The Divine Comedy - A Lady Of A Certain Age (HQ)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 17 ต.ค. 2024
- Neil Hannon (solo) - "A Lady Of A Certain Age"
Back in the day you had been part of the smart set
You'd holidayed with kings, dined out with starlets
From London to New York, Cap Ferrat to Capri
In perfume by Chanel and clothes by Givenchy
You sipped camparis with David and Peter
At Noel's parties by Lake Geneva
Scaling the dizzy heights of high society
Armed only with a cheque-book and a family tree
You chased the sun around the Cote d'Azur
Until the light of youth became obscured
And left you on your own and in the shade
An English lady of a certain age
And if a nice young man would buy you a drink
You'd say with a conspiratorial wink
"You wouldn't think that I was seventy"
And he'd say,"no, you couldn't be!"
You had to marry someone very very rich
So that you might be kept in the style to which
You had all of your life been accustomed to
But that the socialists had taxed away from you
You gave him children, a girl and a boy
To keep your sanity a nanny was employed
And when the time came they were sent away
Well that was simply what you did in those days
You chased the sun around the Cote d'Azur
Until the light of youth became obscured
And left you on your own and in the shade
An English lady of a certain age
And if a nice young man would buy you a drink
You'd say with a conspiratorial wink
"You wouldn't think that I was sixty three"
And he'd say,"no, you couldn't be!
Your son's in stocks and bonds and lives back in Surrey
Flies down once in a while and leaves in a hurry
Your daughter never finished her finishing school
Married a strange young man of whom you don't approve
Your husband's hollow heart gave out one Christmas Day
He left the villa to his mistress in Marseilles
And so you come here to escape your little flat
Hoping someone will fill your glass and let you chat about how
You chased the sun around the Cote d'Azur
Until the light of youth became obscured
And left you all alone and in the shade
An English lady of a certain age
And if a nice young man would buy you a drink
You'd say with a conspiratorial wink
"You wouldn't think that I was fifty three"
And he'd say,"no, you couldn't be!
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Bob Dylan once said - “I was never a good singer, but if you have a good story, then it doesn’t matter because people want to listen” This is an example of a great story with an amazing voice. 😊
❤
It is aways what the song means to you that is important.
An entire novel in a song. What a beautiful piece of art
Bit of a genius our Neil, isn't he?
Yes, he is.
+Adam Reilly Are you related?
Indeed!
Adam Reilly I should coco.
for sure.
Greatest song writer of a generation, doesn't get the credit he deserves
Absolutely!
Does he want it? Think he has a good life, can take a walk inkognito. Creates great music, rises his kids.... Bingo
Yeah baby
Took the words out of my mouth 👌
Funny I've only discovered him this day in two thousand and twenty two
We wonder why a story about an upper class English lady would move us so. It's about someone whose life appeared to be long and rich, but was truly empty and fleeting (the whole story told in 6 minutes). And she doesn't even realizes it. What a tragic and absurd and banal story, and yet it has beauty and a song was made of it, and that is Neil's fantastic talent, to find moving beauty where no one else would bother to look.
What a brilliant summary and interpretation of this song. Completely agree.
Excactly.. perfetto.. sei il fratello di neil?
Anzi me la copia la tua riflessione e la userò per la vita.
They say everybody has a novel or a masterpiece inside them. This is Neil Hannons.
A work of Art in music. It draws you in, hypnotised by the words, caught by the simplistic melody, and drags you to the end, enlightened and refreshed. This is a musical journey,worthy of an orchestra. But played humbly on a guitar. No frills, just emotional genius
marazion knight he has more than one masterpiece 😊
Many many more where that came from!
He’s had about 30!
Armonia minore non facile ..
Genio compositore formidabile
This always reminds me of the Peter Sarstedt song 'Where do You go to my Lovely', always feels like it's about the same woman only 50 years on
This is quite possibly the most eloquent, musically complete and vocally poignant song he’s ever recorded. It gets me every single time, without fail. It says so much in a rich six minutes. Then he brings it right down with the those last few chords. He makes it look so effortless.
By God, what a masterpiece! Ingeniously crafted and flawlessly executed, with just a voice and a guitar. One might say it's just an often-told story plus a gimmick (the "certain age"), but at the same time it hits so hard and cuts so deep. Why do we even care about a lady chasing the sun around the Cote D'Azur? Because it is about time and age and death and ephemeral glory, and the lies we tell ourselves and the lies we need to hear from other people.
Masterpiece of storytelling
This song explains to humanity why music is one of the most precious gift we have in our life.
With this performance Neil proves how to be a poet, a musician and a magician all in one.
Beautiful words....
Well said
🥀C’est avec un immense Plaisir que je pose le 77ème👍pour vous remercier d’avoir écrit ce que je ressens au plus profond de moi, s’agissant du Magnifique Neil HANNON.🧡❤️♥️
Anne🥀🇫🇷26.8.2022
“You sipped Campari with David and Peter at Noels parties, by Lake Geneva”
David Niven, Peter Ustinov at Noel Cowards house. What an era.and what an image.
Better days not so decisive and PC how I long to go back to a time when things were more simple and we did not know what went on a lot of the time and people got on together despite our differences
Herbert Sample
totally agree :)
Thank you!!! I was wondering who David and Peter were!!!!!
I see! They're real people 😌
As a woman of a certain age who has led as my lovely brother states a" colourful life" this song makes me smile with a hint of sadness .
It is not always better to regret something have done than something you haven't 🌹
Sending a smile from another colorful woman with no regrets, only cherished memories. This song brings it all back, I can almost taste it.
I come back and listen to this song now and then. If calms me on the up times and it holds me on the down times... and being a Monaco resident jist makes it more personal.
Surely one of the best songs of all time. Superb.
I'll second that emotion.
agreed! A masterpiece!
One of the best songs ever written
In my opinion, the most outstanding performance ever transmitted via TH-cam.
agreed
no doubt!!!!!!!
agreed x1000
Juste MAGNIFIQUE. .
Agreed.
I think one of the most beautiful songs ever written- perfectly sad
This has to be my favorite Divine Comedy piece, and this spare, haunting performance is utterly shattering. Such a beautiful and heartbreaking tale told through song. Neil Hannon is a poet.
I never put much attention to lyrics but on this song the lyrics are like a poem and those guitar chords are probably the most beautiful scale I've heard to this day.
One of those songs I never want to stop, and as the timer counts up towards the end and the crescendo builds, I know the end is coming and I feel very sad...
I feel like I’ve finished a whole book
THERE IS A BOOK by Liz Nugent. She says she got her inspiration for the novel when she heard this song during the pandemic. I LOVED THE BOOK. Needless to say, I LOVE THE SONG AS WELL. By the way, the book is called SKIN DEEP.
@@angelestassi8328 thanks, I'll check it out
Very much so.....his narratives are sublime
As a historian, I like songs that have reached the atmosphere of a bygone world.
Neil Hannon is Ireland's greatest songwriter ever. If there was a Nobel Prize for songwriting then this man would certainly win it. And what a singer and musician taboot. Thanks for all the art so far and for giving me the opportunity to see you perform in the flesh. Your music is intensely appreciated by so many. x
This is just fucking... so good and gorgeous and satirical and you love her coz it's not her fault but so many things are the fault of her and people like her, but she's so sad and lost and it's totally brilliantly brought to life and it always makes me want to that The Jam song next where she's alone at 6 o'clock and she drops the cup and your brain goes crazy with love for other humans and maybe then you cry but then you feel better.
Agreed.
It's simply insane to not pay for this.Precious performance and unbelievable songwriting.
Let's face it Neil Hannon is the most under rated, under played but most talented and unique song writers of my generation
This song, these lyrics are simply sublime. He captures the essence of English aristocracy perfectly in the space of 5 minutes.
I had the pleasure and pure privilege of seeing and listening to him perform on stage at St George's in Liverpool. I have never, and shall never, forget his repetoire and performance. With love to you Neil, your lovely wife and family, and a shout out to Father Ted!!!! You shall forever live and sing in my heart!!!
There must be a few ladies in the world who shiver when they hear this song......
:-)
a few more laddies perhaps if our "hollow hearts" etc
A beautiful shiver of memories, no regrets. This song brings me to such a great place in my life. Sometimes you want to go back in time just to feel something again, not to change it.
It reminds me of My Nan - who died too young ''no you couldn't be'' its the layers that make a brilliant song.
More than a few believe me
How can this only be only one guitar, he plays this like a 'boss'
The 'In stocks and bonds & Leaves in a hurry" verse makes you think.
Bravo Neil.
And that ladies and gentlemen is what pure unadulterated talent sounds like.
God, this song really knows how to get to your emotions.
Just magical.
Thank you Neil.
I only discovered Neil Hannon and The Divine Comedy because Tony Hadley of Spandau Ballet played National Express on his new BBC radio show at the weekend. I have been listening daily ever since. Have I been hiding under a rock for the last 25 years? Why is this man not more widely acclaimed?
He's pretty famous in Ireland to be fair now :)
Huge in France and Germany
Should be a HUGE star, best song writer since Lennon and McCartney
This song leaves me feeling sorry for humanity. It's a brilliant take on our society. Add in a great melody, feel and chord sequences and you are left with close to perfection.
I have no words for the love I have for this man’s amazing talent xxxx❤
Neil Hannon is just awesome. Please don't ever stop making music.
but is anyone still paying for music?
Back in the 80s my father used to drink with an elderly woman whose story was remarkably similar to this. She married a millionaire and enjoyed the Jet Set lifestyle until he left her for a younger woman. She spent the rest of her life drinking her divorce settlement and telling anyone who would listen about the parties she'd been to and the famous people she'd met. She rarely saw her son and daughter even though they both lived in the area.
I don’t remember much from my childhood as it was quite traumatic. However, I can remember certain songs like this that remind me there were better times.
One of the best if not the best acoustic performances ever performed.
If it wasnt for the Charmed Life compilation album I wouldnt have discovered this bands back catalogue. This is one of his best I think.
pure moment of beauty & elegance
I love this version and cannot stop listening to it. I think he should release an acoustic album of selected songs from his career.
You can find a solo performance on YT. Just him with a piano or guitar. It's great.
@@ramice22 this is one of his best solo shows, in my opinion th-cam.com/video/bbsOcdEpj1Q/w-d-xo.html
I have compiled my own album of solo version of his songs (pinched from TH-cam!) as I do agree it really brings another dimension to the songs. As beautiful as the often elaborate orchestrations can be, it's also lovely to hear them in a simpler form.
Perhaps the greatest song ever written. It hypnotizes me, pure art work takes my mind all over the place. Love it.
Just to add to the choir here, but honestly it’s so invigorating to hear the results of a clever mind so gifted in literary and musical talent perform at its peak. A beautiful work of art, and what a performance. I remember seeing this on DVD back when it was released and being absolutely stunned.
Just brilliant
Now that is talent. Brilliant performance.
🥀Comment il enveloppe cette chanson, Neil❣️Il m’envoûte à chaque fois avec sa belle voix douce, sa partenaire qu’il gratte pour qu’elle le soutienne et cette histoire pittoresque chantée que j’écoute, en boucle, par une journée propice à une certaine mélancolie avec un avant goût d’Automne. Que j’♥️ce chanteur, si généreux, si humble qui nous donne l’envie de vivre, d’aimer, de s’aimer, d’être bon et tolérant...tout simplement.🌹
Anne🥀🇫🇷...18.9.2022
i love this song.beautiful tone and really moving.could listen to it over and over again.simple songs so much better than the rubbish around now.
What a masterpiece! Beautiful, elegant, touching. Cannot describe the feelings I feel when I sing this song...Just wanna say " thank you ! "
He’s such a great songwriter.
This piece of Brel-esque lovely melancholy, and the Father Ted theme too - talk about a versatile genius!
🥀MASTERPIECE🥀
🌹Chef-d’œuvre🌹ou comment décrire avec courtoisie et élégance et une petite pointe d’ironie, la vie d’une Dame d’un Certain Âge, riche, si loin de nos préoccupations et pourtant, nous émouvoir. Par une merveilleuse chanson à deux voix OUI❣️La guitare de Neil chante en accord avec sa très belle voix et c’est d’une telle générosité que je me permets d’en redemander. Neil HANNON est un GENTLEMAN.
Anne🥀🇫🇷26.8.2022
Époustouflant... I feel like you talk to me, to us and i fall in love about this Comedy ;-) C'est plus que de la chanson à ce stade... Merciiiiiiii Neil Hannon, Divine Comedy
I saw Divine Comedy last week in Biarritz. Neil a interprété cette chanson en solo comme là. Superbe concert. Magistral.
kind of ironic
@@MattiaDeG Would have been even more if Biarritz was in the Cote d'Azur :)
Talent personified.
This, is a masterpiece. To describe this as a simple song would be a horrible mistake. It's a way of life, so much that it has made me the better person i am today. I do not know how people don't recognize this man's ability to sing. Even live, like now, is amazing. I wish people would realize this man's voice.
Can't listen to this without a shiver down the spine.. Sheer beauty does exist...
Legend. My favorite
What a superb composer, beautiful singer and consumate performer.
Kept thinking of this song when I watched the film Blue Jasmine.
Absolutely. If you enjoy thank kind of story, you have to read Liz Nugent's Skin Deep, inspired on this song. Every country has these ladies of a certain age. Here in third-world Argentina we have ours...
Wow! Maravillosa💛👌
Heard for the first time today. Amazing!
This song should be in the ship to the first mission to Mars
Absolutely wonderful . A masterpiece. Even if it makes me cry with emotion❤
Still in my top 10 songs ever. Love this performance
This is classic songwriting brilliance. Doesn't come across so often. Love DC.
Incredible lyric and song.
Amazing!! Master of words, melody, guitar and voice!
I freaking love this song and this version is beautiful.
Genuinely think this is the greatest song ever written, It's stunning.
Everytime i hear this song it kind of devastates me reminding me the futility and fugacity of the human life, this song always bring a tear to my eyes
Great songwriter and musician! Up the Irish :)
WOOOOWWWW !
@ NEIL HANNON
je te connais depuis ton duo avec Valérie Lemercier en 1995 qui m'avais bien fait rire !
je t'ai retrouvé il y'a 4 ans et depuis je ne te lache plus... pour moi tu es sur cette pauvre terre un des artistes les plus sympas et des plus accessibles, et mélodiquement... le meilleur !
longue vie à toi et à ta carrière... ne changes rien...
A masterpiece really. I have played and sung this a few times in public. It is full of chords and I can get nowhere near his soulful baritone.
But it's Ed Sheeran who gets £700 million plus for a World Tour. Something wrong with the World I feel.
I'd love to see your version? Seriosly?!
EDD the ginger winger doesn't come close got to see him once totally outperformed by another act with him foy vance. that was quite a few years ago now seen foy half a dozen times wouldn't bother with the ginge.
this is a fantastic song
Glorious song with excellent lyrics... This is a truly classy track and Neil Hannon performs it so beautifully... We need more songs like this.
15 years ago I lived in England. Today I live in Australia. Makes no difference. Who doesn't dream about sailing around the cote d zur. The greatness of this song is overwhelming.
J'ai découvert cet artiste ce matin dans l'émission Thé ou café, belle rencontre, merci!!
J'espère que tu l'écoute toujours?
Absolutely brilliant & amazing Song. So poignant.
This is probably the greatest song I know, and in my opinion Neil's chef-d'œuvre.
One of my absolute favourite DC songs - and he captures the tragedy of it with aplomb. Thanks Neil
Neil Hannon What a man What a songsmith, lyricist and musician- made 90s brighter that's for sure best wishes to all that watch.
such a class song ...I can see the influence of Jacques Brel here
One of the most beautiful songs, I've ever heard
Can't stop watching the guitar solo at the end. He's so talented
Love it
Neil is the master story teller
Just a beautiful, beautiful song. I never tire of listening to it.
For me one of the two outstanding songs on Victory for the Comic Muse ... not only it's catchy, it's got this melancholy bitter-sweet atmosphere thar perfectly fits the lyrics, which I cared for immediately when the album was released. And this stipped-down version shows well how the song is great just with an acoustic guitar.. Splendid melody, tasteful, subtle witty lyrics. Hats off to Neil for this song !
When I think i saw him solo with a guitar in 1994, opening for Tori Amos and not knowing who he was (he didn't even introduced himself !) and being hooked. I really wish I had a recording of that special moment !
What’s the other outstanding song on that album? For me it’s The Light of Day. It saved my life last year.
Very nice song, a lighter one. but the other one I was thinking of is "The Plough" - a more dramatic song...
@@Marctull66 heh, a “lighter” one, I see what you did there…
most of those views are mine !! amazing song........
I've listened to this beautiful and haunting song so many times. It never fails to give me goose bumps and a large lump in my throat.
If you want an example of the power of breath, here it is. The transfer between soft mesmerising vocals and powerful somatic strumming. This is my favourite video.....ever!!!!!
Love it what a beautiful journey thank you very much
Neil: ‘Was that alright?.’
Me: ‘No Neil. It was absolutely, heartbreakingly, beautiful.’
Unbelievable.
The same man who wrote MY Lovely Horse.
I'm blown away.
Bloody hell Neil...
He's a stunning guitarist. Damn.
I appreciate this performance of the song more each time I watch it
Simply Brilliant.. Respect From Turkey..
From the "Pen portrait" department of Divine Comedy. An economy of lyrics in a few verses creates a whole world. Superb.