Brightman has received over 180 Gold and Platinum sales awards in over 40 different countries around the world and is the only artist to hold #1 spots on the Billboard Classical and Dance charts simultaneously, her other achievements feature her ranking by the Recording Industry Association of America as the best-selling female classical artist of the twenty-first century and a Guinness World Record for the success of “Time to Say Goodbye,” the best-selling single in German recording history.
She has established herself as the world's biggest selling soprano of all time, She has sold 78 million albums worldwide, including 40 million copies of the soundtrack of The Phantom of the Opera (1986 musical), 26 million albums, over two million DVDs and 10 million copies of the single " Time to Say Goodbye "as a soloist.
She made her debut as a dancer in troupes such as Hot Gossip and later released a string of disco singles. She was a musical theatre performer and partner of theatre composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, with whom she originated roles including Christine Daaé in The Phantom of the Opera.
After her divorce, Brightman became a crossover artist with former Enigma producer Frank Peterson. Her style, a blend of classical vocals and pop-inspired instrumentation and arrangement, earned her further success.
She is often cited as the woman who paved the way for other international success stories such as Il Divo, Andrea Bocelli and Josh Groban. She is said to be worth as much as £30m (about US$49m).
Macavity
Sarah Brightman Lyrics
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For he's the master criminal who can defy the law
He's the bafflement of Scotland Yard, the Flying Squad's despair
For when they reach the scene of crime Macavity's not there!
Macavity, Macavity, there's no one like Macavity
He's broken every human law, he breaks the law of gravity
His powers of levitation would make a fakir stare
You may seek him in the basement, you may look up in the air
But I tell you once and once again Macavity's not there!
Macavity's a ginger cat, he's very tall and thin
You would know him if you saw him for his eyes are sunked in
His brow is deeply lined with thought, his head is highly domed
His coat is dusty from neglect, his whiskers are uncombed
He sways his head from side to side with movements like a snake
And when you think he's half asleep, he's always wide awake
Macavity, Macavity, there's no one like Macavity
For he's a fiend in feline shape, a monster of depravity
You may meet him in a by-street, you may see him in the square
But when a crime's discovered then Macavity's not there!
He's outwardly respectable, I know he cheats at cards
And his footprints are not found in any files of Scotland Yard's
And when the larder's looted or the jewel case is rifled
Or when the milk is missing or another peke's been stifled
Or the greenhouse glass is broken and the trellis past repair
There's the wonder of the thing Macavity's not there!
Macavity, Macavity, there's no one like Macavity
There never was a cat of such deceitfulness and suavity
He always has an alibi and one or two to spare
What ever time the deed took place Macavity's not there!
And they say that all the cats whose wicked deeds are widely known
I might mention Mungojerrie, I might mention Griddlebone
Are nothing more than agents for the cat who all the time
Just controls the operations: the Napolean of crime!
Macavity, Macavity, there's no one like Macavity
He's a fiend in feline shape, a monster of depravity
You may meet him in a by-street, you may see him in the square
But when a crime's discovered then Macavity
Macavity, Macavity, Macavity
When a crime's discovered then Macavity's not there!
The song "Macavity" by Sarah Brightman is based on a character from T.S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. Macavity is a ginger cat who is known as the "hidden paw," a master criminal who can defy the law. He is so elusive that even the police force, including the Flying Squad and Scotland Yard, have trouble catching him. Macavity breaks every human law, including the law of gravity, with his superior levitation powers. He is the "bafflement" of the authorities, and they can never apprehend him.
The song paints Macavity as an outwardly respectable feline, but his true character is that of a fiend in feline shape, a monster of depravity who cheats at cards and is responsible for a range of crimes, including theft, looting, and even murder. Macavity always has an alibi and one or two spare, making it impossible to pin any crime on him. However, the song suggests that Macavity is not acting alone and may have other cats working for him in his criminal operations.
In summary, "Macavity" is a character study of a mysterious and elusive cat who is a criminal mastermind. He is so skilled in his criminal activities that he is almost impossible to catch. The song highlights his cunning, deceitfulness, and superior powers of levitation while also illustrating the difficulties that the police force faces in apprehending him.
Line by Line Meaning
Macavity's a mystery cat, he's called the hidden paw
Macavity is a cat that is an enigma, and is referred to as the elusive paw
For he's the master criminal who can defy the law
Macavity is a skilled criminal who can evade the law
He's the bafflement of Scotland Yard, the Flying Squad's despair
Macavity is a source of confusion for the detectives of Scotland Yard and the despair of the Flying Squad
For when they reach the scene of crime Macavity's not there!
Whenever the authorities arrive at the scene of the crime where Macavity is suspected to have committed, he is nowhere to be found
He's broken every human law, he breaks the law of gravity
Macavity has broken all the laws set by humans, and also seemingly defies gravity
His powers of levitation would make a fakir stare
His abilities to levitate would leave even a fakir, a religious ascetic or holy person, bewildered
You may seek him in the basement, you may look up in the air
One might search for Macavity in the basement, or even up in the air
But I tell you once and once again Macavity's not there!
Despite the search, Macavity is stubbornly missing
Macavity's a ginger cat, he's very tall and thin
Macavity is a tall and thin cat with a ginger coat
You would know him if you saw him for his eyes are sunked in
Macavity's eyes are deep-set and immediately recognizable
His brow is deeply lined with thought, his head is highly domed
Macavity's brow is deeply lined, suggesting intelligence, and his head is highly domed
His coat is dusty from neglect, his whiskers are uncombed
Macavity's coat has dust accumulated due to neglect, and his whiskers are unkept
He sways his head from side to side with movements like a snake
Macavity moves his head from side to side like a snake
And when you think he's half asleep, he's always wide awake
Macavity can seem sleepy, but is always alert
He always has an alibi and one or two to spare
Macavity always has an alibi, and can come up with a couple more if needed
What ever time the deed took place Macavity's not there!
Macavity is not present at the crime scene, no matter when the crime was committed
And they say that all the cats whose wicked deeds are widely known
There is a belief that all the other cats known for their evil deeds are just working for Macavity
Are nothing more than agents for the cat who all the time
Those cats are suspected to be working for Macavity at all times
Just controls the operations: the Napolean of crime!
Macavity is believed to be the mastermind of all the criminal operations, like Napolean Bonaparte was to his armies
When a crime's discovered then Macavity's not there!
No matter what crime is committed, Macavity is always absent when authorities arrive at the scene
Lyrics © THE BICYCLE MUSIC COMPANY
Written by: ELIOT WEBBER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind