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 Phantom of the Opera: All I Ask of You
Michael Crawford Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
of darkness,
Forget these
wide-eyed fears.
I'm here,
nothing can harm you -
my words will
warm and calm you.
your freedom,
let daylight
dry -your tears.
I'm here,
with you, beside you,
to guard you
and to guide you . . .
CHRISTINE
Say you love me
every
waking moment,
turn my head
with talk of summertime . . .
Say you need me
with you,
now and always . . .
promise me that all
you say is true -
that's all I ask
of you . . .
RAOUL
Let me be
your shelter,
let me
be your light.
You're safe:
No-one will find you
your fears are
far behind you . . .
CHRISTINE
All I want
is freedom,
a world with
no more night . . .
and you
always beside me
to hold me
and to hide me . . .
RAOUL
Then say you'll share with
me one
love, one lifetime . . .
Iet me lead you
from your solitude . . .
Say you need me
with you
here, beside you . . .
anywhere you go,
let me go too -
Christine,
that's all I ask
of you . . .
CHRISTINE
Say you'll share with
me one
love, one lifetime . . .
say the word
and I will follow you . . .
BOTH
Share each day with
me, each
night, each morning . . .
CHRISTINE
Say you love me . . .
RAOUL
You know I do . . .
BOTH
Love me -
that's all I ask
of you . . .
(They kiss)
Anywhere you go
let me go too . . .
Love me -
that's all I ask
of you . .
(CHRISTINE starts from her reverie)
CHRISTINE
I must go -
they'll wonder where I am . . .
wait for me, Raoul!
RAOUL
Christine, I love you!
CHRISTINE;
Order your fine horses!
Be with them at the door!
RAOUL
And soon you'll be beside me!
CHRISTINE
You'll guard me, and you'll guide me . . .
(They hurry off. The PHANTOM emerges from
behind the statue)
The song All I Ask Of You is a duet sung by two characters in the musical Phantom of the Opera, Raoul and Christine. Raoul is trying to comfort Christine and promises to protect and guide her. He asks her to say that she loves him every waking moment and promises to be her shelter and light, as he wants to share their lifetime together. Christine tells Raoul that she wants freedom from a world with no more night and desires him to always be beside her to hold her and hide her. The song ends with both of them declaring their love for each other and kissing.
The lyrics of the song are emotional and convey the love and longing of the characters. The melodies and harmonies blend beautifully, adding to the emotional impact of the song. The interplay between the characters is apparent through the song, as they express their feelings through the lyrics. The music and lyrics in All I Ask Of You are a poignant portrayal of the emotions of the characters and one of the most popular songs from Phantom of the Opera.
Line by Line Meaning
No more talk of darkness
We should forget the past and only look forward to the future.
Forget these wide-eyed fears.
We should not be scared of what lies ahead, but instead face it head-on.
I'm here, nothing can harm you - my words will warm and calm you.
I am a safe place for you and my words will provide comfort and reassurance.
Let me be your freedom, let daylight dry your tears.
Allow me to be the one who brings liberation and wipes away your sorrows.
I'm here, with you, beside you, to guard you and to guide you . . .
I am always here to protect and direct you in the right direction.
Say you love me every waking moment, turn my head with talk of summertime . . .
Show me affection always and talk about happy times to lighten my mood.
Say you need me with you, now and always . . . promise me that all you say is true - that's all I ask of you . . .
Promise to always want me around and keep your word to me.
Let me be your shelter, let me be your light. You're safe: No-one will find you your fears are far behind you . . .
Allow me to be your protection and show you the way. You are safe from harm's way.
All I want is freedom, a world with no more night . . . and you always beside me to hold me and to hide me . . .
I simply want the ability to be independent without encumbrances; and you with me for comfort and safety.
Then say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime . . . Iet me lead you from your solitude . . .
Commit to loving one person for the rest of your life and I'll guide you out of loneliness.
Say you need me with you here, beside you . . . anywhere you go, let me go too - Christine, that's all I ask of you . . .
Promise to always have me near and let me be by your side wherever you go.
Say the word and I will follow you . . . Share each day with me, each night, each morning . . .
All you need to do is take the first step, and I will follow. We should cherish every moment we have together.
Love me - that's all I ask of you . . .
All I want is your love and nothing more.
Anywhere you go let me go too . . .
I want to be with you wherever you go.
I must go - they'll wonder where I am . . . wait for me, Raoul!
I need to leave now, but please wait for me, Raoul.
Christine, I love you!
I love you, Christine, and will be waiting for you.
Order your fine horses! Be with them at the door!
Prepare your horses and meet me by the door.
You'll guard me, and you'll guide me . . .
Please take care of me and show me the way.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, THE BICYCLE MUSIC COMPANY
Written by: Charles Hart, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Richard Stilgoe
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind