Fisher is best remembered for her 1959 song, "The Big Hurt" written by her manager Wayne Shanklin. The song went to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 music chart in the U.S. "The Big Hurt" is notable because it featured phasing effects; indeed, it is claimed to be the first song to do so. DJ Dick Biondi on WKBW would introduce the record as "Toni Fisher's weird one."
According to an unconfirmed source the recording session was conducted in an airplane hangar, which is suggested by the sounds of aircraft in the background. Actually the song was recorded in the famous Gold Star Studios in Los Angeles and engineered by Stan Ross and Dave Gold.
Disc jockey Wink Martindale commented that the record label bills the singer as "Miss Toni Fisher" because of her powerful voice, which is consistently audible over the phasing, the instruments, and the background noise; to confirm to the listener that this is indeed a woman singing.
In 1962 she had another Top 40 hit with "West Of The Wall" (#37), a song about the sadness of lovers separated by the 1961 erection of the Berlin Wall.
"The Big Hurt" was later covered by Del Shannon, Susan Rafey, Susan Farrar, Scott Walker, Nick Cave, BearEssence, and Nessie & Her Beard.
She died of a heart attack on January 11th, 1999.
West of the Wall
Miss Toni Fisher Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
West of the wall our dreams can all come true
Though were apart a little while
My heart will wait until we both can smile
That wall built of our sorrow
We know must have an end
Till then dream of tomorrow
When we meet again
West of the wall where hearts are free
West of the wall your heart can come to me
And in my arms that hold you tight
You will forget the darkness of the night
The world knows about sadness and we are not alone
West of the wall that soon will fall and you'll come home
Wall built upon sorrow
One day you will end
Hearts true to each other
Will not break
They will not bend
In our hour of sadness
How clearly we can see
Tomorrows gladness
Free, free, free, free...
Come home
The song "West of the Wall" by Miss Toni Fisher is about the separation of two people, likely due to the building of the Berlin Wall in 1961. The song expresses the hope that the wall, "built of our sorrow," will eventually come down, and that the separated couple can be reunited. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of two people separated by a physical and emotional barrier, but who hold onto the hope of being reunited.
The first verse suggests that although the separation is difficult, the couple's dreams can still come true, and their hearts will wait for each other until they can both smile again. The second verse imagines a place "west of the wall" where hearts are free, and the couple can embrace and forget the darkness of the night. The third verse expresses confidence that the wall will fall and that the couple will be reunited again. It also emphasizes that true love will not break or bend, even in times of sorrow.
Overall, the song is a powerful expression of the human longing to be free, to be connected with loved ones, and to hope for the future despite difficult circumstances.
Line by Line Meaning
West of the wall I'll wait for you
I will wait for you on the western side of the wall.
West of the wall our dreams can all come true
Our dreams can be fulfilled on the western side of the wall.
Though were apart a little while
Although we are separated for a short time.
My heart will wait until we both can smile
My heart will wait until we can be happy together.
That wall built of our sorrow
The wall was built because of our sadness and pain.
We know must have an end
We know that the wall will come down eventually.
Till then dream of tomorrow
Until then, we should dream about our future together.
When we meet again
When we reunite.
West of the wall where hearts are free
Freedom and love can be found on the western side of the wall.
West of the wall your heart can come to me
You can bring your heart to me on the western side of the wall.
And in my arms that hold you tight
I will hold you tightly in my arms.
You will forget the darkness of the night
You will forget the pain and troubles you faced in the past.
The world knows about sadness and we are not alone
Sadness is a shared experience among people of the world.
West of the wall that soon will fall and you'll come home
The wall will fall soon and you will come home to me on the western side of the wall.
Wall built upon sorrow
The wall was built due to our grief and pain.
One day you will end
One day the wall will be no more.
Hearts true to each other
Our hearts are loyal and devoted to each other.
Will not break
Our love will not shatter.
They will not bend
Our love will not be weakened or wavered.
In our hour of sadness
During our time of sorrow.
How clearly we can see
We can see more clearly in difficult times.
Tomorrows gladness
We will be happy in the future.
Free, free, free, free...
We will be free from the pain and suffering of the past.
Come home
Come back to me.
Contributed by Savannah Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.