In addition to producing several albums with No-Man, Tim has recorded with popular Italian artist Alice, experimental guitar legend David Torn, Soft Machine's Hugh Hopper, Roger Eno, German band Centrozoon, BurningShed co-founder Peter Chilvers and recorded the album Flame (1994) in collaboration with Porcupine Tree/ex-Japan keyboard player Richard Barbieri.
Tim's debut solo album, My Hotel Year, was released on the One Little Indian label in 2004.
Sing To Me
Tim Bowness Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Conversations after dark
Endeless walks and roads to nowhere
Non-lit faces in closed parks
The way she looked at you, remember
What this can make you to recall
The quick defences and the temper
Sing to me she said
Sing to me she said
We were dreamers on the sidelines
Sing to me she said
Sing to me she said
Seeking magic in somebody else's words
Late summer chill on your skin
And the light begins to fade
Passed traffic lights and supermarkets
Passed the streets were you've felt afraid
Sing to me she said
Sing to me she said
We were dreamers on the sidelines
Sing to me she said
Sing to me she said
Seeking megic in somebody else's words
The way she looked at you, remember
What this can make you to recall
Tada tada ta da
Sing to me she said
Sing to me she said
We were dreamers on the sidelines
Sing to me she said
Sing to me she said
Seeking magic in somebody else's worlds
The way she looked at you, remember
What this can make you to recall
The lyrics of Tim Bowness’s song, “Sing To Me”, evoke memories of the past intermixed with a desire for companionship and understanding. The opening verse, “The bridge over the traffic, Conversations after dark, Endless walks and roads to nowhere, Non-lit faces in closed parks”, sets the tone for the rest of the song. These lines paint a picture of a city at night, where the beauty of the surroundings is also accompanied by loneliness and anonymity. The singer recalls a time when someone he knew looked at him in a certain way, inspiring him to remember the past. Despite the defenses and temperament that the subject once had, the singer is now able to look past them and appreciate the person they truly are.
The chorus of the song, “Sing to me she said, We were dreamers on the sidelines, Seeking magic in somebody else's words”, further highlights the sense of longing and nostalgia that the song encapsulates. It speaks to the idea of wanting to be understood and validated by someone else; the desire for someone to sing to them and understand their dreams. The later verses of the song further emphasize the singer’s memories of the past, of “late summer chill on your skin” and “passed streets where you’ve felt afraid”. Ultimately, despite the uncertainties and the melancholy inherent in the song, there is a feeling of hopefulness and companionship.
Line by Line Meaning
The bridge over the traffic
Reflecting on moments spent crossing busy streets and highways
Conversations after dark
Remembering discussions had late into the night
Endeless walks and roads to nowhere
Contemplating aimless journeys taken in the past
Non-lit faces in closed parks
Reflecting on encounters with strangers in dark, secluded places
The way she looked at you, remember
Recalling the intensity of a past love's gaze
What this can make you to recall
Realizing that memories can be triggered unexpectedly
The quick defences and the temper
Thinking about past conflicts and arguments
Didn't bother you at all
Not letting disagreements affect the emotions felt towards someone
Sing to me she said
Requesting a moment of musical connection
We were dreamers on the sidelines
Remembering an optimistic, youthful mindset
Seeking magic in somebody else's words
Hoping to find inspiration and wonder through another's writing or artistry
Late summer chill on your skin
Recalling the sensation of cool weather on warm skin
And the light begins to fade
Noticing the onset of sunset or darkness
Passed traffic lights and supermarkets
Describing the mundane scenery of daily life
Passed the streets were you've felt afraid
Recalling moments of personal fear or insecurity in certain areas
Seeking megic in somebody else's words
Continuing to search for enchantment through artistic expression
Tada tada ta da
Instrumental interlude
What this can make you to recall
Acknowledging the power of memories to affect mood and emotion
The way she looked at you, remember
Echoing the lyrical theme of reminiscing on a former lover
Seeking magic in somebody else's worlds
Finalizing the motif of seeking inspiration and wonder through others' creations
Writer(s): Steven John Wilson, Tim Bowness
Contributed by Xavier O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@PedroEduardoGutierrezReyes
El puente sobre el tráfico
The bridge over the traffic
Conversaciones después del anochecer
Conversations after dark
Caminatas sin fin y caminos a ninguna parte
Endeless walks and roads to nowhere
Rostros no iluminados en parques cerrados
Non-lit faces in closed parks
La forma en que te miró, recuerda
The way she looked at you, remember
¿Qué te puede hacer recordar esto?
What this can make you to recall
Las rápidas defensas y el temperamento
The quick defences and the temper
No te molesté en absoluto
Didn't bother you at all
Cántame ella dijo
Sing to me she said
Cántame ella dijo
Sing to me she said
Éramos soñadores al margen
We were dreamers on the sidelines
Cántame ella dijo
Sing to me she said
Cántame ella dijo
Sing to me she said
Buscando magia en las palabras de otra persona
Seeking magic in somebody else's words
El frío de finales de verano en tu piel
Late summer chill on your skin
Y la luz comienza a desvanecerse
And the light begins to fade
Semáforos y supermercados superados
Passed traffic lights and supermarkets
Pasaste las calles donde sentiste miedo
Passed the streets were you've felt afraid
Cántame ella dijo
Sing to me she said
Cántame ella dijo
Sing to me she said
Éramos soñadores al margen
We were dreamers on the sidelines
Cántame ella dijo
Sing to me she said
Cántame ella dijo
Sing to me she said
Buscando a megic en las palabras de otra persona
Seeking megic in somebody else's words
La forma en que te miró, recuerda
The way she looked at you, remember
Lo que esto puede hacerte recordar
What this can make you to recall
Tada tada ta da
Tada tada ta da
Cántame ella dijo
Sing to me she said
Cántame ella dijo
Sing to me she said
Éramos soñadores al margen
We were dreamers on the sidelines
Cántame ella dijo
Sing to me she said
Cántame ella dijo
Sing to me she said
Buscando magia en los mundos de otra persona
Seeking magic in somebody else's worlds
La forma en que te miró, recuerda
The way she looked at you, remember
¿Qué te puede hacer recordar esto?
@MariaDiazskn
The bridge over the traffic
conversations after dark
endeless walks and roads to nowhere
non-lit faces in closed parks
the way she looked at you, remember
what this can make you to recall
the quick defences and the temper
didn't bother you at all
sing to me she said
sing to me she said
we were dreamers on the sidelines
sing to me she said
sing to me she said
seeking magic in somebody else's words
late summer chill on your skin
and the light begins to fade
passed traffic lights and supermarkets
passed the streets were you've felt afraid
sing to me she said
sing to me she said
we were dreamers on the sidelines
sing to me she said
sing to me she said
seeking megic in somebody else's words
the way she looked at you, remember
what this can make you to recall
tada tada ta da
sing to me she said
sing to me she said
we were dreamers on the sidelines
sing to me she said
sing to me she said
seeking magic in somebody else's worlds
the way she looked at you, remember
what this can make you to recall
@headstashmusic3897
Broken, hopeless, abused AND on substances? I've seen a lot of broken, hopeless people on a lot of different substances and they look nothing like the person in this video. I think there are a few emotional states hiding behind those eyes than you are not considering. She could be feeling melancholic, or missing someone.
The bridge over the traffic
conversations after dark
endeless walks and roads to nowhere
non-lit faces in closed parks
the way she looked at you, remember
what this can make you to recall
the quick defences and the temper
didn't bother you at all
sing to me she said
sing to me she said
we were dreamers on the sidelines
sing to me she said
sing to me she said
seeking magic in somebody else's words
@drevilrodrigues
So this song together with Tim Bowness has the touch of Steven Wilson, what a combo
I tought he said: Sing to me, she said
but nope it seems it turns out to be
Sing to me Joseph
Sing to me, Joseph
you are a dreamer on the side line
Sing to me Joseph x 2
Seakin’ magic in somebody else world
@mrkinski
+Drevilrodrigues The lyrics are:
The bridge over the traffic,
Conversations after dark;
Endless walks on roads to nowhere,
Moonlit faces in closed parks.
The way she looked at you remembered,
What this could make you do recalled.
The quick defences and the temper
Didn’t bother you at all.
“Sing to me,” she said.
You were dreamers on the sidelines
Seeking magic in somebody else’s world.
Late Summer chill on your skin,
And the light begins to fade:
Pass traffic lights and supermarkets;
Pass the streets where you felt afraid.
“Sing to me,” she said.
You were dreamers on the sidelines
Seeking magic in somebody else’s world.
The way she looked at you remembered,
What this could make you do recalled.
@progbc
Hard to believe this music gets such little notice.This guy is fantastic!
@88omair
I really wish SW would take a break from his solo career and work on a new No-man album with Tim.
@progbc
It will happen again I am sure.They work well together no man are an amazing band if you ask me!
@koho28
Let's say, that he is (counting his involvement into No Man project) the victim of Porcupine Tree success ;).
@richardpicchietti1130
progbc WELL SAID! OMG!
@richardpicchietti1130
So true.
@michaelmewis4761
The thing with Tim Bowness is that he takes you to another world like no other musician, I really have never experienced with other musicians how he makes me feel in all my 60 years. Steve Wilson also does this but when the two of them get together its just mind blowing. The video is so simple and the girl so beautiful without the trappings of the bullshit music industry...
@dmitripestov8085
Try Talk Talk. Their 1988 and 1991 releases. If you like Schoolyard Ghosts, you’ll enjoy those by Talk Talk as well
@Whatsnewinbaltimore
What a song - what an album!
For me, these new songs belong to the best in 2015.
Tim, i wish you all the best - go on.
@PCmaatje
This is my first encouter with TBs solowork (outside of No-Man) and I'm blown away. Wow, what a great song!!!