What Now My Love
Frank Sinatra/Aretha Franklin Lyrics
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How can I live through another day
Watching my dreams turn to ashes
And my hopes turn to bits of clay
Once I could see, once I could feel
Now I am numb, I've become unreal
I walk the night, without a goal
What now my love, now that it's over
I feel the world falling all around me
Here come the stars, tumbling around me
There's the sky, where that 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 if I should live or die
What now my love, now there is nothing
Only my last, my last good-bye
In "What Now My Love," Frank Sinatra sings of heartbreak and despair after being left by the person he loved. He asks himself, now that she’s gone, “What now my love?” As he tries to come to terms with the end of his relationship, he reflects on his current state. He feels numb and unreal, stripped of his heart and soul, and unsure of how to move forward. The once clear and bright future he saw for himself has turned to ashes, replaced with the bleakness of the unknown.
As he walks through the night without a goal, he is haunted by the memories of what once was. He can’t help but wonder what will become of him now that his love is gone. He feels the world falling all around him, with stars tumbling and the sky where the sea should be. With no one to turn to and no one who cares, he painfully admits that no one would cry if he were to live or die. His last goodbye is all that remains.
Overall, the song captures the raw emotion and devastation of a breakup. It speaks to the universal experience of having a love end and facing the unknown future that lies ahead.
Interesting Facts:
1) "What Now My Love" was originally a French song titled "Et Maintenant" written by composer Gilbert Bécaud and lyricist Pierre Delanoë in 1961.
2) The English lyrics were written by Carl Sigman and translated from French to English.
3) The song was first recorded in English by Shirley Bassey in 1962, but Sinatra's version became the most popular.
4) The song won a Grammy award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance in 1967.
5) The song has been covered by various artists including Elvis Presley, Barbra Streisand, and Sonny and Cher.
6) Sinatra performed the song on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1966.
7) The song was featured in the soundtrack of the 2019 movie "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood."
8) The song has been used in various TV shows such as "The Sopranos," "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," and "Mad Men."
9) "What Now My Love" is often referred to as a torch song, which is a style of popular music that expresses unrequited love or romantic longing.
10) The chords for the song are Am, B7, C, Dm, D7, G.
Line by Line Meaning
What now my love, now that you've left me
What do I do with my life now that you're no longer with me?
How can I live through another day
I don't know how to continue living day to day without you.
Watching my dreams turn to ashes
All the dreams I had for our future are now gone and destroyed.
And my hopes turn to bits of clay
My hopes have disintegrated and crumbled away like clay.
Once I could see, once I could feel
I used to have emotions and be able to experience life fully.
Now I am numb, I've become unreal
But now I feel empty and unreal, like a shell of my former self.
I walk the night, without a goal
I wander aimlessly through the night, with no purpose or direction.
Stripped of my heart and my soul
I feel like I've lost the very essence of who I am.
What now my love, now that it's over
What am I supposed to do now that our relationship has ended?
I feel the world falling all around me
Everything in my life seems to be crumbling and falling apart.
Here come the stars, tumbling around me
Even the stars in the sky seem to be falling down upon me.
There's the sky, where that sea should be
Everything seems out of place and wrong, as if the sky has replaced the sea.
What now my love, now that you're gone
What do I do now that you've left me alone?
I'd be a fool to go on and on
Continuing to live without you would be foolish, as it feels unbearable.
No one would care, no one would cry
No one would care or grieve if I were to live or die without you.
If I should live if I should live or die
Whether I continue living or pass away without you, it wouldn't matter to anyone.
What now my love, now there is nothing
Now that everything has ended, there is nothing left for me.
Only my last, my last good-bye
All I have left to give is my final farewell to you.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CARL SIGMAN, GILBERT BECAUD, PIERRE DELANOE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind