Milsap was born in Robbinsville, North Carolina with a congenital disorder that left him almost completely blind. He was abandoned by his mother as an infant and raised by his grandparents until the age of five, when he was sent to the Governor Morehead School for the Blind in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Milsap showed musical aptitude at an early age. The school stressed classical music training but he preferred country, gospel and rhythm-and-blues. He released his first single, Total Disaster, in 1963 at the age of twenty. This was followed by several Ashford And Simpson, compositions, including the memorable "Let's Go Get Stoned", which, unfortunately for Milsap, was relegated to a b-side. A few months later it would become a million-selling single for the more popular blind pianist, Ray Charles. 1972 found him working regularly at Roger Miller's King of the Road Club in Nashville, Tennessee and he signed with RCA Records in 1973. He was at his peak of popularity in the late 1970s and early 1980s with songs that made his name familiar to pop as well as country audiences, such as "It Was Almost Like A Song," "{There's) No Gettin' Over Me," "Smoky Mountain Rain," "I Wouldn't Have Missed It For The World," and a remake of Chuck Jackson's "Any Day Now" (which was named Billboard magazine's Number One Adult Contemporary hit of 1982). Milsap recorded for RCA until 1992. During that time he created five gold albums, one platinum album and one double platinum album. He also won six Grammy Awards and eight Country Music Association awards including the coveted Entertainer of the Year Award. In 2005 Milsap resigned with RCA Records and released a new country single, "Local Girls."
Milsap has recorded music with Kenny Rogers, Elvis Presley and Barry Manilow.
Ronnie and his wife Joyce currently make their home in Nashville, Tennessee.
Milsap enjoys his hobby of amateur (Ham) radio. More info on him can be found at: http://www.qrz.com/wb4kcg
Lost in the Fifties Tonight
Ronnie Milsap Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Follow my heart
Call on the memories
Here in the dark
We'll let the magic
Take us away
Back to the feelings
In the still of the night
Hold me darlin', hold me tight, oh
So real, so right
Lost in the fifties tonight
These precious hours
We know can't survive
But love's all that matters
While the past is alive
Now and for always
Till time disappears
We'll hold each other
Whenever we hear
In the still of the night
Hold me darlin', hold me tight, say
So real, so right
Lost in the fifties tonight
Oh, so right, say
Oh, so real, so right
So real, so right
The song "Lost in the Fifties Tonight" by Ronnie Milsap is a classic anthem to nostalgia and love. The song is a tribute to the golden era of the 1950s that was marked by the rock and roll music, dances, and movies. The lyrics describe a moment when a couple retreats from the present and travels back in time to the decade of the 1950s. They do so by calling upon their memories which take them away from their current reality to a place where their love flourished. The lyrics express the desire to travel back to a time when love was all that mattered, and the past came alive.
The song contains references to the culture of the 1950s, such as the iconic song "In the still of the night" by The Five Satins that the couple remembers hearing. The song highlights the power of memories, music, and love to transport people from their current reality to a different time and place. The lyrics represent a universal desire to recapture the magic and feelings of the past and the unique nostalgia that comes with the music and memories.
Line by Line Meaning
Close your eyes, baby
I want you to let go of your surroundings and feel this moment
Follow my heart
Trust me to lead you to a state of mind where we're the only ones that matter
Call on the memories
Remind yourself of the past and how it felt to live those moments
Here in the dark
Surroundings don't matter, everything is black but us
We'll let the magic
We'll give ourselves up to this moment and the emotions it's bringing
Take us away
We'll escape the present and feel the same way we felt before
Back to the feelings
We'll revive old feelings and remember them through music
We shared when they played
We were younger back then and shared different moments to this music
In the still of the night
During the night when everything is calm and time seems to stop
Hold me darlin', hold me tight, oh
I need you to hold me tight so I can feel your love
So real, so right
This isn't fantasy, it's a feeling we both share
Lost in the fifties tonight
Let's get lost in this moment and remember the past
These precious hours
The present is fleeting and we must cherish it
We know can't survive
We can't stay like this forever
But love's all that matters
The love we have for each other is what counts in the end
While the past is alive
Our memories are alive and can help us feel young again
Now and for always
I hope this moment lasts forever
Till time disappears
Until the present disappears and we're stuck in this memory
We'll hold each other
We'll cherish each other's love for as long as we can
Whenever we hear
Anytime we listen to these old songs
Oh, so right, say
This feels just like it did back then
Oh, so real, so right
This moment is so strong that it feels real
So real, so right
It's really happening and it's perfect
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ARCHIE JORDAN, HAL DAVID
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
John Bruno
It's amazing how many people still come back to listen to this masterpiece in 2023 this song will never get old it's legendary.
winstack
My mom and Dad used to bump this jam when my brothers and I were kids in the 80s. I recently rediscovered it and am so thankful, what a great song.
John Bruno
@winstack
Yes it certainly is.
👍😊🤘
Terry Devilbiss
awesome song i use to hear this song while a kid hanging in the bar with dad.
John Bruno
@Terry Devilbiss
Lol same here.
👍😊🤘
estelle foster
Amen
Nancy Gagne
I am 76 years old and I can still remember when that song came out. It brings back so many good memories. Those were the good all days.
Dave Nicholas
This song 🎶 bring back old memories, still listening in 2023
He have a soulful voice!
This is my favorite song 🎶 so tell me are you a fan of Ronnie Milsap…?
nancy hegland
I am 80, brings back so many memories… a different world then…
Dave Nicholas
@nancy hegland I’m 58 hope you don’t mind the age difference between us…?