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.
MEMORY
Roger Whittaker Lyrics
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Has the moon lost her memory? She is smiling alone
In the lamplight the withered leaves collect at my feet
And the wind begins to moan
Memory, all alone in the moonlight
I can smile at the old days, life was beautiful then
I remember the time I knew what happiness was
Every street lamp
Seems to beat a fatalistic warning
Someone mutters at the street lamp gutters
And soon it will be morning
Daylight, I must wait for the sunrise
I must think of a new life and I mustn't give in
When the dawn comes the night will be a memory too
And a new day will begin
Burnt out ends of smoky days
The stale cold smell of morning
Eve lamp dies, another night is over
Another day is dawning
Daylight, I must wait for the sunrise
I must think of a new life and I mustn't give in
When the dawn comes tonight will be a memory too
And a new day will begin
And a new day will begin
The lyrics to Roger Whittaker's "Memory" paint the picture of a solitary figure walking through the streets of a city late at night, reflecting on their past memories and contemplating the start of a new day. The first verse sets the scene of a quiet midnight streetscape, where even the wind seems to mourn the withered leaves collecting at the singer's feet. In the second verse, the singer starts to sing of their memory of a time when life was beautiful, of the happiness they used to know. The third verse brings in a sense of foreboding, with the street lamps seeming to beat out a warning of the upcoming morning. And finally, the fourth verse provides a message of hope, that the new day will bring with it a new life and a chance to move beyond the memories of the past.
The lyrics of "Memory" are poignant and moving, capturing the sense of melancholy that often comes with reflecting on the past. The first verse in particular uses vivid imagery to create a sense of atmosphere, with the personification of the moon and the wind lending an almost mystical quality to the scene. Throughout the song, there is a sense of longing and ambiguity - the singer both cherishes their memories and wants to move beyond them, and there is a tension between the comfort of familiarity and the desire to break free into the new day.
Line by Line Meaning
Midnight, not a sound from the pavement
It is silent outside and no one can be heard on the street.
Has the moon lost her memory? She is smiling alone
The moon, with no one around to see her, appears to be happy and unaware of her previous phases.
In the lamplight the withered leaves collect at my feet
The ground is covered in dead leaves and they are piling up near the streetlamps.
And the wind begins to moan
The wind is starting to make a sad sound.
Memory, all alone in the moonlight
The memory being referred to is alone and lost, just like the moon from earlier.
I can smile at the old days, life was beautiful then
When looking back on the past, the singer is able to feel happy and content with how it once was.
I remember the time I knew what happiness was
The singer reflects on a moment in the past when they understood what true happiness was.
Let the memory live again
The artist wants to relive the happy moments from their past.
Every street lamp seems to beat a fatalistic warning
The artist feels like the street lamps are conveying a message of impending doom or danger.
Someone mutters at the street lamp gutters
An unknown person is murmuring at the drainpipes attached to the street lamps.
And soon it will be morning
The dark night is coming to an end and it will soon be daylight again.
Daylight, I must wait for the sunrise
The artist is waiting for the sun to rise so they can start a new day.
I must think of a new life and I mustn't give in
The singer knows they need to start fresh and not give up hope.
When the dawn comes the night will be a memory too
Once morning arrives, the sad and lonely night will become a memory of the past.
And a new day will begin
A new day brings new opportunities and beginnings, offering hope for the future.
Burnt out ends of smoky days
The remnants of the past, represented by burnt-out cigarettes, are still visible.
The stale cold smell of morning
The air in the early morning is lifeless and cold.
Eve lamp dies, another night is over
As the street lamps go out, the night comes to an end.
Another day is dawning
The start of a new day signals new opportunities and hope for the future.
Daylight, I must wait for the sunrise
The artist emphasizes the need to wait for the sun to rise before starting their day.
I must think of a new life and I mustn't give in
The artist continues to remind themselves of the need to start fresh and have a positive outlook.
When the dawn comes tonight will be a memory too
Once morning comes, the dark memories of the previous night will fade away.
And a new day will begin
The start of a new day brings hope for the future and new beginnings.
Contributed by Adeline P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Marissa Foster
simply good
Bastidasfun
yo