Now Michael is back with A SONG FOR YOU, his second Rendezvous recording. In collaboration with Rendezvous , Grammy nominated arranger and composer Randy Waldman and Grammy winning Engineer Woody Woodruff, Michael assembled a collection of new standards that range from the album’s first single, “It’s Too Late” and ”You’ve Got a Friend,” both by Carole King; to a dimensional “Fragile” by Sting. Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now” is given an expansive, but respectful new spin; while Michael Frank’s “Tell Me All About It” is a playfully laidback interplay, featuring guest and Rendezvous co-founder Dave Koz, with Brazilian sensibilities.
A defining characteristic of all of the album’s 11 tracks are unexpected shifts in mood and instrumentation that flow organically in and out of each other. Paul Simon’s “Still Crazy After All These Years” features romantic strings and sultry sax. “Nobody Does it Better” by Marvin Hamlisch, is a more restrained and romantic Gospel flavor that builds to a no-holds-barred conclusion. Randy Waldman’s keyboards, and the All-Star ensemble featuring Vinnie Colauita, Brian Bromberg, Dean Parks, Luis Conte, and a top Los Angeles session orchestra, season each song to perfection.
The album also features “A Song for You,” penned by rocker Leon Russell, “She’s Always A Woman”, by Billy Joel and “Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word”, by songwriting greats Elton John and Bernie Taupin. With his instrumental versatility, Michael also plays clarinet on the intro to “Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word”, an instrument that he studied classically for eight years prior to him picking up the sax at age 15.
Leaning strongly toward the pop side of jazz, with classical, Brazilian, Latin, and gospel shadings, Lington plays a distinctive contemporary saxophone. “It’s the kind of record that inspired me from the very beginning. The songs on this CD are the core of what has driven me to become a musician,” says Michael. “I wanted to go back in time, to when music had a strong emotional impact on people and songs really mattered -- but to do it with a new twist.
Michael explains, “With this album, I really wanted to focus on the underappreciated, or underexposed standards of tomorrow -- mainly songs from the ’70s that have been rarely covered in a jazz instrumental format.” He continues, “what I had in mind during the entire process, was to create a classic album, with a timeless feel that is as current today as it is 40 years from now.”
Growing up in a suburb of Copenhagen, Denmark, Michael Lington is the grandson of Otto Lington, a jazz pioneer in their tiny country, and bandleader for Shirley Bassey, Josephine Baker and Fats Waller, amongst many others. As a childhood fan of musicians like Vinnie Colaiuta, Dean Parks and Randy Waldman, Michael would replay his vinyl jazz recordings again and again, reflecting on the memories of his grandfather’s era.
Little did Michael know, that someday, his name would be nestled in the notes next to those of his childhood heroes in an album of contemporary classics. The rich legacy of his grandfather’s jazz connection, his classical training, and a stint of touring in Europe, led him to the U.S. in 1990, and at 21, he began performing with Little Richard , Gary “U.S.” Bonds and Randy Crawford. He also landed a four year gig touring with singer Bobby Caldwell , joining the list of imminent sax players associated with the singer, including Rendezvous co-founder Dave Koz, Richard Elliot and Boney James.
It was through this collaboration, that Michael landed his recording contract, which leads to present, and his new CD, in which there is an organic synergy between Lington, the songs, and arrangements, that lifts Song for You into the realm of the truly unforgettable.
Michael believes covering songs that have deeply impacted listeners is far more demanding than recording his own material. “People feel strongly about these songs. It’s important for me to keep the integrity of the song, yet make it my own, so I’m not just repeating what’s been done before. If you improvise too much, you lose your audience, but if you play it straight up and down, it’s not very interesting—it’s a fine line between staying true to the melody, and yet making each song interesting instrumentally.”
Lington has been a global touring presence for the past several years, and plans to continue with A Song for You. In between his ongoing performances -- i.e. performing at the Royal Wedding of Denmark’s future king, Crown Prince Frederick -- and recordings, Lington proves to be a giving performer by lending his artistry to the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, which raises funds for children’s music programs and provides instruments to public schools all over the U.S. Michael participates in Create Now, where he mentors troubled teens in Los Angeles and Acre’s of Love, a non-profit organization that provides comprehensive services; and “Forever” homes for abandoned and AIDS children in South Africa.
