The origins of the Nylons date back to 1978 when four experienced Toronto stage actors, Connors, Cooper, Morrison, and Simpson, used to get together in the back of a delicatessen to sing doo-wop together. They took their ensemble to parties and friend's houses and constant comments from people convinced them to take their unique a cappella act into the clubs. An acquaintence met at a party was about to open a new cabaret and invited them to debut there. They played there for six weeks, garnering rave critical and audience reviews. In 1979 Simpson retired from the group and Cole was brought on board. They very quickly established themselves as one of the area's classiest and most original ensembles and caught the attention of Attic Records. Their first album eventually went platinum in Canada (100,000 copies), and there followed four more releases on Attic that all sold at least gold in Canada (50,000 copies). They received the equivalent of a Dutch Grammy award and a gold disc for the One Size Fits All album and the Best Singer Award at 1986's Tokyo Music Festival. In 1987 Disney used their song That Kind Of Man in their feature The Tin Man, and their version of Up The Ladder To The Roof was used in the movie Made In Heaven. They also scored a second appearance on the Taft Broadcasting television show Throb after writing the theme song and a previous appearance on the program. In February 1991 founding member Connors left the group and in March of that year died of viral pneumonia. A new deal in 1991 with Scotti Brothers in the US and BMG in Canada saw the release of three more albums, and constant touring on either side of the border. Over the years various member changes have led to today's lineup of Morrison, Robinson, Mosbaugh, and Cassius. In 1997 they signed with Shoreline Records in the US, a label primarily devoted to vocal groups, and released the Fabric Of Life. Today they continue to tour the world to audience and critical acclaim.
Singles
1982 The Lion Sleeps Tonight (Attic) 1983 Silhouettes (Attic) 1983 That Kind Of Man (Attic) 1984 Take Me To Your Heart (Attic) 1984 Perpetual Emotion (Attic) 1984 Stepping Stone (Attic) 1984 Combat Zone (Attic) 1987 Kiss Him Goodbye (Attic) 1987 Happy Together (Attic) 1987 Chain Gang (Attic) 1989 Wild Fire (Attic) 1989 Drift Away (Attic) 1991 Call My Name (Attic) 1991 One Fine Day (Attic) 1992 Don't Look Any Further (Scotti Brothers)
Albums
1982 The Nylons (Attic) 1982 One Size Fits All (Attic) 1984 Seamless (Attic) 1987 Happy Together (Attic) 1989 Rockapella (Attic) 1991 Four On The Floor (Attic) 1992 Live To Love (BMG) 1993 Illustrious: A Collection Of Classic Hits (Attic) 1994 Harmony - The Christmas Songs (BMG) 1994 Because... (BMG) 1996 Run For Cover (BMG) 1997 Fabric Of Life (Shoreline) 1997 Perfect Fit (Windham Hill) [re-release of 1993's Illustrious]
Marc Connors (baritone; RIP 1991) Paul Cooper (tenor) Claude Morrison (tenor) Dennis Simpson (bass) Ralph Cole (bass; replaced Simpson 1979) Arnold Robinson (bass; replaced Cole 1981) Micah Barnes (tenor; replaced Cooper 1991) Billy Newton-Davis (baritone; replaced Connors 1992) Garth Mosbaugh (tenor; replaced Barnes 1994) Gavin Hope (baritone; replaced Newton-Davis 1994) Mark Cassius (baritone; replaced Hope 1997)
Count My Blessings
The Nylons Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Of situations
I take the good with the bad
Ups and downs
Get complicated
But I don't have the right
To be sad
How about the children who are hungry
And never get to eat
How about the people who are homeless
Sleeping in the street
Every night
Before I go to sleep
I count my blessings
Instead of sheep
I say a prayer
My soul to keep
I count my blessings
When I hear
The sound of complaining
I put my hands to my ears
Think of those
Whose lives have been taken
And thank the Lord I am here
I've got some money in my pocket
A hand I can hold
Somebody standing by me
When the winter gets too cold
II'd give some away
Share in my good fortune
Hear
Hear me when I say
I'll give some away
How about the people who are starving
And never get to eat
How about the children in the desert
Dying from the heat
The Nylons's song Count My Blessings begins with the singer reflecting on how life is full of situations that come and go, and how he takes the good and the bad as they come. He acknowledges that the ups and downs of life can be complicated and challenging, but he also realizes that he has no right to be sad. Instead, he looks beyond his own problems and thinks about the people in the world who are suffering.
The singer starts to think about the people who are hungry and homeless, and how they live in poverty and despair. He contrasts their plight with his own situation, where he has a roof over his head and enough food to eat. He counts his blessings and says a prayer, reminding himself of his good fortune and vowing to give some of it away. The song emphasizes the importance of being grateful for what we have and remembering those who are less fortunate.
Line by Line Meaning
In and out
Moving in and out of situations
Of situations
Various different scenarios and circumstances
I take the good with the bad
I accept the ups and downs
Ups and downs
The highs and lows of life
Get complicated
Become complex and confusing
But I don't have the right
I don't have the privilege
To be sad
To feel unhappy or negative about it
How about the children who are hungry
Think about the young ones who don't have enough to eat
And never get to eat
Who aren't able to have food regularly
How about the people who are homeless
Consider those who don't have a permanent place to live
Sleeping in the street
Spending nights on the pavements
Every night
Each evening
Before I go to sleep
Prior to falling asleep
I count my blessings
I express gratitude for the good things I have
Instead of sheep
Instead of counting sheep to fall asleep
I say a prayer
I express my hopes and wishes to a higher power
My soul to keep
My spiritual well-being to protect
When I hear
Whenever I listen to
The sound of complaining
The expression of dissatisfaction
I put my hands to my ears
I block it out
Think of those
Consider the situation of
Whose lives have been taken
People who have lost their lives
And thank the Lord I am here
And express gratitude for my existence
I've got some money in my pocket
I have some cash with me
A hand I can hold
A person I can be close to
Somebody standing by me
Someone beside me to support
When the winter gets too cold
When it's really chilly outside
I'd give some away
I'd share a portion of what I have
Share in my good fortune
Allow others to experience the benefits with me
Hear me when I say
Take note of what I'm communicating
I'll give some away
I'll donate some of my resources
How about the people who are starving
Consider those who don't have enough to eat
And never get to eat
Who aren't able to have food regularly
How about the children in the desert
Think about the young ones living in the arid areas
Dying from the heat
Losing their lives due to exposure to high temperatures
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JEFFREY MARK BERNSTEIN, SHELLY PEIKEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind