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)
It's What They Call Magic
The Nylons Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
By how much you love, but
By how much you're loved by others
I'll always remember the night that we met
Was it May or September, somehow I forget
We were taken surprise by the moon on the rise
And the stars in the skies matched the stars in our eyes
And then, oh, what a feeling
Taking our breath away
It's what they call magic
The stuff dreams are made of
It's comic and tragic
It's heartbreak and true love
The world keeps on spinning
It spins like a wheel
Young hearts are burning
Yearning to feel the magic
Feel the magic
From New York to London
From Tokyo to Rome
Some things never change
Wherever you call home
The heart speaks a language
The ear cannot hear
But, to body and soul
The message is clear
It says dance to your heartbeat
Fly on the wings on love
It's what they call magic
The stuff dreams are made of
It's comic and tragic
It's heartbreak and true love
The world keeps on spinning
It spins like a wheel
Young hearts are burning
Yearning to feel the magic
Feel the magic
The heart is not judged by how much you love
But by how much you're loved by others
It's what they call magic (repeat)
The Nylons’s song It's What They Call Magic is a celebration of the magic of love. The song opens with an observation about the nature of love and its relationship to the human heart. The heart, it tells us, is not judged by how much you love, but by how much you are loved by others. This statement emphasizes the importance of opening yourself up to love and understanding that giving love is not the only way to be successful in matters of the heart.
The song then takes us through a montage of memories from the singer's relationship. From the initial meeting, when they were taken by surprise by the beauty of the night sky, to their shared experiences of joy and pain – comic and tragic, heartbreak, and true love. The chorus is the main point of the song, providing a message of hope and inspiration that love can be a magical thing if you let it into your life, and that the world keeps on spinning, with young hearts yearning to feel the magic of love.
Overall, The Nylons’s song It's What They Call Magic captures the beauty and power of love, reminding us that it can be a transformative force that reshapes our lives and connects us on a deep level.
Line by Line Meaning
The heart is not judged
The value of a person's heart is not determined solely by the amount of love it can give, but rather by the amount of love it receives from others.
By how much you love, but
The inherent worth and goodness of an individual's heart should not be based on the amount of love they are capable of giving to others.
By how much you're loved by others
A person's heart should be judged by the amount of love they receive from those around them, as it is an indicator of their value and worth as an individual.
I'll always remember the night that we met
The artist vividly recalls the moment they first encountered their romantic partner, demonstrating the importance and impact of that moment.
Was it May or September, somehow I forget
Despite the significance of the moment, the artist has difficulty recollecting the details of it, highlighting the fleeting nature of such experiences.
We were taken surprise by the moon on the rise
The singer and their partner were caught off guard by the natural beauty and serendipitous timing of their encounter, emphasizing the element of chance involved in romantic connections.
And the stars in the skies matched the stars in our eyes
The universal cosmic beauty of the night sky is reflected in the mutual attraction and adoration shared between the two individuals.
And then, oh, what a feeling
The artist reflects on the overwhelming emotions and sensations experienced in that moment of connection and attraction, expressing the powerful impact such experiences can have.
Taking our breath away
The intensity of the emotions experienced was so strong that it physically affected the artists, causing them to feel breathless and overwhelmed.
It's what they call magic
The artist describes the experience of falling in love as something akin to magic, conveying its inexplicable and extraordinary qualities.
The stuff dreams are made of
The singer compares love to a dream, emphasizing its ethereal and idealized nature.
It's comic and tragic
Love can be both humorous and sorrowful, encompassing both the highs and lows of human emotion and experience.
It's heartbreak and true love
Love involves both the risk of heartbreak and the potential for genuine and lasting affection, symbolizing the complexity and depth of romantic relationships.
The world keeps on spinning
Despite the intensity and significance of human experience, the world continues to turn and progress without pause.
It spins like a wheel
The singer likens the cycle of life and the passage of time to a perpetually moving wheel that endlessly turns.
Young hearts are burning
The passion and fervor of youth is represented as a burning sensation within the heart, suggesting the intensity and naivety of early romantic experiences.
Yearning to feel the magic
The desire for love and connection is described as an intense longing to experience the magic of romantic relationships.
From New York to London
The singer emphasizes the global and widespread nature of romantic connections, highlighting their universal significance.
From Tokyo to Rome
The singer cites various cities around the world to further emphasize the global and diverse nature of love and attraction.
Some things never change
Despite all the complexities and changes of human society, some fundamental truths and experiences - such as romantic attraction - remain constant.
Wherever you call home
The universality of love is reflected in the idea that it can arise and be experienced in any location or setting, wherever a person may live or travel.
The heart speaks a language
The emotions and desires of the heart cannot be expressed solely through words or language, but rather through a deeper and more intuitive form of communication.
The ear cannot hear
The nature of this heart-based communication is not audible or perceptible to the senses, but rather is a subtle and internal experience.
But, to body and soul
Despite its lack of external expression, the heart's communication is embodied and felt by the whole person, encompassing both physical and spiritual aspects of experience.
The message is clear
Despite its subtle and non-verbal nature, the heart's message is powerful and easily understood by the individual experiencing it, providing a sense of clarity and insight.
It says dance to your heartbeat
The heart's message to the individual is to embrace the vitality and rhythm of life, as expressed through the metaphor of dancing to the beat of one's own heart.
Fly on the wings on love
The heart's message further encourages the individual to embrace the transformative and uplifting power of love, symbolized as wings that can elevate and carry a person towards greater heights.
The heart is not judged by how much you love
The artist reiterates the earlier idea that a person's heart should not be judged by their capacity for love alone, but rather by the love they receive from others.
But by how much you're loved by others
The final line of the song underscores the importance of receiving love and affection from others as a measure of personal worth and value, reaffirming the idea that love is indeed 'magic'.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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