The U.S. based, Danish-born Lington loves classic beauty and expression whether it comes in the form of a song, his vintage European automobiles, underwater landscapes, a child’s smile, or open sky viewed from behind the instrument panel of a helicopter.
A Song for You is undoubtedly a significant step in Lington’s ever-ascending career, and an invitation for everyone to dream.
It's Too Late
Michael Lington Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's somethin' wrong here, there can be no denyin'.
One of us is changin', or maybe we've just stopped tryin'.
And it's too late, baby now, it's too late,
Though we really did try to make it.
Somethin' inside has died, and I can't hide,
And I just can't fake it, oh, no, no.
It used to be so easy, livin' here with you.
You were light and breezy, an' I knew just what to do.
Now you look so unhappy, and I feel like a fool.
And it's too late, baby now, it's too late,
Though we really did try to make it.
Somethin' inside has died, and I can't hide,
And I just can't fake it, oh, no, no.
There'll be good times again for me and you,
But we just can't stay together; don't you feel it too?
Still I'm glad for what we had and how I once loved you.
And it's too late, baby now, it's too late,
Though we really did try to make it. (we can't make it)
Somethin' inside has died, and I can't hide,
And I just can't fake it, oh, no, no, no, no, no, no.
It's too late baby, it's too late now darling
It's too late.
The lyrics "Stayed in bed all morning just to pass the time, there's something wrong here, there can be no denying" set the tone for the rest of the song "It's Too Late." It is a ballad about the realization that a relationship has come to a crashing end. The singer is recounting the journey of what used to be a healthy, happy, and effortless relationship into one that is now unrecognizable. The couple was once able to effortlessly handle the ups and downs of life together but now it seems as though they have lost touch with each other, gone their separate ways, and are pretending like everything is just fine, even though it's not.
The chorus, "And it's too late, baby now, it's too late. Though we really did try to make it, something inside has died, and I can't hide, and I just can't fake it, oh no no" encapsulates the solo performer’s thoughts on the relationship perfectly. While the couple once had a meaningful, passionate romance, it is now sadly over, and there is nothing either of them can do to fix it. While there may still be good times in the future for both partners, the relationship is over- there is no coming back from this.
In conclusion, this song is a solemn reminder that relationships are not always lasting and require work and effort to maintain. If communication and love get lost in the fray, the relationship can be ruined beyond repair, leaving the partner in the cold with nothing but regrets and a feeling of loss.
Line by Line Meaning
Stayed in bed all mornin' just to pass the time.
I was bored and did not have a reason to get out of bed in the morning.
There's somethin' wrong here, there can be no denyin'.
I know that something is not right, but I do not want to acknowledge it.
One of us is changin', or maybe we've just stopped tryin'.
Either one of us is changing, or we have lost the motivation to put in the effort required to keep our relationship going.
And it's too late, baby now, it's too late,
Though we really did try to make it.
Somethin' inside has died, and I can't hide,
And I just can't fake it, oh, no, no.
Even though we tried our best to save our relationship, it is now beyond repair. Something inside of me has died, and I cannot pretend anymore.
It used to be so easy, livin' here with you.
You were light and breezy, an' I knew just what to do.
Now you look so unhappy, and I feel like a fool.
Our life together used to be effortless and enjoyable, but now everything feels difficult. You seem unhappy, and I feel foolish for not being able to make you happy.
There'll be good times again for me and you,
But we just can't stay together; don't you feel it too?
Still I'm glad for what we had and how I once loved you.
While I am hopeful that there will be good times in the future, I know that we cannot stay together any longer. I am grateful for the happy times we shared and for the love we once had.
It's too late baby, it's too late now darling
It's too late.
Our relationship is over, and it is too late to save it.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVID JOHANSEN, JOHNNY THUNDERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind