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.
When She Loved Me
Michael Crawford Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When somebody loved me,
Everything was beautiful
Every hour we spent together lives within my heart
And when she was sad,
I was there to dry her tears
And when she was happy,
When she loved me
Through the summer and the fall
We had each other, that was all
Just she and I together,
Like it was meant to be
And when she was lonely,
I was there to comfort her
And I knew that she loved me
So the years went by
I stayed the same
But she began to drift away
I was left alone
Still I waited for the day
When she'd say I will always love you
Lonely and forgotten,
I'd never thought she'd look my way
(Spoken): And she...
(Singing): ...smiled at me and held me just like she used to do
Like she loved me
When she loved me
When somebody loved me
Everything was beautiful
Every hour we spent together lives within my heart
When she loved me
The lyrics of Michael Crawford's song, "When She Loved Me," tell a poignant story of a love that was once strong and beautiful, but eventually faded away. The opening lines of the song establish the idea that, when the singer was loved, everything in his world was perfect and beautiful, and every moment spent with his lover stayed with him forever. The song then continues to describe the depth of their love, with the singer being there to comfort his lover in her sad moments and sharing in her happiness. However, as the years passed, the singer's lover began to distance herself, and while the singer stayed the same, she grew distant, and the love that they once shared began to slip away. The singer was left alone, still waiting for his lover to return, but ultimately was left feeling forgotten and unloved.
The song's bittersweet tone perfectly captures the emotions that come with lost love and how it feels to look back on a time when everything felt perfect. The chorus of the song, "When somebody loved me, everything was beautiful," underscores this idea, as the singer remembers how wonderful life felt when he was loved. The song is a beautiful and careful exploration of heartbreak in a way that makes it relatable to anyone who has suffered through lost love. The lyrics paint a picture of what it's like to feel like the world is collapsing around you and how, even when those we love move on, the love that we shared can stay with us forever.
Line by Line Meaning
When somebody loved me,
There was a time in my life when someone loved me deeply and completely.
Everything was beautiful
During that time, everything in my life felt beautiful and perfect.
Every hour we spent together lives within my heart
I treasure every moment we shared and it will always be a part of me and who I am.
And when she was sad,
When she was upset, I was always there to support her and help her feel better.
I was there to dry her tears
I always did my best to console her and wipe away her tears.
And when she was happy,
Whenever she was happy, I was happy too because her joy brought me joy.
So was I
I felt the same happiness and contentment that she felt in those moments.
Through the summer and the fall
We spent many happy months together during this time, enjoying each other's company.
We had each other, that was all
All we needed was each other's love and companionship to feel complete and fulfilled.
Just she and I together,
It was just the two of us, and that was enough for us to be happy and content.
Like it was meant to be
It felt like fate brought us together and we were meant to be in each other's lives.
And when she was lonely,
Whenever she felt lonely or sad, I was always there to comfort and support her.
I was there to comfort her
I did my best to make her feel loved, appreciated and happy even when she was down and out.
And I knew that she loved me
I felt secure in the knowledge that our love for each other was mutual and strong.
So the years went by
As time passed, we continued to love and support each other through various phases of life.
I stayed the same
Although I remained constant in my love for her and commitment to our relationship, things started to change.
But she began to drift away
Despite my best efforts, she started losing interest and affection for me as time passed.
I was left alone
I was heartbroken and alone when she eventually decided to move on from our relationship.
Still I waited for the day
Despite the pain of our separation, I still held out hope that someday she might return to me and love me once again.
When she'd say I will always love you
I hoped that someday she would come back to me and declare her undying love for me again.
Lonely and forgotten,
I was left feeling lonely, forgotten and abandoned by the one I loved the most.
I'd never thought she'd look my way
I never imagined that she would ever return to me given the depth of her feelings for someone else.
(Spoken): And she...
Suddenly, a miraculous turn of events occurred and I found myself face-to-face with her once again.
...smiled at me and held me just like she used to do
She smiled warmly at me and held me close, just like she used to do when we were once in love.
Like she loved me
In that moment, it felt like we were back in love again and all the pain and hurt of the past had dissipated.
When somebody loved me
This song is a reflection on a past relationship that was full of love, happiness and deep emotions.
Contributed by Alyssa L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.