As a teenager, DeVille had a band named Billy and the Kids. He moved to London looking to form a band, but was unsuccessful in finding like-minded musicians. Eventually he landed in San Francisco where he formed a band with bassist Ruben Siguenza and drummer Tom "Manfred" Allen. The band played under the names Billy DeSade & the Marquis and the Lazy Eights before settling on the name Mink DeVille. Later, DeVille took the band to New York City, where they helped to pioneer punk rock music and were one of the original house bands at CBGB, the New York nighclub where punk rock music was born in the mid-1970s.
The typical DeVille song -- if any of his songs can be called "typical" -- is filled with romantic conviction and yearning. Latin rhythms, Blues riffs, and strains of country music can be heard in DeVille songs. Spanish Stroll was a hit in the U.S. and the UK in 1978; Storybook Love (nominated for an Academy Award in 1987) is the theme song of the movie The Princess Bride.
DeVille suffered from drug addiction for many years, which stifled his career. Among fellow musicians and songwriters, he was widely respected. Songwriter Doc Pomus said about Deville, "He knows the truth of a city street and the courage in a ghetto love song."
DeVille died of pancreatic cancer during the night of August 6, 2009 in a New York hospital.
DeVille had homes in New Orleans and Mississippi.
Nightfalls
Willy DeVille Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm still awake from the night before
The hours pass, I wait 'till when
The stars come out and the moon is lit.
This magic time between night and day
I wait all day long 'till you're mine again
The minutes like hours, the hours like days
No matter where I am or how long I wait
I'll be with you when the daylight's spent
And then nightfalls, then the nightfalls, oh the nightfalls
Just you and I at the nightfall, mm at nightfall.
This mystic time between night and day
I wait all day long 'till you're mine again
The minutes like hours, the hours like days
'Till the stars come out and the sunlight fades.
No matter where I am or how long I wait
I'll be with you when the daylight's spent
And then nightfalls, then the nightfalls, oh the nightfalls
Just you and I at the nightfall, at nightfall.
Nightfall, oh at nightfall
Just you and I at the nightfall.
Just you and I at the nightfall
You and I
Ooh at nightfall ...
The lyrics of Willy DeVille's song Nightfalls depict the longing and anticipation one feels for the arrival of the night, the time when they can be with their loved one. The singer is still awake as the morning breaks and the sun comes up, unable to fall asleep after spending the night before with the subject of their affection. They wait for the day to pass, counting the minutes until the stars come out and the moon is lit. The night, which is referred to as a magical and mysterious time between night and day, is the time when the singer and their loved one can finally be together.
The waiting and yearning described in the song are expressed vividly through the repetition of the phrases "the minutes like hours, the hours like days" and "I wait all day long 'till you're mine again". These lines create a sense of time dragging on, amplifying the longing for the nightfall when the singer can be reunited with the person they miss. Despite the waiting and the uncertainty of where they are, the singer is determined to spend the nightfall with their loved one, emphasizing the strength of their desire.
Overall, Nightfalls is a poignant love song that conveys the passion one feels for another person and the sense of longing and impatience that comes with it.
Line by Line Meaning
When the morning breaks, the sun comes up
As the morning arrives, the sun rises
I'm still awake from the night before
I haven't slept since the previous night
The hours pass, I wait 'till when
Time goes by, and I eagerly anticipate a specific moment
The stars come out and the moon is lit.
As night falls, stars become visible and the moon illuminates the sky
This magic time between night and day
The moment that marks the transition from night to day is enchanting
I wait all day long 'till you're mine again
I spend the entire day longing to be with you once more
The minutes like hours, the hours like days
Time seems to drag on as I wait for the right moment
'Till the stars come out and the sunlight fades.
The moment I'm waiting for is when the stars appear and the sunlight disappears
No matter where I am or how long I wait
I'll meet you regardless of the location or the waiting time
I'll be with you when the daylight's spent
We'll be together after sunset
And then nightfalls, then the nightfalls, oh the nightfalls
Finally, when the night arrives, it completely envelops us
Just you and I at the nightfall, mm at nightfall.
It's only us, amidst the magical moment when night emerges
This mystic time between night and day
This magical time of transition from day to night
Nightfall, oh at nightfall
The moment of the arrival of night
You and I
Only the two of us
Ooh at nightfall ...
Ah, when night arrives...
Contributed by Jonathan J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
darlingUSA2 Pettee
Seems like Willy took every good thing about music and wrapped it all in his amazing voice.
Lady in Black
Боже! Какая шикарная песня! Слушаю - не могу наслушаться! Спасибо Willy ❤
John Van Poeyer
Beautiful song R.i.p Willy never forget you
Laurent Venouil
WILLY on t'écoute toujours avec passion , on vibre toujours au son de ta voix et de tes mélodies...!! Mon Dieu que c'est Divin Assasin of Love et Nightfalls !!!Où joues-tu en ce moment...?😇
philippe monard
Merci Deville quel bea romantisme dans cet Amérique anglos saxone💙⚜️
Jean-Claude Ingrand
On ne peut pas t oublié tu es dans nos cœurs ta musique me mets la chaire de poule a chaque fois merci pour tout le bonheur que tu continues à me donner
ing ley
Jean-Claude, vous avez raison!
Adrian Cooke
He wrote some incredibly moving songs and left us too soon: I'm pleased to say I met him backstage in London back in about 1982
josemanuel garciadonado
Impresionante y desgarrador tema de Willy Deville !!!!
Mary-Jane Gibson
Love love love this man's voice!!