If you’re a fan, you might remember Cyndi Lauper singing “All Through The Night.” I don’t know how high it made it on the charts. But I know it was one of her hits. Here’s the chorus:
We have no past we won’t reach back.
Keep with me forward all through the night.
And once we start the meter clicks,
And it goes running all through the night,
Until it ends there is no end.
Catchy when you add the music.
But mostly esoteric. Because it only means something to someone who puts a meaning to it. And there’s nothing wrong with that. I’m not here to tear apart her lyrics. She certainly had more hits than I’ll ever have in this life.
No, I only thought about sharing her song with you because I heard it on the speakers in a store I visited today. And her song always reminds me of my first #1 as a soloist in the 8th grade music contests back in Pasadena, Texas.
I sang a much more olde (aka: auld) English style song. Same title. But worlds apart from Ms Lauper’s song. This song has words like alas, e’er, thee, and thou.
Yeah. Not exactly modern. Not even way back then, in the 3rd quarter of the 20th century.
And I remember hours and hours and hours of dedicated rehearsing.
Not to mention very demanding diaphragm training. And when I say demanding, try this. Lie on your back. Have someone place a fairly thick book in the center of your abdomen. Then, push out your diaphragm as you breathe in and out to sing the song.
In addition to that kind of training, our teacher would have us stand up, take a deep breath, and then form our lips into a whistling position. Then, we had to gently blow as though we were going to whistle, only we’d let just the air out. No whistle. And we had to see how long we could exhale.
But, in the end, the proof was in the pudding, as they say.
Because I took home a 1 medal for my solo. And 1 is the best score you can get in solo contests.
There were many more to come. But that one really stands out for me. Because of all the hard work and new vocal training sessions. And because it was the first.
As for the song, I sang three verses out of the following lyrics. And the choruses, of course. If thou art curious, maybe someday I’ll share which ones.
All Through The Night
Sleep my child and peace attend thee,
All through the night
Guardian angels God will send thee,
All through the night
Soft the drowsy hours are creeping,
Hill and dale in slumber sleeping
I my loved ones’ watch am keeping,
All through the night
Angels watching, e’er around thee,
All through the night
Midnight slumber close surround thee,
All through the night
Soft the drowsy hours are creeping,
Hill and dale in slumber sleeping
I my loved ones’ watch am keeping,
All through the night
While the moon her watch is keeping
All through the night
While the weary world is sleeping
All through the night
O’er thy spirit gently stealing
Visions of delight revealing
Breathes a pure and holy feeling
All through the night
Angels watching ever round thee
All through the night
In thy slumbers close surround thee
All through the night
They will of all fears disarm thee,
No forebodings should alarm thee,
They will let no peril harm thee
All through the night.
Hark, a solemn bell is ringing
Clear through the night
Thou, my love, art heavenward winging
Home through the night
Earthly dust from off thee shaken
Soul immortal shalt thou awaken
With thy last dim journey taken
Home through the night
Music by Edward Jones…Lyrics by John Ceiriog Hughes circa 1784
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