Bishop's song "Separate Lives," from the movie White Nights, was nominated for an Academy Award in 1985, losing out to "Say You, Say Me" from the same film. Bishop wrote it about his breakup with actress Karen Allen, who also appeared in Animal House.
Patrick Bateman, the fictional anti-hero from Bret Easton Ellis' American Psycho, is an avowed fan of Stephen Bishop.
Madge
Stephen Bishop Lyrics
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Had the world at my feet
A pretty girl on each arm
My family was so proud of me
I built a lot of buildings
Tore half of 'em down
One by one
But like a storm in a teacup
Like a smile sent down from heaven
Madge, I loved you then
and I love you now
We ate in the finest restaurants
Had the wealthiest friends
Most of them are gone now
No one left to say, "I knew you when"
It seems so long since I've remembered
the girl I used to know
She never saw any of my money
But she watched it come and go
Like a storm in a teacup
like a smile sent down from heaven
Madge I loved you then
and I love you now
They call this place "Sunnyside"
But I ain't seen the sun
in a long, long time
And my hands don't seem too steady now
But they're still holding onto you
Madge, she's probably married now
in a nice white house
and me I just sit here in my room
Quiet as a mouse
But I got my TV turned up loud
I'm not going to hear myself retreat
If only I'd have kept her
I'd have stayed on my feet
Like a storm in a teacup
like a smile sent down from heaven
Madge I loved you then and I love you now...
The song "Madge" by Stephen Bishop is a poignant reflection on the life of a man who once had it all and now finds himself alone and forgotten. The opening verse sets up the scene in 1927, where the singer has the world at his feet, success, wealth, and fame. He had the admiration of his family, and the love of many women. However, as the song unfolds, we learn that he squandered his wealth and success, as he built and tore down many buildings. The line "but they all crumbled just like me" suggests that the singer's downfall was inevitable.
As the song progresses, we learn that there was one constant in the singer's life, a woman named Madge, who he loved then and still loves now. She was not impressed by his wealth or success, but she loved him for who he was. They shared many memories, such as eating in the finest restaurants and having the wealthiest friends. Most of those materialistic things are gone now, but Madge remains a part of his life. The line "But like a storm in a teacup, like a smile sent down from heaven" could be interpreted to mean that his love for Madge was the only thing that brought him peace during the tumultuous times of his life.
Line by Line Meaning
It was 1927
The year was 1927
Had the world at my feet
I felt like I could have anything I wanted
A pretty girl on each arm
I was very popular with women
My family was so proud of me
My family was very happy and proud of my success
I built a lot of buildings
I was a skilled builder who constructed many buildings
Tore half of 'em down
I destroyed almost half of the buildings I built
One by one
I destroyed them one at a time
They all crumbled just like me
My life and my work fell apart
But like a storm in a teacup
Despite my struggles and failures, something small can still have a big impact
Like a smile sent down from heaven
Sometimes things can happen that seem too good to be true
Madge, I loved you then
I was in love with Madge in the past
and I love you now
I still have feelings for Madge
We ate in the finest restaurants
Madge and I enjoyed a luxurious lifestyle
Had the wealthiest friends
Our social circle consisted of very rich people
Most of them are gone now
Many of our friends have passed away
No one left to say, "I knew you when"
There is no one left who remembers our past glory
It seems so long since I've remembered
I haven't thought about Madge in a long time
the girl I used to know
My memories are of the Madge I knew in the past
She never saw any of my money
Money didn't matter to her
But she watched it come and go
She saw me gain and lose everything
They call this place "Sunnyside"
This place is supposed to be full of hope and light
But I ain't seen the sun
I haven't seen any hope or light in a long time
in a long, long time
It's been a while since I've felt happy
And my hands don't seem too steady now
I'm not very stable anymore
But they're still holding onto you
Madge is still the one steady thing in my life
Madge, she's probably married now
Madge is most likely married now
in a nice white house
She's probably living in comfort
and me I just sit here in my room
I spend most of my time alone
Quiet as a mouse
I'm very silent
But I got my TV turned up loud
I use my TV to block out the silence
I'm not going to hear myself retreat
I don't want to hear my own failures
If only I'd have kept her
If only I had been able to hold onto Madge
I'd have stayed on my feet
I would've been able to keep my life from falling apart
Madge I loved you then and I love you now...
Despite everything, Madge is the one thing in my life that has stayed the same
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: STEPHEN BISHOP
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind