Dillon was born in 1944 in Linstead, St. Catherine, Jamaica.[1] Influenced by American singers Connie Francis, Patti Page and Dionne Warwick, she began singing in talent contests. It was during a performance at the Glass Bucket Club in Kingston, Jamaica with the group The Vulcans, that Duke Reid's session guitarist Lynn Taitt discovered Dillon.[1]
Dillon was 22 when she recorded her first record for Duke Reid. In 1967, Reid released Dillon's "Don’t Stay Away". While most of Dillon’s subsequent recordings would be covers of popular and obscure American songs including Bettye Swann's "Make Me Yours", Perry Como's "Tulips and Heather," The Grass Roots "Midnight Confessions", and Stephen Stills's "Love the One You're With"; "Don't Stay Away" was an original composition featuring Tommy McCook and the Supersonics as the backing band.
Another original song, "It’s Rocking Time" would later be turned into the Alton Ellis' hit "Rocksteady". While these early recordings demonstrate Dillon's mastery of the rocksteady sound, a much slower, soulful, response to the sultry weather that made ska's upbeat rhythm and tempo undesirable even impracticable, it was no indication of her greatest performance, 1967’s "Perfidia". Popularized by the American surf rock band The Ventures, "Perfidia" is a 1940 song written by Alberto Domínguez and made popular by the Cuban bandleader, Xavier Cugat.
At the end of 1967, Dillon moved to New York.[1] The following five years, she spent living a double life. She had a family and career in the United States, flying frequently back to Kingston, Jamaica to continue recording for Reid.
After a number of singles and an album entitled Living in Love, Dillon ended her recording career in 1971. She was 27 years old.
In 1991, Michael Bonnet, the entertainment director for the Oceanea Hotel in Kingston approached Dillon inviting her to sing. Her refusal at first was later rescinded and sparked a revitalized interest in performing and recording. In the years following, Dillion would tour the UK, Germany and Japan.
In 1998 Phyllis Dillon returned to the recording studio with Lynn Taitt, marked by reinterest in ska music in the United States. She remained active until illness took hold.
Phyllis Dillon died on 15 April 2004 in New York, after a two year battle with cancer, at the age of 59.
Midnight Confessions
Phyllis Dillon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In my midnight confession
Brings out a need in me that no one can hear, except
There's a little gold ring you wear
But a little gold ring you wear
Sometimes the feelings are so hard to hide but
There's another before me, you'll never be mine
When I'm telling the world that I love you
Staggering through the daytime
On your hand makes me understand
Your image on my mind
When I say all the things that I want to, I love you
In my midnight confession
When I say all the things that I want to, I love you
In my midnight confession
On your hand makes me understand
In my midnight confession
Your soft gentle motion, babe
There's another before me, you'll never be mine
In my midnight confession
Passing so close beside you babe
In my midnight confession
When I tell all the world that I love you
I'm wasting my time
The song Midnight Confessions by Phyllis Dillon talks about someone who is in love with another person but cannot express their feelings to them. The lyrics depict a confession made in the middle of the night when the singer is alone and their emotions are at their most intense. The need to express their love becomes overwhelming and they feel like they are wasting their time by keeping their feelings hidden. The line "In my midnight confession brings out a need in me that no one can hear" shows the desperate desire to share their feelings with the person they love, but they feel like nobody is listening or paying attention.
The chorus of the song makes reference to a little gold ring that the person wears. This could symbolize a wedding ring or an engagement ring, indicating that the person is already taken and not available to the singer. Despite this, the singer still longs for the person and confesses their love to them, even though they know they will never be together. The line "there's another before me, you'll never be mine" emphasizes this point.
Overall, this song speaks to the universal human experience of unrequited love and the struggle to express one's feelings. It is a beautifully written and performed song that captures the depth of emotion that comes with being in love and the pain of not being able to act on those feelings.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm wasting my time
I am spending my time in a way that is not productive or meaningful to me.
In my midnight confession
During the late hours of the night, when I am alone and reflective, I confess my true feelings.
Brings out a need in me that no one can hear, except
Confessing these feelings allows me to express a deep need that cannot be heard by anyone else except myself.
There's a little gold ring you wear
I have noticed a small gold ring that you wear, which has caught my attention.
But a little gold ring you wear
Despite the ring being small, it still captures my interest.
Sometimes the feelings are so hard to hide but
Occasionally, it is difficult for me to conceal my emotions.
When I tell all the world that I love you
In situations where I express my love for you publicly and openly,
There's another before me, you'll never be mine
It becomes apparent to me that there is another person that you are interested in, and therefore, we cannot be together.
Staggering through the daytime
I am struggling to navigate through the day, as my feelings for you continuously preoccupy my mind.
On your hand makes me understand
Seeing the little gold ring that you always wear helps me realize the reality of our situation.
Your image on my mind
Your image and presence are constantly on my mind and thoughts.
When I say all the things that I want to, I love you
When I express all the emotions and messages that I want to, they all revolve around my love for you.
Your soft gentle motion, babe
Your gentle and pleasing movements and personality, my dear,
There's another before me, you'll never be mine
I am aware that there is someone else that you are interested in, and therefore, there is no hope for us to be together.
Passing so close beside you babe
Being near you and walking so closely to you, my dear,
When I tell all the world that I love you
In the instances where I express my affection for you in a public setting,
I'm wasting my time
I understand that my love and devotion for you, unfortunately, will never come to fruition and that it is a waste of my time to pursue it.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: LOU TERRY JOSIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind