All Night Long
The George Shearing Quintet with Nancy Wilson Lyrics


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Never knew the softness of his tender kiss
Don't know if he's weak or strong
All I know is he's every dream I dream

Never heard him say a single word of love
Don't know his fate or his soul
'Cause he only speaks to me in dreams I've dreamed
When I sleep he tells me he's in love with me
And how much he needs me to be near
But at best my dream is just a fantasy
If I touch his hand he'll disappear, no no no

I don't wanna love that's just a memory
Fate, how could you be so warm?
Now, I've got to find the man who's haunting me

When I sleep he tells me he's in love with me
And how much he needs me to be near
But at best my dream is just a fantasy
If I touch his hand he'll disappear, no no no

I don't wanna love that's just a memory
Fate, how could you be so warm?
Now, I've got to find the man who's haunting me





Now, I've got to find the man who's haunting me

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "All Night Long" by The George Shearing Quintet with Nancy Wilson describe a haunting dream of a mysterious man who communicates only in dreams. The singer of the song has never experienced the "softness of his tender kiss" or heard "a single word of love" from him in real life. Despite this, she feels like he is "every dream" she has ever had.


The dream man tells the singer that he loves her and needs her to be near, but she knows that it is just a fantasy. She is afraid that if she touches him, he will disappear. The singer yearns for a real connection with someone instead of just a memory, and feels like fate has been too warm to her in teasing her with this dream man.


In the end, the singer declares that she has to find the man who is haunting her. The lyrics suggest a desire for a true and tangible romance rather than a fleeting dream.


Line by Line Meaning

Never knew the softness of his tender kiss
I have never felt the tenderness of his kiss before.


Don't know if he's weak or strong
I am not sure about his strength and weakness.


All I know is he's every dream I dream
He is the one I dream about every time.


Never heard him say a single word of love
He has never expressed his love to me through words.


Don't know his fate or his soul
I have no idea about his destiny or his inner self.


'Cause he only speaks to me in dreams I've dreamed
The only way he communicates with me is through my dreams.


When I sleep he tells me he's in love with me
In my dreams, he confesses his love for me.


And how much he needs me to be near
He expresses his desire to have me close to him.


But at best my dream is just a fantasy
I know that my dreams are only a product of my imagination.


If I touch his hand he'll disappear, no no no
If I try to touch him, he will vanish into thin air.


I don't wanna love that's just a memory
I do not want to love someone who only exists in my memories.


Fate, how could you be so warm?
Why is fate being so kind to me by showing me the man of my dreams?


Now, I've got to find the man who's haunting me
I am determined to find the man who has been constantly appearing in my dreams.




Contributed by Nathaniel A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

@bobjary9382

Never tire of hearing this ...it's a perfect confection of so many of the things that make an ideal song

@supcomFAN

tremendously underrated song

@voicegirl555

Gone 10 years today. You are so very missed George Shearing! You and Miss Wilson are too good for words on this album! Oh the way she sings and the way you play! It is pure heaven!!!!

@gwenlorenz46

AGREED 100 percent!!

@2dasimmons

Wow! Nancy Wilson really is FANCY. She and George Shearing did a wonderful job with this.

@gwenlorenz46

This is WONDERFUL!! Vintage Nancy Wilson!! 

@voicegirl555

Happy Happy Birthday Nancy Wilson! You are so very missed! Oh I love this and the way you sing! I can feel every word and see the song as you sing it.

@TheDogfairy

Listened to this when I was a kid. Wonderful.

@dpbj1957

Sublime.

@tuxguys

The epitome of "sultry," this is a cut from one of Ms. Wilson's two simultaneously-released debut LP's on Capitol (the other has her in the company of the Cannonball Adderley Quintet).
Never has Shearing's signature close-voiced piano/vibes/guitar combination sounded more orchestral.

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