and heartfelt.
@harlequinhead2008
A thousand times YES!!! He captures every emotion in just this one song - he owns the one!
@sophiezadpoerozny4972
Fr I mostly listen to the original more than any other ones he's voice is so beautiful and he just fits the part perfectly
@angelnunn
I prefer ramin, he has strong voice, he sings with passion. But of course, Crawford sounds just as beautiful.
@simplystreeptacular
@@angelnunn The way Ramin sings it makes me swoon. But Michael Crawford could sing me straight into bed with this song. His voice just has this insanely sensual, seductive quality I've never yet heard another actor quite match.
@annewandahl8420
@@angelnunn I could’nt care less about The Phantom of the Opera, no actor caught my attention, I fell a sleep during the movie - but then I saw Ramin Karimloo play the phantom on my telly. Suddenly I payed intense attention. Outstanding Singer, brilliant actor. Noone above or even beside Ramin Karimloo in my opinion!
@boyo-shook3891
Bless this talented woman and her ability to never blink.
@hitcher1779
scares me like mad.
@drelvisvalentino2638
That's what you notice in this amazing piece of theatre??? what an flippin idiot.. You're the reason the thinning of the herd is neccessary in the human race.
@mjd2237
@@drelvisvalentino2638 Someone needs to take a chill pill