Vicki Brown was a vocalist from the United Kingdom who gained popularity during the 1970s. During her musical career, she sang with a number of contemporary groups, including The Breakaways and the aptly named Brown’s Home Brew, which she formed with her then-husband, Joe Brown.
After she and Brown split, Vicki joined a number of bands before finally setting down with the New London Chorale, a choir that performed contemporary versions of classical music. Shortly after its inception, the New London Chorale became extremely popular in the Netherlands, where Brown soon gained fame as a solo vocalist.
Although not well-known in either the United States nor the United Kingdom, Vicki Brown’s beautiful “Look for Me in Rainbows” is a popular funeral song among the Dutch. And it’s certainly easy to see why. The lyrics are simple yet deeply moving: a tribute both to the anguish of saying goodbye and the enduring power of love. Sung in Brown’s lilting soprano, the song begins:
“Time for me to go now, I won’t say goodbye;
Look for me in rainbows, way up in the sky.
In the morning sunrise when all the world is new,
Just look for me and love me, as you know I loved you.”
It’s unclear when Brown wrote the song. But she recorded it in 1990, just one year before her death from breast cancer in June, 1991. Although we can’t be certain, it seems to me that she probably knew her life was coming to an end, and wrote “Look for Me in Rainbows” as a farewell to her fans and the people she loved.
In closing, she sings:
“Every waking moment, and all your whole life through
Just look for me and love me, as you know I loved you.
Just wish me to be near you, And I’ll be there with you.”
What a beautiful way to say goodbye!
Read the full lyrics of the song “Look for Me in Rainbows” here. You can also watch Brown perform it in the video below.
whoaaaa great inspiration! Thanks for this post! greetings from Brazil !
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You’re welcome. It IS a wonderful song. And Greetings to you from the USA! Hope all is well with you.
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Hi peeps. I believe the tune and lyrics were written by Conn Bernard, although Vicki was the first to perform it and may have had some input in the writing and it is most associated with her. Happy to be corrected on this. C 🙂
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I realise this is over a year old 😂 but yes it was Conn Bernard that wrote this. He’s credited as the writer on the cd
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Does anyone know where I can find sheet music or guitar chords for this song? I would love to play it with my sister at my mother’s memorial next week – she & Daddy bought us our first guitars, & she loved to hear us sing together…
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Hi Sherrie,
Have you tried the internet. My gut is you can find most anything your want there. I hope you have great success!
Love & Best Wishes,
Suzette Sherman, Founder SevenPonds
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I read that he wrote it too
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Vicki knew she was going to die. There is a recording of her on Dutch tv explaining about her treatment for breast cancer. She said she had missed recommended treatment because of work commitments. She is also shown on tv with her husband Joe Brown talking about her cancer.
She died at Henley on Thames in the home she shared with her husband Joe who was with her when she died. Although their careers meant they spent a lot of time apart I do not think they ever split as a married couple. Joe didn’t remarry until several years after Vicki’s death
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