His single "Here in My Heart" was number one in the first UK Singles Chart, published by the New Musical Express in 1952, putting him into the Guinness Book of World Records. The song stayed there for nine weeks. Al Martino has stated that Mario Lanza dropped his plans to record this song after he called Lanza in Los Angeles and explained that his own recording would be neglected if he did so.
One of the most successful Martino hits was "Spanish Eyes", achieving several gold and platinum discs for sales. Recorded in 1965, the song reached number 5 on the UK Singles Chart when re-issued in 1973. Even today, this classic by composer Bert Kaempfert (his original title for the song was "Moon Over Naples") is among the 50 most-played songs worldwide. Another hit was "Volare", (also known as "Nel blu, Dipinto di Blu"). In 1976, it reached number one on the Italian and Flemish charts, and was in the Top Ten in Spain, The Netherlands and France, as well as in many other European countries.
In the U.S., Martino had eleven top 40 hits in the Billboard pop singles chart in the 1960s and 1970s, with 1963's "I Love You Because" (#3) and 1964's "I Love You More and More Every Day" (#9) both reaching the Top Ten. He also sang the title song for the film, "Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte" (1964), and is credited in the end titles of the film.
Apart from singing, Martino played the role of Johnny Fontane in the 1972 film The Godfather, as well as singing the film's theme, "Speak Softly Love". He played the same role in The Godfather Part III and The Godfather Trilogy: 1901-1980. He recently returned to acting, playing aging crooner Sal Stevens in the short film "Cutout", appearing in film festivals around the world in 2006.
When an artist is able to combine several important elements -- numerous international hit records, personal charisma, and a unique vocal style -- it inevitably leads to success. Known for such hits as "Spanish Eyes" and "Can't Help Falling in Love" in the 60's, Al Martino was in the midst of beginning his second career, which had already taken off with great momentum in the European market. Since the fall of 1993, Al Martino's songs had flooded the radio and television airwaves in Germany, and he consistently had sold-out concerts throughout the continent.
He continued to play to audiences in his later years around venues in the USA. Sadly he died on the 14th October 2009.
What Now My Love
Al Martino Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now that you left me
How can I live through another day
Watching my dreams turn into ashes
And all my hopes into bits of clay
Once I could see, once I could feel
Now I am numb
I've become unreal
I walk the night, oh, without a goal
Stripped of my heart, my soul
What now my love
Now that it's over
I feel the world closing in on me
Here come the stars
Tumbling around me
And there's the sky where the sea should be
What now my love
Now that you're gone
I'd be a fool to go on and on
No one would care, no one would cry
If I should live or die
What now my love
Now there is nothing
Only my last goodbye
Only my last goodbye
The lyrics of Al Martino's song "What Now My Love" depict the emotions of someone who has been left by their loved one. The opening lines express the singer's confusion and despair following the end of the relationship. They wonder how they can even continue living through another day, as their hopes and dreams have been shattered. The imagery of their hopes turning to bits of clay and the loss of their ability to see and feel shows how devastating the loss of the relationship has been for them.
The second verse shows the singer as feeling stripped of their heart and soul. They have lost their sense of purpose and seem to be wandering aimlessly through the night. They feel trapped and isolated, as if the world is closing in on them, and the talk of the stars tumbling around them suggests a feeling of chaos and instability. The use of the line "And there's the sky where the sea should be" is a clever example of a line that is both literal and metaphorical. It suggests the metaphorical depth of the singer's loss, as they cannot even rely on the stability of the natural world to remain as it should.
The final verse sees the singer coming to terms with the fact that the relationship has ended and that they must move on. The line "I'd be a fool to go on and on" shows their acceptance that clinging to the past is not a viable option. The final line, "Only my last goodbye," suggests that while they may be moving on from the relationship, some part of it will always remain with them.
Line by Line Meaning
What now my love
What is the next step in my life, now that you have abandoned me?
Now that you left me
Since you have left me, I am left to face every day on my own.
How can I live through another day
It is almost impossible for me to continue with each passing day.
Watching my dreams turn into ashes
My once perfect dreams and aspirations have turned into nothingness.
And all my hopes into bits of clay
My expectations for the future are shattered beyond belief.
Once I could see, once I could feel
There was a time when I could see and feel everything around me, but not anymore.
Now I am numb
Now I have lost all feelings and emotions, becoming someone else entirely.
I've become unreal
I have transformed into something that is not quite human.
I walk the night, oh, without a goal
I wander aimlessly through the darkness, with no sense of purpose or direction.
Stripped of my heart, my soul
I have lost everything that made me who I was, including my heart and soul.
Now that it's over
Now that our love is finished, I am uncertain of what comes next.
I feel the world closing in on me
I feel trapped and confined by the world around me.
Here come the stars tumbling around me
Life around me is spinning out of control and collapsing before my eyes.
And there's the sky where the sea should be
Even the natural world has been turned upside down and made unrecognizable.
Now that you're gone
Without you, I am incomplete and lost, unsure of anything anymore.
I'd be a fool to go on and on
It would be foolish for me to continue living in this misery without any hope of a future.
No one would care, no one would cry
There would be no one to mourn my passing and nobody would care whether I lived or died.
If I should live or die
I am struggling to find any reason or purpose in my continued existence.
Now there is nothing
Now that our love is over, there is nothing but emptiness and despair in my heart.
Only my last goodbye
All that remains is my final farewell, as I surrender to my hopelessness and give up on life itself.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Carl Sigman, Gilbert Becaud, Pierre Delanoe
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind