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)
Up On the Roof
The Nylons Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
One more time, boy
When this whole world starts getting me down
And people are just too much for me to face
I climb right up to the top of the stairs
And all my cares just drift right into space
On the roof's the only place I know
Where you just have to wish to make it so
Up on the roof
When I get home feeling tired and beat
I go up where the air is fresh and sweet
I get away from that hustling crowd
And all that rat-race noise down in the street
At night, the stars put on a show for free
And only you can share it all with me
I keep telling you that right smack dab in the middle of town
I found a paradise that's trouble-proof
And if this whole world starts getting you down
There's room enough for two up on the roof
Up on the roof
Come on, come on, come on
Come on, come on, come on
Come on, babe, come on, baby, up on the roof
Come on, baby, come on, baby, up on the roof
Come on, baby, come on, baby, up on the roof
Come on, babe, come on, babe, up on the roof
Up on the roof
The Nylons's song "Up On the Roof" is a beautiful tune that speaks about finding peace and refuge up on the roof of a building. The lyrics paint a picture of a world that is overwhelming, and sometimes we just need to escape it all. When the hustle and bustle of the city life, the noise, and the rat-race get into our heads, we can find solace in the quietness and serenity up on the roof. The singer describes how he climbs to the top of the stairs to get away from it all, and all of his troubles magically disappear into space.
The first two verses describe how the singer uses the rooftop as a peaceful escape. He talks about how the rooftop is the only place he knows where he just has to wish for something, and it happens. He also talks about how he goes up to the rooftop to get away from the noise of the crowd and the rat race down in the streets. The last verse of the song emphasizes the message, which is that if the whole world is getting you down, there's enough room up on the roof for two. The singer invites his baby to come up with him and get away from the chaos of the world.
Overall, "Up On the Roof" is a sweet and simple song about finding peace in the midst of chaos. It speaks to the universal human experience of needing a break from the world sometimes, and how a little bit of peace and quiet can do wonders for our souls.
Line by Line Meaning
Singing, singing, singing, singing, yeah
The singer is excited and enthusiastic about what he's going to sing.
One more time, boy
The singer wants to repeat what he's going to sing.
When this whole world starts getting me down
The singer is experiencing sadness and frustration because of the things happening around him.
And people are just too much for me to face
The singer is overwhelmed by the actions and attitudes of the people around him.
I climb right up to the top of the stairs
The singer goes somewhere he can find solace and peace.
And all my cares just drift right into space
The singer feels like all his worries and troubles are leaving him as he goes up.
On the roof's the only place I know
The singer has found the only place where he can find happiness and forget his problems.
Where you just have to wish to make it so
The singer believes that it's easy to be happy and content when you're on the roof and away from everything else.
Up on the roof
Reinforcing the idea that the roof is a special, magical place for the singer.
When I get home feeling tired and beat
The singer comes home worn out and exhausted, needing a break.
I go up where the air is fresh and sweet
The singer believes that the air on the roof is refreshing and rejuvenating.
I get away from that hustling crowd
The singer wants to escape the busy and chaotic crowd of people down on the street.
And all that rat-race noise down in the street
The singer is bothered by the cacophony and chaos of the city below him, including the noise made by people rushing to get ahead.
At night, the stars put on a show for free
The singer enjoys the natural beauty of the starry sky at night.
And only you can share it all with me
The singer is addressing someone special that he wants to share his experience with.
I keep telling you that right smack dab in the middle of town
The singer is proud to be able to find such a special place in the middle of the busy city.
I found a paradise that's trouble-proof
The singer believes the roof is a paradise that brings him peace and happiness, regardless of what's happening in the world.
And if this whole world starts getting you down
The singer wants to reassure his special someone that there is always a place to go where they can get away from the world's problems.
There's room enough for two up on the roof
The singer invites his special someone to join him on the roof, where they can find respite together.
Come on, come on, come on
The singer urges his special someone to join him on the roof.
Come on, babe, come on, baby, up on the roof
The singer is using endearing terms to coax his special someone to come with him to the roof.
Come on, baby, come on, baby, up on the roof
The singer is repeating his invitation to come to the roof.
Up on the roof
Reinforcing the idea that the roof is a special, magical place for the singer and his special someone.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Carole King, Gerry Goffin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind