Early life
She was born in Montreal and reared in Vancouver, Canada, although some sources list her birthplace as Detroit, Michigan. As a teenager, Miquel frequented nightclubs, influencing her dream of becoming a performer. As a young woman, Miquel read Medicine at George Washington University in Washington D.C., during which time she married and had daughter Sinitta Renet Malone (popularly known as Sinitta, of 'So Macho' and 'Toy Boy' fame) in Seattle, Washington.
She was prompted to leave the university after she auditioned for the U.S. touring company of the musical Hair and landed the part of Sheila.
Miquel arrived in the UK in May of 1973, having divorced her husband. She was cast as the lead in Decameron '73 at the famous Roadhouse in London and through this earned critical acclaim - 'a star is born.' She was then given an interview on the Michael Parkinson Show, and later appeared in the pilot of The Sweeney with John Thaw.
In 1974 she was granted a part in the film Rollerball with James Caan, as well as the role of Miriam in the tele-play Regan. She also held a two year association with the singing and dancing group 'Second Generation', during which time she appeared in the BBC production of Armchair Theatre.
Through the next two years she performed various parts in Bubbling Brown Sugar and television appearances in Seaside Special, Supersonic, The Ronnie Corbett Show, Jack Parnell's Show, Vince Hill's Musical Time Machine and Bruce Forsyth's Bring on the Girls.
Music career
In 1976 she played Sister Anna in the musical Mardi Gras (which opened Thursday, March 18 at the Prince of Wales Theatre, London). It was through this that she was discovered and signed for her first record release, 'The First Time Around'. This led her to musician Alan Hawkshaw (of Emile Ford and the Checkmates, and The Shadows), who signed her for an album deal. The album 'Symphony of Love' (1978) was her first real international hit, which included the title track, 'Dancin' with the Lights Down Low', 'This is Something New to Me', 'The Day They Got Disco in Brazil', 'Do It' and 'Something Made of Love'. This album shot up the American charts to No. 26 (her music was very popular within the gay community), only to come down again in the early 1980s as disco 'died' (at least in America).
Also in 1978 she appeared in the American film Superman, as the non-speaking 8th reporter in a scene following the first Superman spotting.
In need of a producer in the early '80s, Miquel crossed the paths of Ian Levine and Fiachra Trench in 1983. Together with Record Shack Records, they created the album 'Manpower', a Hi-NRG classic. The first single released from the album' So Many Men, So Little Time' became a huge hit and peak at number #2 on the club charts and put Miquel on the international music map.
In the two years following Manpower, she appeared in stage productions of Only in America, the Lieber and Stoller Musical; The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and One Mo' Time, as well as in numerous international clubs but did not release any more albums until 1985. 'Close to Perfection' (also produced by Levine) was indeed a great album, but could not compete with her first success. The album featured two massive U.S. dance radio & dance chart hits, with "Black Leather" and "Close to Perfection."
Later songs include 'On the Radio' (not the Donna Summer song), 'Footprints in the Sand' and 'This Time It's Real', all with Nightmare Records (Ian Levine's own attempt at a record label).
In 1989 she was seen as Jill in the second episode of the fourth series ('Accidents Happen') of the British show Casualty.
The 1990s
Then in 1995, she starred as the Housekeeper in Solomon and Sheba, with Halle Berry. Also in 1995 she played Sgt. Patton in French Kiss, with Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline (a mini-part in the United States Embassy scene). She can be heard on the London cast recordings of Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens (1993) and Fame (1995) (as Miss Sherman, the English teacher).
The Year 2000 To Present
Brown kick off the new millennium playing the Negro Woman in the 2001 play A Streetcar Named Desire at the Royal National Theatre (Lyttelton), in London, directed by Trevor Nunn and starring Glenn Close as Blanche DuBois.
She also appeared in the brilliant 2001 film Wit, where she has a brief exchange with Emma Thompson (who plays Vivian Bearing), as the 2nd Technician.
In 2004, Brown appeared as Idella in the London production of Purlie at the Bridewell Theatre in London (a role originally played by Helen Martin, from the American sitcom 227). Her performance was critiqued as 'forcefully played'.
Miquel Brown: The Lady, Her Loves and Her Lord was presented at the Bullion Room Theatre in London in 2005. This one-person revue was said to be 'a musical journey through her life from birth to the present'.
In 2005, Miquel appeared as Chloe the old maid in An American Haunting with Sissy Spacek. As it like the novel of the same name, it is based on the account of the Bell Family, allegedly tormented by The Bell Witch of Red River, Tennessee. The following year, 2006, she co-starred along side Robert Ashe in the drama film 9/11: The Twin Towers.
In 2007 Brown is starring in the original London production of Menopause: The Musical.
Discography
Albums
* Symphony of Love 1978
* Manpower 1983
* Close to Perfection 1985
* The Best of Miquel Brown Hot Productions 1991
Singles
* "First Time Round"
* "Dancin' With the Lights Down Low"
* "This Is Something New to Me"
* "The Day They Got Disco In Brazil"
* "Do It"
* "Something Made to Love"
* "Beeline"
* "So Many Men, So Little Time"
* "He's A Saint, He's A Sinner"
* "Close to Perfection"
* "Black Leather"
* "On The Radio"
* "Footprints In The Sand"
* "This Time It's Real"
Black Leather
Miquel Brown Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He came out of the night
A stranger dressed in black
I looked deep into his eyes
There was turning back
I don't know who he is
But from the moment he arrived
My life is not the same
Black leather, black leather
He's my man of mystery
Black leather, black leather
Stranger captivating me
All my bells were ringing
There was magic in the air
He made me forget the world
I didn't have a care
He's a puzzle in my life
But he is made his mark
Dressed black from head to toe
A shadow in the dark
He wears
Black leather, black leather
He's my man of mystery
Black leather, black leather
Stranger captivating me
Black leather, black leather
He's my man of mystery
Black leather, black leather
Stranger captivating me
Black leather, black leather
He's my man of mystery
Black leather, black leather
Stranger captivating me
I just wanna know
Oh I love you so
Black leather, black leather
He tells me where we meet
I don't have any choice
But I feel magnetise
To the sound of his voice
My future's not secure
But I need him here
Oh I won't think about tomorrow
As long as he's near
Oh he wears
Black leather, black leather
He's my man of mystery
Black leather, black leather
Stranger captivating me
He came out of the night
A stranger dressed in black
I looked deep into his eyes
There was turning back
I don't know who he is
A face without a name
But from the moment he arrived
My life is not the same
Black leather, black leather
He's my man of mystery
Black leather, black leather
Stranger captivating me
Miquel Brown's song "Black Leather" tells a tale of a mysterious stranger who appears out of nowhere dressed in all-black leather attire. The singer, who is intrigued by the stranger, describes him as a puzzle in her life who has made his mark. She doesn't know who he is or where he came from, but she cannot resist the captivating persona that he embodies. The lyrics go on to describe how the stranger makes her forget the worries of the world, and although her future is not secure, she needs him near her. The song ends with the singer lamenting her love for the stranger and her inability to resist him.
The lyrics of "Black Leather" are quite straightforward, telling the story of a woman who falls for a stranger wearing black leather. However, the song's meaning can be interpreted in many ways. It could be about the thrill of meeting someone new, the excitement of exploring a relationship with a mystery person, or the seduction of dangerous romance. The lyrics, "stranger captivating me," indicate that the singer is drawn to danger and adventure. Alternatively, the song could be a metaphor for the concept of the unknown and how it can be both terrifying and exhilarating.
Line by Line Meaning
Who's that man over there
The singer notices an unknown man and wonders about his identity.
He came out of the night
The man appeared suddenly and unexpectedly.
A stranger dressed in black
The man is wearing black clothing and is unfamiliar to the singer.
I looked deep into his eyes
The artist makes eye contact with the man and pays close attention to him.
There was turning back
The artist felt an immediate connection or attraction to the man.
I don't know who he is
The singer admits to not knowing the man's identity.
A face without a name
The singer cannot put a name to the man's face.
But from the moment he arrived
The artist's life started to change as soon as the man appeared.
My life is not the same
The artist's life has been altered since meeting the man.
Black leather, black leather
The man is seen wearing black leather.
He's my man of mystery
The singer views the man as mysterious and intriguing.
Stranger captivating me
The man captivates the artist's attention despite being a stranger.
All my bells were ringing
The singer feels excited or aroused in the presence of the man.
There was magic in the air
The environment felt mystical or enchanting when the man was present.
He made me forget the world
The singer was so absorbed by the man that they lost awareness of their surroundings.
I didn't have a care
The artist did not feel worried or troubled in the man's presence.
He's a puzzle in my life
The man is mysterious and difficult to understand for the artist.
But he is made his mark
The man has had a significant impact on the singer's life.
Dressed black from head to toe
The man is wearing all black clothing.
A shadow in the dark
The man has a shadowy or mysterious presence.
He tells me where we meet
The man has control over the location of their meetings.
I don't have any choice
The artist feels compelled to meet with the man.
But I feel magnetise
The singer feels attracted or spellbound by the man.
To the sound of his voice
The man's voice is captivating or alluring to the artist.
My future's not secure
The singer is uncertain about their future.
But I need him here
The singer feels a strong reliance or dependency on the man.
Oh I won't think about tomorrow
The singer does not want to worry about the future.
As long as he's near
The artist feels comfort and security in the man's presence.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: IAN LEVINE, FIACHRA TRENCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Angel Face
Eighties icon...black Leather. Mean & catchy song.
Ab Fab
gay icon
Mike W. and Brad
Super video, added to our Club Channel.
Leather guys...the men of mystery.
mery crismas
😉😉😉😉
Leftatalbuquerque
Not a great song. Bette Midler's "My Knight in Black Leather" is better.