In 1952 she married juggler Erik van Aro (Gerd Eric Horst Scholz). He recognized her talent and accompanied her in her initial years of worldwide success, although they later divorced. In 1953, she made her first recordings with Kurt Edelhagen. Soon afterwards she achieved great success with songs like "Malagueña", "The Breeze and I", and "Dreh dich nicht um" with the Werner Müller orchestra. In 1955 she was featured on the "Colgate Comedy Hour" with Gordon MacRae. Between 1966 and 1972 she was a frequent guest on the Dean Martin Show. In 1972, she married the British pianist Roy Budd; they had a son, Alexander, but they divorced in 1979.
In Germany she was a major performer of Schlager music. There she recorded Cole Porter's "I love Paris" i.e. "Ganz Paris träumt von der Liebe", which sold more than 500,000 copies in (1954.) Like in other countries where she was popular, some in Germany mistakenly consider her a German singer.
Over the years, she has recorded or performed with many international stars, including Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Ella Fitzgerald, Woody Herman, the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, Buddy Rich, Sy Oliver, Claus Ogerman, and Chet Baker.
In 2001, she released a new album Girltalk with harpist Catherine Michel. She is also the mother of singer Eric van Aro, Jr.
what now my love
Caterina Valente 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 to "What Now My Love" by Caterina Valente describe the pain and confusion felt by someone after a breakup. The song's protagonist is struggling to cope with the loss of their loved one and is questioning how they can move forward. They feel numb and unreal, unable to see or feel as they once did. Their dreams and hopes have been shattered and they are left wandering aimlessly, without direction, and feeling empty. They describe feeling as though the world is closing in on them and that the stars are tumbling around them. The sky, once expansive and full of possibilities, now feels limited and confining. Ultimately, they are left with nothing but their last goodbye.
The song is a poignant reflection on the pain of heartbreak and the difficulty of moving on. It speaks to the universal experience of loss and the challenges of finding meaning and purpose following a major life change. The imagery used throughout the song is powerful and evocative, painting a vivid picture of the singer's emotional state.
Line by Line Meaning
What now my love
The singer is wondering what will become of their love now that their partner has left them.
Now that you left me
The singer's partner has left them.
How can I live through another day
The singer is struggling to find a reason to continue living without their partner.
Watching my dreams turn into ashes
The artist's dreams and aspirations have all been shattered by their partner leaving them.
And all my hopes into bits of clay
Even the artist's most basic hopes and desires have been destroyed.
Once I could see, once I could feel
The singer used to be able to experience a full range of emotions, but that is no longer the case.
Now I am numb
The singer feels emotionally numb and unable to experience anything fully.
I've become unreal
The artist feels as though they are not really living anymore, that they have lost touch with reality.
I walk the night, oh, without a goal
The artist feels aimless and directionless since their partner left them.
Stripped of my heart, my soul
The artist feels as though they have lost a part of themselves along with their partner.
Now that it's over
The singer has come to terms with the fact that the relationship is truly over.
I feel the world closing in on me
The artist feels trapped and suffocated by the world around them since the breakup.
Here come the stars
The singer is experiencing a sense of disorientation and confusion.
Tumbling around me
The world feels chaotic and unstable.
And there's the sky where the sea should be
The singer feels as though the very foundations of their world have been upended and rearranged.
Now that you're gone
The artist's partner is no longer in their life.
I'd be a fool to go on and on
The artist recognizes that it would be foolish to keep holding onto their lost love, but they're struggling to move on.
No one would care, no one would cry
The singer feels as though nobody would care or even notice if they were to die.
If I should live or die
The singer is in a very dark and hopeless place, contemplating their own mortality.
Now there is nothing
The artist feels as though there is nothing left for them in the world.
Only my last goodbye
The only thing the artist has left to offer is a final farewell.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CARL SIGMAN, GILBERT BECAUD, PIERRE DELANOE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Peter Schwarzenbacher
best song ever!