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.
Nobody Does It Better
Michael Lington Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nobody does it half as good as you
Baby, you're the best
I wasn't lookin' but somehow you found me
I tried to hide from your love light
But like heaven above me the spy who loved me
Is keepin' all my secrets safe tonight
Nobody does it quite the way you do
Did you have to be so good?
The way that you hold me whenever you hold me
There's some kind of magic inside you
That keeps me from runnin' but just keep it comin'
How'd you learn to do the things you do?
And nobody does it better
Makes me feel sad for the rest
Nobody does it half as good as you
The song Nobody Does It Better by Michael Lington is a tale of love and admiration. The first verse speaks of how the subject of the song is better than anyone else in the eyes of the singer, and how their amazing abilities make him sad that no one else can compare. In the second verse, the singer marvels at the magic that is the object of their affection, wondering how they learned to do the things they do. The chorus is the refrain of the song, amplifying the feeling of superiority and uniqueness that the singer feels for their love interest.
Throughout Nobody Does It Better, the singer is singing about an incredible person who has captured his heart. The lyrics reflect the feelings of any person who has ever been taken with someone, and how they feel they are the best in the world. The term "spy who loved me" in the first verse is a reference to the James Bond movie of the same name, and the line "is keepin' all my secrets safe tonight" indicates that the singer’s thoughts and feelings about his love interest are private and protected.
Overall, Nobody Does It Better is a classic love song that captures the feelings of someone who is truly in love. The song speaks not only to the feelings of infatuation, but also the overwhelming sense of admiration that we all feel when we find someone who is truly special.
Line by Line Meaning
Nobody does it better makes me feel sad for the rest
No one can do anything better than you do, which makes me feel sad for everyone else who falls short.
Nobody does it half as good as you
No one is capable of doing as good of a job as you are.
Baby, you're the best
You are the best at what you do, and no one can match your skills.
I wasn't lookin' but somehow you found me
I wasn't actively trying to find someone like you, but you came into my life unexpectedly.
I tried to hide from your love light
I attempted to block myself off from your love, but you still managed to find a way into my heart.
But like heaven above me the spy who loved me
Just like heaven is above us, the person who loves me is watching over me.
Is keepin' all my secrets safe tonight
The person who loves me is trustworthy and is keeping all of my secrets safe.
Nobody does it better sometimes I wish someone could
Although no one else can do it as well as you, sometimes I wish that someone else could so that I wouldn't feel so lonely in my admiration for you.
Nobody does it quite the way you do
No one has the unique approach and style that you possess.
Did you have to be so good?
Your skill and talent are so impressive that it makes me question if it was really necessary for you to be that good.
The way that you hold me whenever you hold me
Your embrace is special and makes me feel safe and secure.
There's some kind of magic inside you
There is something special and unexplainable about you that sets you apart from everyone else.
That keeps me from runnin' but just keep it comin'
Whatever it is that keeps me from wanting to leave, please continue to do it and don't stop.
How'd you learn to do the things you do?
I am in awe of your abilities and I am curious to know how you became so skilled.
And nobody does it better
Again, no one can do it better than you do.
Makes me feel sad for the rest
It's sad that others cannot match your level of expertise and talent.
Nobody does it half as good as you
Once again, no one can come close to doing it as well as you can.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CAROLE SAGER, MARVIN HAMLISCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind