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)
Once Was a Time I Thought / No Moon at All
The Nylons Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Love could be sold or bought
Everything fell in place for me
The fashion of passion I rationed with caution
Because of the notion the potion of passion
Had never been passed to me
But since it was Sunday and sunny I went for a stroll The peanuts and pigeons and people put me in a hole
A blessing refreshing in you did unfold
Dispelling depressing distressing thoughts from my soul
Once was a time I thought
Love could be sold or bought
Everything fell in place for me
The fashion of passion I rationed with caution
Because of the notion the potion of passion
Had never been passed to me
Can't you see
No moon at all
What a night
Even lightning bugs have dimmed their light
Stars have disappeared from sight
And there's no moon at all
Don't make a sound
It's so dark
Even Fido is afraid to bark
What a perfect chance to park
And there's no moon at all
If you need atmosphere
For inspiration dear One touch will make it clear
Tonight is right and bright moonlight might interfere
No moon at all
Up above
This is nothing like they told us of
Just to think we fell in love
When there's no moon at all
But since it was Sunday and sunny I went for a stroll
The peanuts and pigeons and people put me in a hole
A blessing refreshing in you did unfold
Dispelling depressing distressing thoughts from my soul
Once was a time I thought
Love could be sold or bought
Everything fell in place for me
The fashion the passion I rationed with caution
Because of the notion the potion of passion
Had never been passed to me
But now with you by my side
I find that I'm so satisfied
Somebody must have lied to me
The Nylons's song Once Was A Time I Thought/No Moon At All juxtaposes two very different perspectives on love. Initially, the song discusses how the singer believed that love could be bought or sold, and that passion was something that could be rationed with caution. The singer had never experienced the true "potion of passion" that it seemed others had found. However, the singer's perspective shifts when they meet someone who dispels their "depressing distressing thoughts" and brings them a "blessing refreshing" of love.
The second half of the song, "No Moon At All," takes on a completely different tone. The singer describes a dark and eerie night where even "lightning bugs have dimmed their light" and "there's no moon at all." This could symbolize a sense of emptiness or lack of love in the singer's life, reflected in the absence of light in the sky. However, the singer suggests that even without the traditional idea of "atmosphere" or moonlight, love can still exist and be inspiring.
Overall, the song seems to suggest that there are many different perspectives and experiences when it comes to love. It's not something that can be bought or sold, but it can still exist even in the absence of typical romantic settings or symbols.
Line by Line Meaning
Once was a time I thought
At one time, I believed that...
Love could be sold or bought
...love was something that could be obtained or sold like a commodity.
Everything fell in place for me
My life was going according to plan and all was well.
The fashion of passion I rationed with caution
I guarded my emotions and love carefully.
Because of the notion the potion of passion
I held onto the belief that the elixir of love...
Had never been passed to me
...had never been given to me.
But since it was Sunday and sunny I went for a stroll
However, on a pleasant Sunday, I decided to take a walk.
The peanuts and pigeons and people put me in a hole
I found myself feeling overwhelmed and lost among the crowds and sights.
A blessing refreshing in you did unfold
But then, I met someone who was a breath of fresh air and a true blessing.
Dispelling depressing distressing thoughts from my soul
They helped me to let go of my negative thoughts and feelings.
Can't you see
Do you not notice or understand...
No moon at all
...that there is no moon to be seen tonight?
What a night
This is quite an unusual and noteworthy evening.
Even lightning bugs have dimmed their light
The fireflies, which normally provide illumination, are barely visible.
Stars have disappeared from sight
The stars in the sky are nowhere to be found.
And there's no moon at all
And once again, I must emphasize the absence of the moon.
Don't make a sound
Please refrain from making any noise or disturbance...
It's so dark
...as it is exceedingly dark tonight.
Even Fido is afraid to bark
Even the dog is hesitant to make a sound.
What a perfect chance to park
This is an ideal moment to park the car and enjoy the evening.
If you need atmosphere
If you require a certain ambiance...
For inspiration dear
In order to be inspired, my dear...
One touch will make it clear
...a single touch will be enough to reveal...
Tonight is right and bright moonlight might interfere
...that tonight is just right for us, and the presence of moonlight would only serve as a distraction.
No moon at all
Once again, I must reiterate that there is no moon tonight.
Up above
In the sky above...
This is nothing like they told us of
...this evening is nothing like what we were told it would be.
Just to think we fell in love
It's amazing to consider that we fell in love even in these unexpected circumstances.
When there's no moon at all
Despite the absence of the moon.
But now with you by my side
But with you beside me now...
I find that I'm so satisfied
...I have discovered immense fulfillment and contentment.
Somebody must have lied to me
I now realize that the beliefs I held earlier were misguided or false.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOHN EDMUND ANDREW PHILLIPS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind