Sally Oldfield (born Sally Patricia Oldfield on 10 March 1947 in Dublin, Ir… Read Full Bio ↴Sally Oldfield (born Sally Patricia Oldfield on 10 March 1947 in Dublin, Ireland) is a folk singer (and sister of musicians Mike Oldfield and Terry Oldfield). In the late 60s, she co-founded the folk duo The Sallyangie (with her brother Mike Oldfield). She released her debut solo album, "Water Bearer", in 1978 and has continued to release solo albums as well as appearing on several albums of her siblings Mike and Terry.

Oldfield and her siblings were raised in the Roman Catholic faith of their mother, Maureen. After spending her childhood partly in Dublin and then partly in Reading, Berkshire, Oldfield joined the Royal Academy of Dancing at the age of twelve to study ballet dancing. She quit dancing only four years later.

Oldfield's musical career started in 1968 when she co-founded the folk duo The Sallyangie together with brother Mike Oldfield. The group recorded their first and only album at the recommendation of the Pentangle guitarist, John Renbourn. The sound of the album, Children of the Sun recorded in 1969, was a fairy-tale blend of English folk and pop, with Sally's vocals taking center-stage. Guesting with The Sallyangie on their first recording were Terry Cox, noted drummer/percussionist of Pentangle, as well as flutist Ray Warleigh, who also played with Allan Holdsworth, Nick Drake and many others. Sally and Mike split up in the autumn of the same year due to artistic differences, and Sally and Mike went their own ways for a time.

Oldfield's first solo album release was Water Bearer, released in 1978. Since then, she has continued to release solo albums, as well as appearing on several albums of her siblings Mike and Terry. She was one of the singers performing the female chorus in a couple of sections of Tubular Bells, in the climax of part one and just before the Scottish tune in part two.

Love Of A Lifetime
Sally Oldfield Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

The dawn wind is blowing, the night is nearly gone
I watch you softly sleeping, a child in the sun
I just want to wake you, tell you what I'm feeling

This is the love of a lifetime,
It's like clear, rushing water,
Please don't go! The nightingale's still singing in my soul
This is the love of a lifetime,

It's like clear, rushing water,
Want you to know you are with me everywhere I go.

I want to meet you in the summer,
Want to walk on golden sands,
Touching eyes, touching souls, touching of hands,
We may come and we may go
You're always where I am!

This is the love of a lifetime,
It's like clear, rushing water,
Please don't go! The nightingale's still singing in my soul
This is the love of a lifetime,
It's like clear, rushing water,
Want you to know you are with me everywhere I go.

The dawn wind is blowing, the night is nearly gone
I watch you softly sleeping, a child in the sun
I just want to wake you, tell you what I'm feeling

This is the love of a lifetime,
It's like clear, rushing water,
Please don't go! The nightingale is singing in my soul
This is the love of a lifetime,
It's like clear, rushing water,
Want you to know you are with me everywhere I go.

This is the love of a lifetime,
It's like clear, rushing water,
Want you to know you are with me everywhere I go.

This is the love of a lifetime,

It's like clear, rushing water,
Please don't go! The nightingale is singing in my soul

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Sally Oldfield’s song “Love of a Lifetime” describe the deep and abiding love the singer has for her partner. The dawn wind blowing and the night nearly gone symbolize the passage of time and the fleeting nature of life. The singer watches her partner sleeping, reminiscent of a child taking pleasure in the warmth of the sun. She wants to wake him up and share with him what she is feeling.

The repeated phrase “this is the love of a lifetime” emphasizes the depth and intensity of the singer’s emotions. The metaphor of “clear, rushing water” evokes the pure and unstoppable nature of this love. The nightingale symbolizes the beauty and joy that this love brings to the singer’s soul.

The singer wants to spend time with her partner, walking on the beach and experiencing the simple but profound beauty of life. Even if they cannot always be together physically, the singer feels her partner’s presence wherever she goes. The repetition of the chorus at the end of the song underscores the singer’s conviction that this love is truly special and enduring.

Overall, Sally Oldfield’s “Love of a Lifetime” is a heartfelt ode to a deep and abiding love that brings joy and meaning to life.

Line by Line Meaning

The dawn wind is blowing, the night is nearly gone
The morning breeze is starting to blow and the night is almost over.

I watch you softly sleeping, a child in the sun
I see you sleeping peacefully like an innocent child in the sunlight.

I just want to wake you, tell you what I'm feeling
I wish to awaken you and express my emotions to you.

This is the love of a lifetime, It's like clear, rushing water
This is a love that will last forever and it feels pure and strong like a clear stream flowing swiftly.

Please don't go! The nightingale's still singing in my soul
Please don't leave me because my heart is still full of the beautiful music that our love has created.

Want you to know you are with me everywhere I go.
I want you to understand that you are always with me, even when we are physically apart.

I want to meet you in the summer, Want to walk on golden sands, Touching eyes, touching souls, touching of hands, We may come and we may go You're always where I am!
I desire to be with you during the summer on the beach, looking into each other's eyes, feeling our souls connect and holding hands. We may have ups and downs in our relationship, but I know that you will always be close to me.

This is the love of a lifetime, It's like clear, rushing water, Want you to know you are with me everywhere I go.
This is a love that will last forever and feels pure and strong like a clear stream flowing swiftly. I need you to understand that you are always with me, even when we are physically apart.

Please don't go! The nightingale is singing in my soul
Please don't leave me because my heart is still full of the beautiful music that our love has created.

This is the love of a lifetime, It's like clear, rushing water, Want you to know you are with me everywhere I go.
This is a love that will last forever and feels pure and strong like a clear stream flowing swiftly. I want you to realize that you are always with me, even when we are physically apart.

This is the love of a lifetime, It's like clear, rushing water, Please don't go! The nightingale is singing in my soul
This is a love that will last forever and feels pure and strong like a clear stream flowing swiftly. Please don't leave me because my heart is still full of the beautiful music that our love has created.

Contributed by Hannah R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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