Lennox embarked on a solo career in 1992 with her debut album, Diva, which produced several hit singles including "Why" and "Walking on Broken Glass". The same year, she performed "Love Song for a Vampire" for Bram Stoker's Dracula. Her 1995 studio album, Medusa, includes cover versions of songs such as "No More "I Love You's"'" and "A Whiter Shade of Pale". To date, she has released six solo studio albums and a compilation album, The Annie Lennox Collection (2009). With eight Brit Awards, which includes being named Best British Female Artist a record six times, Lennox has been named the "Brits Champion of Champions". She has also collected four Grammy Awards and an MTV Video Music Award. In 2002, Lennox received a Billboard Century Award; the highest accolade from Billboard. In 2004, she received the Golden Globe and the Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Into the West", written for the soundtrack to the feature film The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
Lennox's vocal range is contralto. She has been named "The Greatest White Soul Singer Alive" by VH1 and one of The 100 Greatest Singers of All Time by Rolling Stone. In 2012, she was rated No. 22 on VH1's 100 Greatest Women in Music. In June 2013 the Official Charts Company called her "the most successful female British artist in UK music history". As of June 2008, including her work with Eurythmics, Lennox had sold over 80 million records worldwide. As part of a one-hour symphony of British Music, Lennox performed "Little Bird" during the 2012 Summer Olympics closing ceremony in London. At the 2015 Ivor Novello Awards, Lennox was made a fellow of the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (The Ivors Academy), the first woman to receive the honour. Lennox and her Eurythmics partner Dave Stewart were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2020, and the duo were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022.
In addition to her career as a musician, Lennox is also a political and social activist, raising money and awareness for HIV/AIDS as it affects women and children in Africa. She founded the Sing campaign in 2007 and founded a women's empowerment charity called The Circle in 2008. In 2011, Lennox was appointed an OBE by Queen Elizabeth II for her "tireless charity campaigns and championing of humanitarian causes". On 4 June 2012, she performed at the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Concert in front of Buckingham Palace. In 2017, Lennox was appointed Glasgow Caledonian University's first female chancellor.
Studio albums
Diva (1992)
Medusa (1995)
Bare (2003)
Songs of Mass Destruction (2007)
A Christmas Cornucopia (2010)
Nostalgia (2014)
God Bless the Child
Annie Lennox Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Them that's not shall lose
So the Bible said and it still is news, oh, oh
Mama may have, Papa may have
But God bless the child that's got his own
Yes, the strong gets more
While the weak ones fade
Mama may have and Papa may have
But God bless the child that's got his own
Money, you've got lots of friends
Crowding round the door
When you're gone, and spending ends
They don't come round no more
Rich relations give
A crust of bread and such
You can help yourself
But don't take too much, oh
Mama may have and Papa may have
But God bless the child that's got his own
The lyrics of Annie Lennox's song "God Bless the Child" revolve around the idea that those who have wealth and privilege will always have an advantage over those who do not. The opening lines, "Them that's got shall get / Them that's not shall lose" are a reference to the Biblical parable of the talents, in which a wealthy master entrusts his servants with varying amounts of money, which they then invest or squander. Those who use their talents wisely are rewarded, while the one who buries his talent is cast out.
The song goes on to contrast the lives of those who are born into privilege with those who are not. Lennox sings, "Mama may have, Papa may have / But God bless the child that's got his own," emphasizing the importance of self-sufficiency and independence. She notes that, in general, "the strong gets more / While the weak ones fade," and that "empty pockets don't ever make the grade."
The third verse focuses on the relationship between wealth and social status. Lennox sings, "Money, you've got lots of friends / Crowding round the door / When you're gone, and spending ends / They don't come round no more." The implication is that people who are only interested in money and social status are not true friends, since they will abandon you once your resources dry up. The final lines of the song caution against greed and excess: "You can help yourself / But don't take too much."
Line by Line Meaning
Them that's got shall get
Those who already have more will continue to receive more
Them that's not shall lose
Those who do not have enough will continue to lose more
So the Bible said and it still is news, oh, oh
This idea of those who have getting more and those who don't have losing more has been around since the Bible and is still true today
Mama may have, Papa may have
Some people are lucky enough to have parents who can support them financially
But God bless the child that's got his own
However, it's those who can support themselves that are truly blessed by God
Yes, the strong gets more
Those who are already powerful and successful will continue to gain more power and success
While the weak ones fade
Meanwhile, those who are weak or disadvantaged will continue to lose out
Empty pockets don't ever make the grade, oh
Having no money will never be enough to succeed in life
Money, you've got lots of friends
People will try to befriend you if you have a lot of money
Crowding round the door
These 'friends' will come knocking when they want something from you
When you're gone, and spending ends
However, when you no longer have money to give, these 'friends' will disappear
They don't come round no more
They will stop coming around when they can no longer benefit from your wealth
Rich relations give
Even wealthy family members may give some assistance
A crust of bread and such
However, this help may be meager and barely enough to survive on
You can help yourself
If you are able to support yourself, you should do so
But don't take too much, oh
However, you should be careful not to become too greedy or selfish in your pursuit of success
Mama may have and Papa may have
Again, some people are fortunate to have family members who can support them financially
But God bless the child that's got his own
But ultimately, it's those who can support themselves that are truly blessed by God
Lyrics © CARLIN AMERICA INC, O/B/O CAPASSO, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Arthur Herzog, Billie Holiday
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dana Green
she is a goddess, greatest interpretation ever! love this woman’s voice and soul
Rogério Sousa
❤
Stefano Casti
Just an amazing song in a precious and great voice !
Claudia B Gentile
Sublime!
jader lourenço brito
Cantora incrível
Wolfgang Flink
She is so wonderful. I love her music.
Rogério Sousa
Simplesmente emocionante! ❤
Pamela Keightley
Gave me goose-bumps,there are too many suffering children...you REALLY felt it!!
2minstral
Very well done Annie Lennox! 8-)
Rocio Tarqui
Que belleza! Tú y tus canciones, recién te conozco y quedé extasiada con tu voz, te adoro!