Stewart's music career began in 1962 when he took up busking with a harmonica. In 1963, he joined The Dimensions as a harmonica player and vocalist. In 1964, Stewart joined Long John Baldry and the All Stars before moving to the Jeff Beck Group in 1967. Joining Faces in 1969, he also maintained a solo career releasing his debut album that year. Stewart's early albums were a fusion of rock, folk music, soul music, and R&B. His third album, 1971's Every Picture Tells a Story, was his breakthrough, topping the charts in the UK, US, Canada and Australia, as did its ballad "Maggie May". His 1972 follow-up album, Never a Dull Moment, also reached number one in the UK and Australia, while going top three in the US and Canada. Its single, "You Wear It Well", topped the chart in the UK and was a moderate hit elsewhere.
After Stewart had a handful more UK top ten hits, the Faces broke up in 1975. Stewart's next few hit singles were ballads with "Sailing", off the 1975 UK and Australian number-one album, Atlantic Crossing, becoming a hit in the UK and the Netherlands (number one), Germany (number four) and other countries, but barely charting in North America. A Night on the Town (1976), his fifth straight chart-topper in the UK, began a three-album run of going number one or top three in the US, Canada, the UK and Australia with each release. That album's "Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)" spent almost two months at number one in the US and Canada, and made the top five in other countries. Foot Loose & Fancy Free (1977) contained the hit "You're in My Heart (The Final Acclaim)" as well as the rocker "Hot Legs". Blondes Have More Fun (1978) and its disco-tinged "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy" both went to number one in Canada, Australia and the US, with "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy" also hitting number one in the UK and the top ten in other countries. Stewart's albums regularly hit the upper rungs of the charts in the Netherlands throughout the 70s and in Sweden from 1975 onward.
After a disco and new wave period in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Stewart's music turned to a soft rock/middle-of-the-road style, with most of his albums reaching the top ten in the UK, Germany and Sweden, but faring less well in the US. The single "Rhythm of My Heart" was a top five hit in the UK, US and other countries, with its source album, 1991's Vagabond Heart, becoming, at number ten in the US and number two in the UK, his highest-charting album in a decade. In 1993, he collaborated with Bryan Adams and Sting on the power ballad "All for Love", which went to number one in many countries. In the early 2000s, he released a series of successful albums interpreting the Great American Songbook.
In 2008, Billboard magazine ranked him the 17th most successful artist on the "Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists". A Grammy and Brit Award recipient, he was voted at No. 33 in Q Magazine's list of the Top 100 Greatest Singers of all time. As a solo artist, Stewart was inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2006, and he was inducted a second time into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012 as a member of Faces.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Stewart
Studio albums
An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down (1969)
Gasoline Alley (1970)
Every Picture Tells a Story (1971)
Never a Dull Moment (1972)
Smiler (1974)
Atlantic Crossing (1975)
A Night on the Town (1976)
Foot Loose & Fancy Free (1977)
Blondes Have More Fun (1978)
Foolish Behaviour (1980)
Tonight I'm Yours (1981)
Body Wishes (1983)
Camouflage (1984)
Every Beat of My Heart (1986)
Out of Order (1988)
Vagabond Heart (1991)
A Spanner in the Works (1995)
When We Were the New Boys (1998)
Human (2001)
It Had to Be You: The Great American Songbook (2002)
As Time Goes By: The Great American Songbook, Volume II (2003)
Stardust: The Great American Songbook, Volume III (2004)
Thanks for the Memory: The Great American Songbook, Volume IV (2005)
Still the Same... Great Rock Classics of Our Time (2006)
Soulbook (2009)
Once in a Blue Moon: The Lost Album (2010)
Fly Me to the Moon... The Great American Songbook Volume V (2010)
Merry Christmas, Baby (2012)
Time (2013)
Another Country (2015)
Blood Red Roses (2018)
The Tears of Hercules (2021)
A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square
Rod Stewart Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Songbirds sing; winter turns to spring.
Every winding street in Mayfair falls beneath the spell.
I know such enchantment can be, ''cause it happened one evening to me:
That certain night, the night we met,
There was magic abroad in the air,
There were angels dining at the Ritz,
And a nightingale sang in Berkeley Square.
But I'm perfectly willing to swear
That when you turned and smiled at me
A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square.
The moon that lingered over London town,
Poor puzzled moon, he wore a frown.
How could he know we two were so in love?
The whole darn world seemed upside down
The streets of town were paved with stars;
It was such a romantic affair.
And, as we kissed and said 'goodnight',
A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square
When dawn came stealing up all gold and blue
To interrupt our rendezvous,
I still remember how you smiled and said,
"Was that a dream or was it true?"
Our homeward step was just as light
As the tap-dancing feet of Astaire
And, like an echo far away,
A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square
I know ''cause I was there,
That night in Berkeley Square.
The lyrics to Rod Stewart's song "A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square" tell the story of two lovers who meet in Mayfair, London, and experience a magical evening. The song is full of romantic imagery, with the "songbirds" singing and "winter turn[ing] to spring" when the lovers meet. The enchantment of the evening is heightened by the presence of angels dining at the Ritz and a nightingale singing in Berkeley Square.
The singer, who may be a bit unsure of their own feelings, still insists that something special occurred that night. They "may be right, [they] may be wrong / but [they're] perfectly willing to swear" that a nightingale sang when their lover turned and smiled at them. The moon, representing the larger world outside of these two lovers, seems puzzled by their love, but the streets of London are paved with stars, emphasizing the romance of the moment. As dawn comes and interrupts their time together, the lovers are left wondering whether the evening was a dream or reality. But the memory of the nightingale's song lingers, serving as a reminder of the magic they experienced in Berkeley Square.
Overall, the lyrics paint a vivid picture of a romantic and enchanting evening in London. Through the use of imagery and poetic language, the song captures the feeling of falling in love and the power of a truly memorable moment.
Line by Line Meaning
When two lovers meet in Mayfair, so the legends tell,
According to popular belief, Mayfair is the place where couples fall in love
Songbirds sing; winter turns to spring.
Every time two people in love meet, it feels like spring has arrived and the songbirds sing to celebrate the start of something new.
Every winding street in Mayfair falls beneath the spell.
Mayfair's streets have a magical aura that affects everyone who walks along them and all fall under the spell of love.
I know such enchantment can be, ''cause it happened one evening to me:
The singer has experienced this magical moment himself and can vouch for the enchantment it brings.
That certain night, the night we met,
The night the two lovers met was a special, magical night.
There was magic abroad in the air,
The atmosphere was surrounded by magic which enhanced the meeting of the couple.
There were angels dining at the Ritz,
The scene was so enchanting that even angels could not resist it.
And a nightingale sang in Berkeley Square.
The mystical atmosphere was accompanied by a nightingale's song.
I may be right, I may be wrong,
The singer is not making a definite claim and may be corrected by others.
But I'm perfectly willing to swear
The singer is certain enough about his experience that he is willing to swear by its truth.
That when you turned and smiled at me
The singer knows that something special happened when his partner smiled at him.
A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square.
The singer is convinced that the nightingale sang when they met.
The moon that lingered over London town,
The moon seemed to be hanging over the city, watching their love story unfold.
Poor puzzled moon, he wore a frown.
The moon couldn't understand why the whole world seemed to be in love and looked puzzled.
How could he know we two were so in love?
The moon was unaware of the couple's love until much later.
The whole darn world seemed upside down
The world seemed different and unusual on the night they met.
The streets of town were paved with stars;
The streets glittered with stars and beautifully adorned the street.
It was such a romantic affair.
The whole meeting of two lovers was exceptionally romantic.
And, as we kissed and said 'goodnight',
The couple kissed each other goodbye and ended their night together with a romantic gesture.
A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square
The nightingale continues to sing even after the couple has parted ways.
When dawn came stealing up all gold and blue
Dawn slowly came, and the sky was a mix of gold and blue.
To interrupt our rendezvous,
The daybreak interrupted the couple's plan to spend more time together.
I still remember how you smiled and said,
The singer remembers his partner's smile and what she said to him.
"Was that a dream or was it true?"
The couple's night was so magical that they wondered if it was a dream or really happened.
Our homeward step was just as light
As the couple returned home after the experience, they felt as if they were still walking on clouds - light and joyful.
As the tap-dancing feet of Astaire
Their footsteps were as light and graceful as that of the famous tap dancer, Fred Astaire.
And, like an echo far away,
The memory of the night in Berkeley Square continues to echo in their lives.
A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square
The nightingale's song, filled with the magic of the night, continued to play in their memory.
I know ''cause I was there,
The singer knows what happened that night because he was present and experienced it himself.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Eric Maschwitz, Manning Sherwin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@dangbalboa5891
When two lovers meet in Mayfair, so the legends tell,
Songbirds sing; winter turns to spring.
Every winding street in Mayfair falls beneath the spell.
I know such enchantment can be, ''cause it happened one evening to me:
That certain night, the night we met,
There was magic abroad in the air,
There were angels dining at the Ritz,
And a nightingale sang in Berkeley Square.
I may be right, I may be wrong,
But I'm perfectly willing to swear
That when you turned and smiled at me
A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square.
The moon that lingered over London town,
Poor puzzled moon, he wore a frown.
How could he know we two were so in love?
The whole darn world seemed upside down
The streets of town were paved with stars;
It was such a romantic affair.
And, as we kissed and said 'goodnight',
A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square
When dawn came stealing up all gold and blue
To interrupt our rendezvous,
I still remember how you smiled and said,
"Was that a dream or was it true?"
Our homeward step was just as light
As the tap-dancing feet of Astaire
And, like an echo far away,
A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square
I know ''cause I was there,
That night in Berkeley Square.
@viktorkaramusko2208
One of the most beautiful song ever written in our history. Cheering by love, peace and harmony. I wish the best for the humanity in 2023. Listen this song, singing by Rod Stewart, and I hope one day this A nightingale will spread in everyone's soul.
@KirstyWiseman123
One of my Uncles favourite songs. He is currently dying in a hospice, so I came to listen to this tonight. Songs can take the pain away carrying tears and heart ache along with it.
@RalphDratman
I'm so sorry for your pain.
@paulpaulc4523
I was in Berkeley Square two years ago. I sat on one of the garden benches and imagined a Nightingale was singing.....
@glennmorrison9242
Paul PaulC you old romantic you - places hold the echoes of times and people from days past if you take the time to feel
@paulpaulc4523
It's the nostalgia of our time, the places , the music, the people which makes it all so memorable. @@glennmorrison9242
@nicoledickson6099
I love this cover!
@johnstanley2267
Absolutely love this. Rod's music is helping me through a very tough time in my life. I'd just like to shake the great man's hand one day x
@artgirlfantastic6020
one of my favorites, for sure. I have three of the four volumes and love them all. who would have figured back in the day that Rod could croon like this? he does an awesome job and the arrangements are listening heaven.
@jonsantosmd
I think there's 5 Volumes ! 🤔