what are the words theyre singing >

?

what is at the top of the stairs ? sounds like >nothing< or >muffin< ??

i have never been sure since i first heard it

what are the words theyre singing >

?

what is at the top of the stairs ? sounds like >nothing< or >muffin< ??

i have never been sure since i first heard it

At the top of the stairs, there's darkness

My life is not based on unhappiness,

Just a life unwanted

My life has been sadly taunted,

I fear the sight of darkness,

'Cause I can see you in the shadow of happiness.

Just a life on the border,

My love has been taken from that order,

My life has been arranged with sorrow,

My life is cloudy today and tomorrow;

When I had love, it was nice,

How could I base my entire life?

At the top of the stairs, there's darkness,

My life is not based on happiness,

My life has been sadly taunted,

Now I fear the sight of darkness,

Now I fear the shadow of loneliness.

At the top of the stairs, there's darkness

My life is not based on unhappiness,

Just a life unwanted

My life has been sadly taunted,

I fear the sight of darkness,

'Cause I can see you in the shadow of happiness.

Just a life on the border,

My love has been taken from that order,

My life has been arranged with sorrow,

My life is cloudy today and tomorrow;

When I had love, it was nice,

How could I base my entire life?

At the top of the stairs, there's darkness,

My life is not based on happiness,

My life has been sadly taunted,

Now I fear the sight of darkness,

Now I fear the shadow of loneliness.

 

barry I think you need to get out more! and less charity shop visits.....lol

 

hope your well

 

russ

Aren't some lyrics odd.

 

I love the record - but those lyrics are weird.

At the top of the stairs there's darkness

Must get that landing light fixed.

How mad is this?

 

This thead was started at 7:07. And less than an hour and a half later - totally unrelated - I stumbled on the fact that there is an official name, now in various dictionaries, for a misheard lyric in a song.

 

From Wikipedia:

 

A mondegreen is the mishearing or misinterpretation of a phrase as a result of near-homophony in a way that gives it a new meaning. It most commonly is applied to a line in a poem or a lyric in a song.

 

Pete the butcher used to sing

 

"At the top of the stairs there's Margaret"

i remember a mate in a record shop asking for "little red lights.....instead of  "the israelites " desmond decker  

At the top of the stairs, there's darkness

My life is not based on unhappiness,

Just a life unwanted

My life has been sadly taunted,

I fear the sight of darkness,

'Cause I can see you in the shadow of happiness.

Just a life on the border,

My love has been taken from that order,

My life has been arranged with sorrow,

My life is cloudy today and tomorrow;

When I had love, it was nice,

How could I base my entire life?

At the top of the stairs, there's darkness,

My life is not based on happiness,

My life has been sadly taunted,

Now I fear the sight of darkness,

Now I fear the shadow of loneliness.

That's poetry man: Dave Godin could have got a book outta that one.

My mondegreen moment

 

"Seven day lover"

 

"My rabbit's out of sight"

 

Just thought he had a really cool pet.

 

ROD

At the top of the stairs there's darkness

Must get that landing light fixed.

I left the landing light on, and a small plane crashed into the bathroom.....

Aren't some lyrics odd.

 

I love the record - but those lyrics are weird.

 

Jerry Akines, Johnnie Bellmon, Victor Drayton & Reginald Turner truly were one of the top notch song writing teams of soul music, just take a look at some of their credits:

 

Track Artist Year (There's) One Man Between Us Barbara Mason 1975 What Goes Around (Comes Around) Black Ivory 1974 No One Else Will Do Black Ivory 1974       No One Else Will Do Black Ivory 1974 Don't Let The Green Grass Fool You The Detroit Spinners 1973 Tuck A Little Love Away The Intrigues 1970 Girl (Love Everything About You) Part I Philadelphia Ambassadors 1976       Don't Let The Green Grass Fool You Spinners 1973       Something Fishy Going On Universal Mind 1974 Sneakin' The Vibrations 1972 Don't Let The Green Grass Fool You Wilson Pickett 1971          

Edited January 7, 201411 yr by sunnysoul

At the top of the stairs, there's darkness

My life is not based on unhappiness,

Just a life unwanted

My life has been sadly taunted,

I fear the sight of darkness,

'Cause I can see you in the shadow of happiness.

Just a life on the border,

My love has been taken from that order,

My life has been arranged with sorrow,

My life is cloudy today and tomorrow;

When I had love, it was nice,

How could I base my entire life?

At the top of the stairs, there's darkness,

My life is not based on happiness,

My life has been sadly taunted,

Now I fear the sight of darkness,

Now I fear the shadow of loneliness.

 

Ode to a night shift worker, i'll be singing those words to myself tonight 

At the top of the stairs, there's darkness

My life is not based on unhappiness,

Just a life unwanted

My life has been sadly taunted,

I fear the sight of darkness,

'Cause I can see you in the shadow of happiness.

Just a life on the border,

My love has been taken from that order,

My life has been arranged with sorrow,

My life is cloudy today and tomorrow;

When I had love, it was nice,

How could I base my entire life?

At the top of the stairs, there's darkness,

My life is not based on happiness,

My life has been sadly taunted,

Now I fear the sight of darkness,

Now I fear the shadow of loneliness.

Whats happened to the "I'm afraid of that shade of loneliness" line, which is repeated several times in the actual record? It's not included in these written lyrics!

 

This record is a great classic from the very beginning of the Northern Scene (Twisted Wheel etc).

I feel if everything is dissected and over analysed it could spoil the magic of these records!

Edited January 8, 201411 yr by Guest

Whats happended to "I'm afraid of that shade of loneliness" line, which is repeated several times? Some of these lyrics are mixed up.

 

It's a great classic from the very beginning of the Northern Scene (Twisted Wheel etc).

I feel if everything is dissected and over analysed it could spoil the magic of these records!

Please get editing. I don't think it spoils the magic of a record to work out what the songwriters and singer were trying to convey.

Listening to the record whilst reading the lyrics above (although they're not 100%) is incredible, it all sounds so clear! Before that I couldn't make out at least 70% of the words

Is me or anyone else the same? Theres loads of records that I've been listening to for 40 years that I've no idea what they're singing, or maybe my ears are just f*cked

At the top of the stairs, there's darkness

My life is not based on unhappiness,

 

 

Sorry to be pedantic. always thought it was

 

"my life is not based on happiness"

 

Great record

Is this getting played out again? Heard a rumour that it had been played fairly recently at a rare soul night in London

 

Is me or anyone else the same? Theres loads of records that I've been listening to for 40 years that I've no idea what they're singing, or maybe my ears are just f*cked

 

No it's not just you Steve

Listening to the record whilst reading the lyrics above (although they're not 100%) is incredible, it all sounds so clear! Before that I couldn't make out at least 70% of the words

Is me or anyone else the same? Theres loads of records that I've been listening to for 40 years that I've no idea what they're singing, or maybe my ears are just f*cked

  Thought it was just me & my ears, frequently have problems deciphering lyrics but as soon as I see them written down & play the tune it's just so obvious.   

Edited January 7, 201411 yr by SHSDave

Sorry to be pedantic. always thought it was

 

"my life is not based on happiness"

 

Great record

Is this getting played out again? Heard a rumour that it had been played fairly recently at a rare soul night in London

 

You're right, sounds that to me too!

they should have sung 'muffin' sounds more likely and if it was darkness at the top he would have turned on the light

My moment is on the younghearts and when singing along it's still "the strings..at Golden World" to me.

At the top of the stairs, there's darkness

My life is not based on unhappiness,

Just a life unwanted

My life has been sadly taunted,

I fear the sight of darkness,

'Cause I can see you in the shadow of happiness.

Just a life on the border,

My love has been taken from that order,

My life has been arranged with sorrow,

My life is cloudy today and tomorrow;

When I had love, it was nice,

How could I base my entire life?

At the top of the stairs, there's darkness,

My life is not based on happiness,

My life has been sadly taunted,

Now I fear the sight of darkness,

Now I fear the shadow of loneliness.

 

Always thought that this was one of the very best soul records ever made.........

Sorry to be pedantic. always thought it was

 

"my life is not based on happiness"

 

Great record

Is this getting played out again? Heard a rumour that it had been played fairly recently at a rare soul night in London

 

The thought.........................

I can never understand the lyrics to cheating kind don Gardner , anybody ?

Can't believe nobody has posted up the song yet 

 

Those lyrics need a few tweaks

 

Cheers

 

Richard

 

FORMATIONS - AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS (MGM)

 

One of my favs...and please please play the 'B' side! Just magical.

 

I met Buddy Turner, one of 'The Formations' at Sigma Sound in 1999. He told me that they were booted out the studio circa 1967 because they could not sing their harmonies correctly. They then practiced at Jerry Akines house basement for months to perfect. They wrote/completed the lyrics at the top of the stairs at the Cameo Parkway studio at 309 Broad Street/Philadelphia where the track was cut. I think they did it in three takes if I remember rightly. What was freaky I was talking to him as Buddy Turner the writer of 'Don't let the green grass fool you' and it did not click until I mentioned that I had tried to get some sheet music autographed at 309 by Leon Huff (he played piano on it), of a favourite record of mine. He asked what it was and I told him 'At The Top Of The Stairs' by a group called The Formations. He said 'I know the song, I am one of The Formations and helped write the lyrics, but did not get a credit! And yes, it gets played frequently down here thank God. It's one of those productions/songs that ticks all my boxes for everything about soul music. People trying to make it against all the odds. Fantastic arrangement by Richard Rome too.

 

Right, here are the lyrics from the original UK released MOJO Records sheet music I bought in Hull circa 1973/4:

 

At The Top Of The Stairs

Performed by The Formations

Words and music by: Jerry Akines and Leon Huff

Copyright 1967 (unpub). And 1971 by Double Diamond Music Company, U.S.A.

Unichappel Music Inc, New York

Chappell & Co. Ltd, London W1

 

INTRO

At the top of the stairs there’s darkness,

My life is not based on happiness,

 

VERSE 1

Just a life unwanted,

My life has been sadly taunted,

I fear the sight of darkness,

Cause I can see you in the shadow of happiness,

 

CHORUS

At the top of the stairs there’s darkness,

I’m afraid of that shade of loneliness,

At the top of the stairs there’s darkness,

My life is not based on happiness,

 

VERSE 2

Just a life on the border,

My love has been taken from that order,

My life has been arranged with sorrow,

I’m beclouded by today and tomorrow,

 

CHORUS

At the top of the stairs there’s darkness,

I’m afraid of that shade of loneliness,

At the top of the stairs there’s darkness,

My life is not based on happiness,

 

BRIDGE/PRE HOOK

When I had love, it was nice,

How could I base my entire life?

 

CHORUS

At the top of the stairs there’s darkness,

I’m afraid of that shade of loneliness,

At the top of the stairs there’s darkness,

My life is not based on happiness,

Edited January 8, 201411 yr by Carl Dixon

then theres the '5 stairsteps and cubie' ,what a daft unfathomable name for the 60s .before their time in far out names .

whats the facsination with stairs back then

then theres the '5 stairsteps and cubie' ,what a daft unfathomable name for the 60s .before their time in far out names .

whats the facsination with stairs back then

Their dad named them that coz they were his kids and were all different heights. So when they lined up in age order they resembled a short flight of 5 stairs.

Seem to recall Cubie was the youngest & joined the group after it was formed; hence 5 Stairsteps & Cubie.

Can't see what's daft or unfathomable about choosing that as their name.

Different song I know but until very recently there was one line in Jerry Williams "if you ask me"

I could never quite get, I would just kind of make up an in-audible muddle.

Its the "your my alpha and omega" now I know it

Seems and sounds obviouse. . . . Fantasia lyrics

Dazz

Different song I know but until very recently there was one line in Jerry Williams "if you ask me"

I could never quite get, I would just kind of make up an in-audible muddle.

Its the "your my alpha and omega" now I know it

Seems and sounds obviouse. . . . Fantasia lyrics

Dazz

Evening Dazz hope all's well Sir , have to say the lyrics on the chip Tyler version are much clearer .........there's nothing else to say ....becausei , dowa dowah dowaa..

so what the hell does travis  wammack say in the middle of " scatchy ".........sure its been done before but never saw it......

so what the hell does travis  wammack say in the middle of " scatchy ".........sure its been done before but never saw it......

I have thought since 1970 that the bridge/hook was "we'll have long endless nights, we;ll have the time of our lives"!

I can never understand the lyrics to cheating kind don Gardner , anybody ?

 

I'VE BEEN LOOKING ALL OVER THIS WORLD

TRYING TO FIND ANOTHER GIRL

TRYING TO GET YOU OFF MY MIND

TRYING HARD, BUT  ONLY WASTING MY TIME

MY FRIENDS ALL TELL ME YOU'RE THE CHEATING KIND

IF ONLY I'D  LOOK  ANOTHER GIRL I'D FIND

THEY CAN'T RECOGNISE MY VITAL SIGNS

THE MORE I TRY TO FORGET YOU

THE MORE YOU MAKE UP MY MIND

OH BABY, I CAN'T FORGET YOU, NO NO

YOU KNOW THAT I LOVE YOU, OH BABY

YOU KNOW I NEED YOU, YES I DO

EVERYONE SAYS BOY YOU'RE BEING SO BLIND

BUT A MAN IN LOVE SEES ONLY WITH HIS MIND

ANOTHER GIRL LIKE YOU WOULD BE HARD TO FIND

SO HOW CAN  ????????????????    SO ???????

HOW COULD YOU THINK I'D BE SO BLIND

 

MY FRIENDS ALL TELL ME YOU'RE THE CHEATING KIND

IF ONLY I'D  LOOK  ANOTHER GIRL I'D FIND

THEY CAN'T RECOGNISE MY VITAL SIGNS

THE MORE I TRY TO FORGET YOU

THE MORE YOU MAKE UP MY MIND

OH I CAN'T FORGET YOU

YOU KNOW I LOVE YOU

ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT YOU

I NEED YOU

YOU KNOW I CAN'T FORGET YOU

My mondegreen moment

 

"Seven day lover"

 

"My rabbit's out of sight"

 

Just thought he had a really cool pet.

 

ROD

My mondegreen moment Soul City cold hearted blues  "the doctor says i've got the mumps" in fact it is" two months"....however in my defence i did listen harder as i thought it was a load of b*llocks !! My other half has ruined countless songs for me though by purposefully changing the lyrics...eg.T D Valentine "caught inside your mudflap"....i do apologise to everyone else who can't get rid of that from now on !! Think yourselves lucky i only shared one with you !!

Edited February 7, 201510 yr by pikeys dog
swearing - workplace filters

I'VE BEEN LOOKING ALL OVER THIS WORLD

TRYING TO FIND ANOTHER GIRL

TRYING TO GET YOU OFF MY MIND

TRYING HARD, BUT ONLY WASTING MY TIME

MY FRIENDS ALL TELL ME YOU'RE THE CHEATING KIND

IF ONLY I'D LOOK ANOTHER GIRL I'D FIND

THEY CAN'T RECOGNISE MY VITAL SIGNS

THE MORE I TRY TO FORGET YOU

THE MORE YOU MAKE UP MY MIND

OH BABY, I CAN'T FORGET YOU, NO NO

YOU KNOW THAT I LOVE YOU, OH BABY

YOU KNOW I NEED YOU, YES I DO

EVERYONE SAYS BOY YOU'RE BEING SO BLIND

BUT A MAN IN LOVE SEES ONLY WITH HIS MIND

ANOTHER GIRL LIKE YOU WOULD BE HARD TO FIND

SO HOW CAN ???????????????? SO ???????

HOW COULD YOU THINK I'D BE SO BLIND

MY FRIENDS ALL TELL ME YOU'RE THE CHEATING KIND

IF ONLY I'D LOOK ANOTHER GIRL I'D FIND

THEY CAN'T RECOGNISE MY VITAL SIGNS

THE MORE I TRY TO FORGET YOU

THE MORE YOU MAKE UP MY MIND

OH I CAN'T FORGET YOU

YOU KNOW I LOVE YOU

ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT YOU

I NEED YOU

YOU KNOW I CAN'T FORGET YOU

wow I'm impressed

Edited January 8, 201411 yr by sheldonsoul

wow I'm impressed

 

Yep, me too!

 

If anyone could supply the full lyrics for "I Hurt On The Other Side" I'd be beholden for life......

 

Ian D 

I'll make a start on them Ian .........

 

I HURT ON THE OTHER SIDE,

SINCE I FELL OFF MY RIDE,

SHE WAS REAL REAL WIDE,

GONE BLIND, NEED A GUIDE,

 

can't make out the rest on first hearing.

Yep, me too!

 

If anyone could supply the full lyrics for "I Hurt On The Other Side" I'd be beholden for life......

 

Ian D 

just listened to j cook on you tube and I reckon I could get every line if I could fookin write that fast lol watch this space though

Yep, me too!

 

If anyone could supply the full lyrics for "I Hurt On The Other Side" I'd be beholden for life......

 

Ian D 

 

I SEE MY FRIENDS EVERYDAY AS I PASS THEM ON THE STREET

I STOP AND TELL A JOKE OR TWO AND I SMILE AT EVERYONE I MEET

I SHOW THEM ALL A HAPPY FACE THEY ONLY SEE ME LAUGH

THEY ONLY SEE THE HAPPY ME

THEY DON'T SEE THE OTHER HALF

IF THEY JUST TURN ME OVER THEY'RE GONNA SEE

THERE'S REALLY TWO SIDES TO ME

AND  I H O T O S  BUT I CRY IN MY SOLITUDE

SAID  I H O T O S  BUT I  KEEP MY TEARS FROM YOU

 

GIRLS I'VE WON GIRLS I'VE LOST BUT  REALLY I DON'T CARE

AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT I LET THEM THINK

CUZ MY SECRETS  I NEVER SHARE

BUT ONCE THERE WAS A SPECIAL GIRL WHO I LOVED, LOVED HER SO

THEN ONE DAY SHE WENT AWAY BUT I CAN'T LET MY FEELINGS SHOW

IF THEY JUST TURN ME OVER THEY'RE GONNA SEE

THERE'S REALLY TWO SIDES TO ME

AND   I H O T O S  BUT I CRY WHEN I'M ALONE

SAID  I H O T O S  BUT I  KEEP MY TEARS AT HOME

 

AN ACTOR'S LIFE IS NOT FOR ME BUT I PLAY THIS PART SO WELL

THOUGH MY HEART IS BROKEN DOWN INSIDE

NO ONE COULD EVER TELL

THEY LOOK AT ME BUT THEY DON'T SEE THE SAD AND LONELY CLOWN

AND IF THEY TOOK A CLOSER LOOK

THEY'D SEE MY SMILE IS UP SIDE DOWN

IF THEY JUST TURN ME OVER THEY'RE GONNA SEE

THERE'S REALLY TWO SIDES TO ME

AND I H O T O S BUT I CRY IN MY SOLITUDE

SAID I H O T O S BUT I  KEEP MY TEARS FROM YOU

I SEE MY FRIENDS EVERYDAY AS I PASS THEM ON THE STREET

I STOP AND TELL A JOKE OR TWO AND I SMILE AT EVERYONE I MEET

I SHOW THEM ALL A HAPPY FACE THEY ONLY SEE ME LAUGH

THEY ONLY SEE THE HAPPY ME

THEY DON'T SEE THE OTHER HALF

IF THEY JUST TURN ME OVER THEY'RE GONNA SEE

THERE'S REALLY TWO SIDES TO ME

AND  I H O T O S  BUT I CRY IN MY SOLITUDE

SAID  I H O T O S  BUT I  KEEP MY TEARS FROM YOU

 

GIRLS I'VE WON GIRLS I'VE LOST BUT  REALLY I DON'T CARE

AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT I LET THEM THINK

CUZ MY SECRETS  I NEVER SHARE

BUT ONCE THERE WAS A SPECIAL GIRL WHO I LOVED, LOVED HER SO

THEN ONE DAY SHE WENT AWAY BUT I CAN'T LET MY FEELINGS SHOW

IF THEY JUST TURN ME OVER THEY'RE GONNA SEE

THERE'S REALLY TWO SIDES TO ME

AND   I H O T O S  BUT I CRY WHEN I'M ALONE

SAID  I H O T O S  BUT I  KEEP MY TEARS AT HOME

 

AN ACTOR'S LIFE IS NOT FOR ME BUT I PLAY THIS PART SO WELL

THOUGH MY HEART IS BROKEN DOWN INSIDE

NO ONE COULD EVER TELL

THEY LOOK AT ME BUT THEY DON'T SEE THE SAD AND LONELY CLOWN

AND IF THEY TOOK A CLOSER LOOK

THEY'D SEE MY SMILE IS UP SIDE DOWN

IF THEY JUST TURN ME OVER THEY'RE GONNA SEE

THERE'S REALLY TWO SIDES TO ME

AND I H O T O S BUT I CRY IN MY SOLITUDE

SAID I H O T O S BUT I  KEEP MY TEARS FROM YOU

 

Incredible work Simon and, I believe, the first time those lyrics have ever become available on t'internet. This song is just sheer poetry from a lyrical perspective. Brilliant stuff mate. Thankyou very much!

 

Ian D 

Incredible work Simon and, I believe, the first time those lyrics have ever become available on t'internet. This song is just sheer poetry from a lyrical perspective. Brilliant stuff mate. Thankyou very much!

 

Ian D 

There's the few differences between Sid & Jerry, the odd word, but nothing major.

Yep, me too!

 

If anyone could supply the full lyrics for "I Hurt On The Other Side" I'd be beholden for life......

 

Ian D 

see my friends everyday

As I pass them on the street

I stop and tell a joke or two

And I smile at everyone I meet

Show them all I'm happy baby

Only see me laugh

They only see the happy me

They don't see the other half

If the just turn me over there gonna see now there's really two halfs to me

And I hurt on the other side

We'll I cry in solitude yeh

Now I hurt on the other side

But I keep my tears from you

Girls I've won girls I've lost

But really I don't care yeh

At least that's what I make them think

Cos my secrets I never share

Once I had a special girl

Loved that lady's soul now baby ???????( not sure on that line lol)

Then one day she went away

Now my feelings I cannot show

If they just turn me over

They gonna see that there's really two sides to me

And I hurt on the other side

We'll I cry when I'm alone yeh

Now I hurt on the other side

And I keep my tears at home

Anchors life is not for me

But I play the part so well

Though my heart is broken inside

No one can ever tell

They look at me

But they don't see this sad but lonely clown

If they took a closer look they'd see my smile is upside down

If they just turned me over

There gonna see now

That there's really two sides to me

And I hurt on them other side

We'll I cry in solitude yeh babe

And I hurt on the other side

But I keep my tears from you

One set of lyrics is Jerry Cook and the other is Sidney Barnes - listen to both and you will see what I mean 

heres the lyrics to hide and go seek by Bunker Hill

 

quote

 

 

Say, man
Looky here, man
Let's get together tonight
And play some hide and go seek
What say, let's get together
And play some hide and go seek
Let's go, let's play

Well, I love you
Love you, love you
Tickle, tickle
Hug me, hug me, hug me
You all hid (yeah)

If you ain't hid
You better holler
Billy goat (baaaa)

Are you ready (I'm not ready)
Aw, man, let's hide this time

I went down the road
The road was muddy
I stubbed my toe
My toe was hurting
Who all hid (yeah)

If you ain't hid
You better holler
Billy goat (baaaa)

Two bars of washing powder
Two bars of soap
Already hid, you better
Holler billy goat

I went down the road
The road was muddy
I stubbed my toe
My toe was hurting

Walk, don't jump to
The bottom of the well
Swam by the devil and he
I'm not gonna say that
Who all hid (yeah)

If you ain't hid
You better holler
Billy goat (baaaa)

Aw, man, will you put down
That thing you got in your hand
ANd find your hole and get in it

I'm gonna say this one more time
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
Who all hid (yeah)

If you ain't hid
You better holler
Billy goat (baaaa)

One potato, two potato
Three potato, four
All ain't ready
Better let me go

If you hid behind my pie
I'm gonna hit you
Right in the eye
Who all hid (yeah)

If you ain't hid
You better holler
Billy goat (baaaa)

Are you ready
(I'm still not ready)
Aw, man, looky here
I want you to find the
Tallest tree and climb up in it
And walk out on the limb and jump
And I hope that you fall
In the deepest hole

I mean listen
I'm gonna say this one more time

I went down the road
The road was muddy
I stubbed my toe
My toe was hurting

Two bars of washing powder
Two bars of soap
All ain't hid
You better holler
Billy goat (baaaa)

Now I know you're
Ready this time, man
(I'm not ready) aw, man

 

 

Anchors life is not for me

 

 

I hurt on the other side.......would that be port or starboard?

 

An actor's life is not for me.

Edited January 14, 201411 yr by Steve S 60