A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square
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"A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" is the title of a well-known British popular song with lyrics by Eric Maschwitz and music by Manning Sherwin. It was most famously performed by Vera Lynn in 1940 in World War II, and subsequently in a shortened version by Nat King Cole. There is also a famous version by the Manhattan Transfer which won a Grammy for its arranger.
There was also a movie by this name, released in 1979.
The Berkeley Square referred to is in London, UK, as are Mayfair and The Ritz Hotel.
The song's lyrics are deliberately implausible in several respects: angels do not eat in restaurants; streets are not paved with stars; and - not least - Berkeley Square is far too urban a location for a Nightingale.
Lyrics
- When two lovers meet in Mayfair, so the legends tell,
- Songbirds sing; winter turns to spring.
- Every winding street in Mayfair falls beneath the spell.
- I know such enchantment can be, 'cos it happened one evening to me:
- That certain night, the night we met,
- There was magic abroad in the air,
- There were angels dining at the Ritz,
- And a nightingale sang in Berkeley Square.
- I may be right, I may be wrong,
- But I'm perfectly willing to swear
- That when you turned and smiled at me
- A nightingale sang in Berekley Square.
- The moon that lingered over London town,
- Poor puzzled moon, he wore a frown.
- How could he know we two were so in love?
- The whole darn world seemed upside down
- The streets of town were paved with stars;
- It was such a romantic affair.
- And, as we kissed and said 'goodnight',
- A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square
The first stanza above, and the additional lyrics below, were in the original song as written, but are rarely sung in recordings:
- How strange it was, how sweet and strange;
- There was never a dream to compare
- With those hazy crazy nights we met
- When a nightingale sang in Berkeley Square
- This heart of mine beat loud and fast,
- Like a merry go round in a fair.
- We were dancing cheek to cheek
- And a nightingale sang in Berkeley Square
- When dawn came stealing up all gold and blue
- To interrupt our rendezvous,
- I still remember how you smiled and said,
- "Was that a dream or was it true?"
- Our homeward step was just as light
- As the tap-dancing feet of Astaire
- And, like an echo far away,
- A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square
- I know 'cos I was there,
- That night in Berkeley Square.
External link
download song from here (Real Player) (http://www.sevillewedding.com/sevilleaudiopages/nightingale.html)