In 1985, Astley was playing the club circuit as a singer with a soul band named FBI, when he was seen by the record producer Pete Waterman and persuaded to come to London to work at the PWL recording studio. Under the tutelage of production trio Stock Aitken Waterman, Astley was taught about the recording process and groomed for his future career, supposedly starting off as the recording studio 'tea boy'. During much of his career prior to the proliferation of music videos, many listeners assumed he was black. In one instance, the comedic entertainer, Sinbad, discussed him with a talk-show host, expressing his surprise that Astley was not "one of the brothers." Even after his visual appearance, it was still popular belief that he was miming for a black American singer. His brother Mark Astley helped to refute this assertion.
His first single was the little-known "When You Gonna" credited to Rick & Lisa, but his first solo outing was "Never Gonna Give You Up," released in 1987. It became an immediate success, spending five weeks at the top of the British charts and becoming the year's highest-selling single. It was the first of no fewer than 13 (world-wide) Top 30 hit singles for him.
The album Whenever You Need Somebody also reached Number One in the UK, and the hit singles continued, including the title track and a cover of Nat King Cole's "When I Fall In Love."
On 12 March 1988, "Never Gonna Give You Up" had also topped the U.S. singles chart and was followed by a second U.S. #1 on 18 June with his second U.S. single release "Together Forever."
By the end of the decade, Astley had parted company with Stock Aitken Waterman. He achieved one more major success with the 1991 ballad "Cry For Help," which reached the Top 10 in both the UK and the U.S. It featured a gospel choir arranged by Andraé Crouch, who'd also been involved with Madonna's 1989 hit "Like A Prayer."
His next album Body & Soul was released in 1993. The album did not chart in the U.K. and managed to make The Billboard 200 peaking at a lowly #182. The two singles, The Ones You Love and Hopelessly performed very well on the adult contemporary chart, peaking at #19 and #4 respectively. Hopelessly also crossed over and peaked at #31 on the Top 40 Mainstream chart. For much of the 1990s and early 2000s, Astley remained largely out of the spotlight.
In 1991 the RIAA certified that two million copies of Whenever You Need Somebody had been sold. Total world sales of Astley's records (inclusive of singles, albums and compilation inclusions) have reached 40 million.
Almost 10 years after "Body & Soul", Rick finally returned to the music world and released "Keep It Turned On" in 2002. The album featured the single "Sleeping", which became a minor club hit, thanks to a set of remixes from U.S. house producer Todd Terry.
In 2005 Astley released the album Portrait in which he covered many classic soul standards such as "Vincent", "Nature Boy" and "Close To You".
In early 2006, Astley withdrew unexpectedly at the eleventh hour from appearing on the BBC TV celebrity/pro duets show Just the Two of Us after committing to the series. This led to criticism from those in the entertainment industry and media. His place was filled by opera singer Russell Watson, who eventually won the competition. The BBC failed to explain that Astley's withdrawal was due to his partner Lene Bausager being nominated for the 2006 Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film for her produced/directed film "Cashback". Astley would have missed a crucial part of the show by attending the awards ceremony and so withdrew before the show started its run.
Based on various music charts in the UK, U.S. and Canada, Astley has charted a grand total of 14 (different) hit singles and 6 (different) hit albums as of March 2006.
During the later part of 2006 and the beginning of 2007, the song "Never Gonna Give You Up" became part of an internet meme similar to the "Duckrolling" of the 4chan game forums. A link would be submitted to the forum, in the first instances to a supposed trailer of a new game, and would redirect the user to the video. This process fondly became known as a "Rickroll", and the usage of which has developed exponentially since. As a result of the increased publicity Rick Astley's former record company (RCA) released a greatest hits album.
In 2008, he won the Best Act Ever prize at MTV EMA's. In the same year he Rick rolled America on National TV in Macy's Thanksgiving Parade..thanks to Cartoon Network
These Foolish Things
Rick Astley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
An airline ticket to romantic places
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you
A tinkling piano in the next apartment
Those stumbling words that told you what my heart meant
A fairground's painted swings
You came, you saw, you conquered me
When you did that to me
I knew somehow this had to be
The winds of March that make my heart a dancer
A telephone that rings but who's to answer?
Oh, how the ghost of you clings
These foolish things remind me of you
The scent of smoldering leaves the wail of steamers
Two lovers on the street who walk like dreamers
Oh how the ghost of you clings
These foolish things
Remind me of you
How strange, how sweet, to find you still
These things are dear to me
They seem to bring you so near to me
The sigh of midnight trains in empty stations
Silk stockings thrown aside dance invitations
Oh how the ghost of you clings
These foolish things
Remind me of you
The lyrics to Rick Astley's song "These Foolish Things" paint a vivid picture of a nostalgic and longing heart. The singer reminisces about various mundane objects and experiences that hold a deep emotional connection to their past love. The first stanza describes a cigarette with lipstick traces and an airline ticket to romantic destinations as reminders of that special someone. The heart is depicted as having wings, suggesting a sense of freedom and flight that love brought to their life.
In the second stanza, a tinkling piano in the neighboring apartment and stumbling words that revealed the singer's true feelings stand as reminders of their love. The fairground's painted swings symbolize the joy and excitement experienced with their partner. The chorus emphasizes the impact the person had on the singer, with their presence clinging like a ghost, haunting their memories.
The third stanza highlights the irresistible power the person had over the singer. The winds of March are personified as making the heart dance, showcasing the influence the love interest had in bringing happiness and liveliness. The ringing telephone represents a longing for connection, but no one to answer, leaving the singer longing for their former companion.
The final stanza continues to showcase the things that remind the singer of their love. The scent of smoldering leaves and the sight of lovers on the street evoke the presence of the person in the singer's mind. The ghostly presence of the past love remains, and these reminders hold a deep significance, bringing the person closer to the singer's heart.
Overall, the song "These Foolish Things" captures the longing and nostalgia that comes with reminiscing about a lost love. The lyrics beautifully express the emotions attached to seemingly ordinary objects and experiences, highlighting the profound impact of the relationship on the singer's life.
Line by Line Meaning
A cigarette that bears a lipstick's traces
A physical reminder of the intimate connection we had
An airline ticket to romantic places
Symbolic of the exciting adventures we shared together
And still my heart has wings
Despite the absence of your presence, my heart is filled with joy and lightness
These foolish things remind me of you
These small and seemingly insignificant things evoke memories of you and our time together
A tinkling piano in the next apartment
The melodic sound of a nearby piano reminds me of the music we enjoyed together
Those stumbling words that told you what my heart meant
The clumsy but heartfelt words I used to express my love for you
A fairground's painted swings
The imagery of a carnival ride represents the playful and exciting moments we shared
You came, you saw, you conquered me
You entered my life, captivated my heart, and became the source of my happiness
When you did that to me
The moment you won me over and made me fall deeply in love with you
I knew somehow this had to be
I had an undeniable feeling that our connection was meant to be
The winds of March that make my heart a dancer
The fresh breeze of March lifts my spirits and makes me feel alive, just like you did
A telephone that rings but who's to answer?
The unanswered phone symbolizes the emptiness and longing I feel without you
Oh, how the ghost of you clings
The lingering presence of your memory haunts and stays with me
The scent of smoldering leaves, the wail of steamers
The aroma of burning leaves and the sound of distant steamers evoke memories of the past, reminiscent of our time together
Two lovers on the street who walk like dreamers
Observing other couples lost in their own world reminds me of the love we once shared
How strange, how sweet, to find you still
It is both surprising and comforting to realize that you still hold a special place in my heart
These things are dear to me
These nostalgic reminders hold immense sentimental value to me
They seem to bring you so near to me
These reminders create a sense of closeness and make me feel as if you are still by my side
The sigh of midnight trains in empty stations
The lonely sound of trains passing through deserted stations represents the longing and loneliness I feel without you
Silk stockings thrown aside dance invitations
The image of discarded silk stockings symbolizes the passionate and intimate moments we shared
Oh how the ghost of you clings
Your memory continues to hang on and haunt me, refusing to let go
These foolish things remind me of you
Even though they may be considered foolish, these small reminders bring back memories of you and the love we once had
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Harry Link, Holt Marvell, Jack Strachey
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind