Roger Whittaker (born Roger Henry Brough Whittaker in Nairobi, Kenya, on 22… Read Full Bio ↴Roger Whittaker (born Roger Henry Brough Whittaker in Nairobi, Kenya, on 22 March 1936; died 13 September 2023 ) was a British singer-songwriter and musician remembered for his eclectic mix of folk music and popular song, his baritone singing voice, and his trademark whistling skills.

He became widely known for his version of "Wind Beneath My Wings" (1982), as well as his own compositions "Durham Town (The Leavin')" (1969) and "I Don't Believe in If Anymore" (1970), his 1970 hit "New World in the Morning" and his 1975 hit "The Last Farewell" (his only single to hit the US Billboard Hot 100, making it to the Top 20).

Whittakers first chart success came in 1969 when "Durham Town (The Leavin')" was his first UK Top 20 hit. In 1970 came two follow-up hits, "I Don't Believe In If Anymore" (Top 10) and "New World In The Morning" (Top 20), and 1971 brought two smaller hit singles "Why" and "Mamy Blue".

Whittaker was absent from the UK singles chart until 1975, when "The Last Farewell" went Top 3, after which it was another eleven years until "Skye Boat Song" returned him to the Top 10 of the singles chart.

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Whittaker had success in Germany, with German language songs produced by Nick Munro (unable to speak German at that time, Whittaker sang the songs phonetically). In time he became more fluent in German and sang and was interviewed in German on Danish television in November 2008. Whittaker retired from touring in 2013.

Good Morning Starshine
Roger Whittaker Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Good morning starshine, the earth says "Hello"
You twinkle above us, We twinkle below
Good morning starshine, you lead us along
My love and me as we sing our early morning singing song
Gliddy glup gloopy nibby nabby nooby la la la lo lo
Sabba sibby sabba nooby abba nabba le le lo lo
Tooby ooby walla nooby abba nabba
Early morning singing song

Good morning starshine, the earth says "Hello"
You twinkle above us, We twinkle below
Good morning starshine, You lead us along
My love and me as we sing our early morning singing song
Gliddy glup gloopy nibby nabby nooby la la la lo lo
Sabba sibby sabba nooby abba nabba le le lo lo
Tooby ooby walla nooby abba nabba
Early morning singing song

Singing a song, humming a song, singing a song
Loving a song, laughing a song, sing the song

Sing the song, song the sing
Song, song, song, sing, sing, sing, sing song

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Good Morning Starshine by Roger Whittaker are an ode to the beauty and wonder of the natural world. The song opens with a greeting to the stars, personified as if they were people or entities with consciousness. The starshine is referred to as a leader, as it guides the singer and his love on their journey, and the earth itself acknowledges its presence. The imagery of stars twinkling above and humans twinkling below suggests a sense of connection and unity between the heavenly and earthly realms.

The nonsensical words that follow the opening lines, such as "gliddy glup gloopy nibby nabby nooby" and "sabba sibby sabba nooby abba nabba," can be interpreted as an expression of childlike wonder and joy. The sounds are playful and musical, capturing the ethereal and otherworldly quality of the song. The verses repeat the same structure as the opening lines, with the singer continuing to address the starshine as a companion on his journey.

The song concludes with a rousing chorus, encouraging listeners to sing along and celebrate the power of music to bring people together. The repetition of the phrase "sing the song" reinforces this message, suggesting that the act of singing itself is a joyful and transformative experience.

Overall, Good Morning Starshine is a song that celebrates the beauty of the natural world and the power of music to connect people across differences. Its whimsical lyrics and joyful melody convey a sense of childlike wonder and innocence that is infectious.

Line by Line Meaning

Good morning starshine, the earth says "Hello"
The singer is greeting the star (personified as an entity) and expressing how happy the Earth is to see it.

You twinkle above us, We twinkle below
The singer is drawing attention to the star's luminosity and how humans (on Earth) mimic its twinkling with artificial lights.

Good morning starshine, you lead us along
The singer is suggesting that the star (which is visible in the morning) is guiding them in their daily routine.

My love and me as we sing our early morning singing song
The artist and someone they love are singing a song (presumably) at dawn, possibly thanking the star for leading them to another day.

Gliddy glup gloopy nibby nabby nooby la la la lo lo
This line is a nonsensical refrain that contributes to the playful and lighthearted tone of the song. It may simply be an expression of joy or a made-up phrase with no specific meaning.

Sabba sibby sabba nooby abba nabba le le lo lo
Like the previous line, this is a meaningless refrain. Its purpose is to enhance the song's cheerful and carefree mood.

Tooby ooby walla nooby abba nabba
Yet another playful refrain that adds to the song's joyful atmosphere. It is not meant to be taken seriously or interpreted in any particular way.

Early morning singing song
The artist repeats this line to emphasize that the song is being sung in the morning, possibly to praise the beauty of nature or to mark the starting of a new day.

Singing a song, humming a song, singing a song
The artist once again emphasizes the act of singing, humming, and performing music with others as a way to express joy and connect with the world.

Loving a song, laughing a song, sing the song
The artist is suggesting that singing a song can bring people together and promote feelings of love and laughter.

Sing the song, song the sing
The singer repeats this line, possibly to suggest that the power of music should be celebrated and embraced through singing and making joyful sounds.

Song, song, song, sing, sing, sing, sing song
The artist is emphasizing the song's central theme of love and joy, as well as the importance of expressing oneself through singing and music.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Gerome Ragni, James Rado, Galt Mac Dermot

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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