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.
She's Always A Woman
Michael Lington Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She can wound with her eyes
She can ruin your faith with her casual lies
And she only reveals what she wants you to see
She hides like a child,
But she's always a woman to me
She can lead you to love
She can ask for the truth
But she'll never believe
And she'll take what you give her
as long as it's free
Yeah, she steals like a thief
But she's always a woman to me
Ooooh she takes care of herself
She can wait if she wants
She's ahead of her time
Ooooh and she never gives out
And she never gives in
She just changes her mind
And she'll promise you more
Than the Garden of Eden
Then she'll carelessly cut you
And laugh while you're bleeding
But she'll bring out the best
And the worst you can be
Blame it all on yourself
Cause she's always a woman to me
Ooooh she takes care of herself
She can wait if she wants
She's ahead of her time
Ooooh and she never gives out
And she never gives in
She just changes her mind
She is frequently kind
And she's suddenly cruel
She can do as she pleases
She's nobody's fool
And she can't be convicted
She's earned her degree
And the most she will do
Is throw shadows at you
But she's always a woman to me
"She's Always a Woman" is a ballad by the Danish-American saxophonist Michael Lington. The song is about a complex and mysterious woman who has the ability to command attention and manipulate those around her. The lyrics reflect on the persona of a woman who can use her smiles and eyes to kill or wound, ruin someone's faith with her lies, and hide away like a child. However, despite her fickle and selfish ways, the singer proclaims that she will always be a woman to him, and he will always honor her for who she is.
The song is a masterful portrayal of the human condition, by describing the intricate and enigmatic dynamics of human beings. While the woman is unpredictable and contradictory, she remains as beautiful and fascinating as ever. The song revolves around different human emotions and personality traits of this mysterious woman, encapsulating the contrast between gentleness and destruction, love and cruelty, kindness and callousness.
The writer's appreciation of the woman throughout the song carries a deep message that despite the woman's imperfections, she deserves to be recognized and celebrated for who she is - a human being. Ultimately, the song teaches us that everyone is unique and should be appreciated, even if we do not understand everything about them.
Line by Line Meaning
She can kill with a smile
Her smile can be so alluring that it can knock you off your feet.
She can wound with her eyes
Her eyes can convey emotions of such intensity that it can hurt you.
She can ruin your faith with her casual lies
Her lies, whether big or small, have a potential to shake your faith in humanity.
And she only reveals what she wants you to see
She is selective about the parts of her personality that she discloses to others.
She hides like a child,
She has moments where she behaves like a child and retreats into herself.
But she's always a woman to me
Her flaws and strengths are what makes her human and attractive to him.
She can lead you to love
She has the power to instill and initiate feelings of love in you.
She can take you or leave you
She doesn't feel compelled to be with someone just for the sake of being in a relationship.
She can ask for the truth
She can demand complete honesty from you.
But she'll never believe
She will take the truth with a pinch of salt because she knows how easy it is to deceive.
And she'll take what you give her as long as it's free
She will only take things if there's nothing expected in return.
Yeah, she steals like a thief
She can be opportunistic when it comes to taking what she wants.
But she's always a woman to me
Despite her flaws, he sees her as a charming and enigmatic woman.
She can wait if she wants
She has the patience to wait when it comes to something she desires.
She's ahead of her time
She's evolved beyond the typical gender stereotypes of her time.
And she never gives out
She doesn't reveal anything more than she needs to.
And she never gives in
She doesn't bow down to pressure or compromise on her integrity.
She just changes her mind
She doesn't feel obligated to stick to old decisions if she feels differently later on.
And she'll promise you more than the Garden of Eden
She can make grand promises and create high expectations.
Then she'll carelessly cut you
She can hurt you in a way that doesn't leave any scars on her own heart.
And laugh while you're bleeding
She can be indifferent to your pain or suffering.
But she'll bring out the best and the worst you can be
She will evoke emotions from you that you never knew existed.
Blame it all on yourself
You will have no one else to blame but yourself for falling under her spell.
Cause she's always a woman to me
He will always see her as an enchanting and fascinating woman.
She is frequently kind
She can be compassionate, considerate and empathetic.
And she's suddenly cruel
She can be merciless, harsh and indifferent without any indication or apparent reason.
She can do as she pleases
She can live life on her own terms and have complete authority over her choices.
She's nobody's fool
She's wise and experienced enough to avert or sidestep deception, manipulation or exploitation.
And she can't be convicted
It's impossible to prove her guilty or fault her for anything she's done.
She's earned her degree
She has acquired the life skills, experiences and insights that make her what she is today.
And the most she will do is throw shadows at you
She will never outright hurt you, but can indirectly make you feel uneasy or unsure.
But she's always a woman to me
Despite her inscrutable nature and mysterious ways, he is still enamored by her.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BILLY JOEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind