In the late 70s, he and his childhood friend Steve George founded the band Pages (most notable for "I Do Believe In You") in Phoenix, Arizona. The outfit Mr. Mister sprang out of that project 1982. The two continued to apply their tight harmonies to background vocals on albums by successful pop artists like Laura Branigan while working on their own material as well. About the time when the first Mr. Mister album, titled 'I Wear the Face', came out in early 1984, Page was offered the chance to replace Bobby Kimball as lead singer of Toto. He even was also later offered Peter Cetera's place in the jazz rock outfit Chicago.
Page refused both offers, confident in Mr. Mister's potential. The single "Hunters of the Night" managed to become a near-hit, reaching the #57 slot on the Billboard Hot 100, and the new wave fueled album had brought them with producer Peter McIan, who had been behind releases by Dear Enemy and Men at Work. Still, the line-up of Page, George, Pat Mastelotto, and Steve Farris failed to reach a mass audience as the album just didn't sell that well.
Mr. Mister's second album, 1985's 'Welcome To The Real World', featured emotive lyrics from Page's cousin John Lang and became the breakthrough that the guys had been hoping for. The group had three top 10 singles, two of which even coming #1 hits on the U.S. pop charts. The band's compelling ballad "Broken Wings" had become a part of the national pop consciousness, particularly serving as a sort of 'signature song' for the outfit. In those days of widespread success, they toured with legendary diva Tina Turner, for whom their song "Stand And Deliver" was written. This song eventually appeared on Mr. Mister's third album, titled 'Go On', which the band said contined "some of the best stuff we ever did".
With expectations sky-high for the band, the guys planned on taking a more mature approach lyrically, standing up against the notorious materialism and celebration of greed during that decade, and the album had a sound that hinted at progressive rock. Nevertheless, 'Go On' failed to achieve commercial success, and the band members found themselves getting lost in the 80s pop/rock shuffle. Guitarist Steve Farris left around 1989, which seemed to spell the beginning of the end for the group. Still, the band began working on a fourth album, called 'Pull', with session guitarists. Dropped by their label before that work could be released, the band decided to break up for good.
That album remained unreleased for something like two decades, although one track ("Waiting In My Dreams") later appeared on a popular greatest hits collection. The release in its entirely finally surfaced in 2010 on the indie label Little Dume Recordings, a company project of Richard Page's that had also published solo efforts by him such as 'Peculiar Life'. After the band's split, Page continued to work as a composer (for example, he co-authored Madonna's 1994 Golden Globe nominated song "I'll Remember") and as a background singer for several artists. Page additionally produced a solo album, called 'Shelter Me', in 1996 that featured guest appearances by all his former band-mates.
Steve Farris has toured with Whitesnake and also recorded songs with artists such as Tori Amos and 4 Non Blondes. Pat Mastelotto has played with groups such as King Crimson and XTC. Steve George served as musical director for American singer-songwriter Kenny Loggins until 1997, also having toured with the star Jewel. Finally, John Lang became a part of the alternative rock group Djinn (not to be confused with the DJ of the same name and other artists), an obscure band that gained some interest when they produced their 1998 album 'All-Time'.
Man Of A Thousand Dances
Mr. Mister Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Should I run, should I hide, should I act like a different man
Will I ever face my fear, who is following me
Standing in the shadows - I just don't know
Reaching for the light - just give me a sign
Take this empty spirit - where will I go
Throw away my pride - what will I find
Who is watching me, somebody's watching me
Get so close and lose it all, get so high and then I fall
But I know through it all, he is watching me
Standing in the shadows - I just don't know
Reaching for the light - gotta give me a sign
Take this empty spirit - where will I go
Throw away my pride - what will I find
I'm a man of a thousand dances, just a man of a thousand dreams
I'm just a man of a thousand dances, I'm a man and I - and I wanna be free
(Solo)
Standing in the shadows, reaching for the light
Take this empty spirit, throw away my pride
Standing in the shadows - cross my hands to the spirit
Reaching for the light - gotta give me a sign
Take this empty spirit, throw away my pride
Hallelujay, hallelujay, hallelujay, hallelujay
I'm a man of a thousand dances
I'm a man of a thousand, of a thousand, of a thousand dreams
The lyrics of Mr. Mister's song Man Of A Thousand Dances are quite thought-provoking and inspire introspection. The opening lines ask who is following the singer, and the singer wonders whether to run or act like a different person. The singer is also grappling with their fear and unsure whether they will ever face it. The chorus talks about the singer’s awareness that someone is watching them, and despite experiencing highs and lows, the watcher is a constant presence in their life.
The singer is standing in the shadows, reaching for the light, and seeking guidance on where to go. They want to throw away their pride and find themselves but are not sure what they will discover. The lines "I'm a man of a thousand dances, just a man of a thousand dreams" emphasize the singer's multifaceted personality and that they have many desires and aspirations.
The song seems to be talking about the journey of self-discovery and the obstacles that may come along the way. The singer is trying to come to terms with themselves, recognize their fears, and find their place in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Who is following me, who is following me
Uncertainty and fear of someone constantly observing the singer.
Should I run, should I hide, should I act like a different man
The singer is considering how to avoid being followed.
Will I ever face my fear, who is following me
Protagonist wonders if they'll ever confront their fears about being watched.
Standing in the shadows - I just don't know
Uncertainty about the situation and where the artist stands.
Reaching for the light - just give me a sign
The artist is seeking direction and guidance.
Take this empty spirit - where will I go
Wondering where life will take the singer.
Throw away my pride - what will I find
Letting go of ego and searching for meaning and purpose.
Who is watching me, somebody's watching me
The artist believes they're being observed and wonders by whom.
Get so close and lose it all, get so high and then I fall
The artist has experienced highs and lows in their life.
But I know through it all, he is watching me
Despite the artist's struggles, they believe they're being looked after.
I'm a man of a thousand dances, just a man of a thousand dreams
The singer has a plethora of aspirations and goals in life.
I'm just a man of a thousand dances, I'm a man and I - and I wanna be free
The artist desires to break free from their shackles and live their life.
Standing in the shadows, reaching for the light
Looking for a new perspective and understanding of life.
Hallelujay, hallelujay, hallelujay, hallelujay
Celebration of finding clarity in life.
Standing in the shadows - cross my hands to the spirit
Channeling hope and positivity through prayer.
Reaching for the light - gotta give me a sign
Asking for guidance and light in dark times.
Take this empty spirit, throw away my pride
Getting rid of negative thoughts and pride to find inner peace.
I'm a man of a thousand dances
The singer is eager to explore and experience life to the fullest.
I'm a man of a thousand, of a thousand, of a thousand dreams
The singer has numerous aspirations and desires in life.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind