Close was born in Greenwich, Connecticut, to Bettine (née Moore) and William Taliaferro Close,[1] a doctor who operated a clinic in the Belgian Congo and served as a personal physician to President Mobutu Sese Seko.[2] Her parents came from prominent families; her paternal grandfather, Edward Bennett Close, a stockbroker and director of the American Hospital Association,[3] was first married to Post Cereals' heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post, making Glenn Close a relative of screenwriter/director Preston Sturges and actress Dina Merrill. Close is also a second cousin once removed of Brooke Shields. Shields's great-grandmother Mary Elsie Moore (wife of Don Marino Torlonia, 4th Prince di Civitella-Cesi) was Close's great-aunt, a sister of Close's maternal grandfather, Charles Arthur Moore.
Close attended Choate Rosemary Hall, a private boarding school in Connecticut, and later the College of William and Mary; there she was elected to membership in the honor society of Phi Beta Kappa.
Close has had a lengthy career as a versatile actress and performer. Close is remembered for her chilling roles as the scheming aristocrat Madame de Merteuil in Dangerous Liaisons and as the psychotic book editor Alex in Fatal Attraction. She has been nominated for five Academy Awards, for Best Actress in Dangerous Liaisons and Fatal Attraction, and for Best Supporting Actress in The Natural, The Big Chill, and The World According to Garp. She played the role of Sunny von Bülow in the 1990 film Reversal of Fortune to critical acclaim.
Close has had an extensive career performing in many Broadway musicals. One of her most notable roles on stage was Norma Desmond in the Andrew Lloyd Webber production of Sunset Boulevard, for which Close won a Tony award playing the role on Broadway in 1994. Close was also a guest star, at the Andrew Lloyd Webber fiftieth birthday party celebration, in the Royal Albert Hall in 1998. She appeared as Norma Desmond and performed songs from Sunset Boulevard. Close is being considered to reprise the role of Norma Desmond in the 2008 film Sunset Boulevard, based on the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. The film has not started production.[4] In addition to Sunset Boulevard, Close also won Tony Awards in 1984 for The Real Thing and in 1992 for Death and the Maiden.
With One Look
Glenn Close Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They all say I'm through
Well it's time they knew
With on look
I can break your heart
With one look
I play every part
With one look you'll know
All you need to know
With one smile
I'm the girl next door
Or the love that you've hungered for
When I speak it's with my soul
I can play any role
No words can tell
The stories my eyes tell
Watch me when I frown
You can't write that down
You know I'm right
It's there in black and white
When I look your way
You'll hear what I say
Yes, with one look
I put words to shame
Just one look
Sets the screen aflame
Silent music starts to play
One tear from my eye
Makes the whole world cry
With one look
They'll forgive the past
They'll rejoice: I've returned at last
To my people in the dark
Still out there in the dark
Silent music starts to play
With one look you'll know
All you need to know
With one look
I'll ignite a blaze
I'll return to my glory days
They'll say Norma's back at last
This time I'm staying
I'm staying for good
I'll be back
Where I was born to be
With one look
I'll be me
Glenn Close's song "With One Look" is a powerful anthem of a woman who has been cast aside by society and is determined to prove that she still has something to offer. The lyrics convey a sense of defiance, as the singer asserts that she can still captivate an audience with just one look. She starts by addressing those who have turned their backs on her, asserting that it's time for them to realize what she is still capable of.
The chorus then contains the key message of the song: that the singer can convey more with a single look than most people can with a thousand words. She can break hearts, play any role, and make the saddest hearts sing. Her smile can make her seem innocent and approachable, while her eyes tell deep and complex stories that cannot easily be put into words. When she frowns, you can't write it down - it's something that must be experienced firsthand.
The second half of the song contains the singer's vision of her triumphant return to the stage. She imagines that with just one look, she can reignite the flame of her past success and bring joy to her loyal fans. She asserts that she will not be cast aside again - this time, she is staying for good, where she belongs.
Line by Line Meaning
They don't want me any more
People have stopped wanting or valuing me
They all say I'm through
Everyone thinks that I am no longer relevant
Well it's time they knew
It is time for me to show them what I am still capable of
With one look
My visual expression can convey a lot
I can break your heart
I can evoke emotions that make you feel heartbroken
With one look
My visual expression is all it takes
I play every part
I am versatile enough to play any character or role
I can make your sad heart sing
I can bring joy and happiness even in difficult circumstances
With one look you'll know
Observing my expressions is enough to understand
All you need to know
It conveys every information without the need for any elaboration
With one smile
Happiness can be expressed with my facial movements
I'm the girl next door
I can appear as a girl from the neighborhood
Or the love that you've hungered for
Or as the desired love interest you've always wanted to have
When I speak it's with my soul
There is a soulful quality in the way I express myself
I can play any role
I am capable of delivering any character roles with ease
No words can tell
There are no words that can accurately convey my emotions
The stories my eyes tell
The emotions I convey through my eyes can convey an entire story
Watch me when I frown
Even my negative emotions are worth observing
You can't write that down
The emotions I convey are of an indescribable nature
You know I'm right
I am confident in my abilities to convey emotions through my expressions
It's there in black and white
It is obvious and clear to anyone who is watching
When I look your way
When my gaze is directed towards you
You'll hear what I say
You will understand exactly what I am feeling and trying to express
Yes, with one look
My facial expressions carry more weight than actual words
I put words to shame
Words fall short when compared to my visual expressions
Sets the screen aflame
My expressive performance can make people feel overwhelmed with emotions
Silent music starts to play
I convey emotions that are like music to the listeners' heart
One tear from my eye
Even a single tear from my eye can make people feel emotional
Makes the whole world cry
My tears can have a profound impact on everyone
With one look
My facial expressions speak volumes
They'll forgive the past
People will overlook my past mistakes
They'll rejoice: I've returned at last
People will be happy that I have returned to the scene
To my people in the dark
Those who are still in the layman or have not achieved the success I've earned
Still out there in the dark
They are either forgotten or they haven't been discovered yet
I'll ignite a blaze
I can create a storm with my performance and expressions
I'll return to my glory days
I will be able to make a comeback to my successful times
They'll say Norma's back at last
My fans will be delighted that I am back in action
This time I'm staying
I am not going anywhere anytime soon
I'm staying for good
I am here to stay permanently
I'll be back
I will return to the scene with a bang
Where I was born to be
This is my destined path and my true calling
With one look
My expressions will convey everything
I'll be me
I will be able to express myself authentically
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Don Black, Christopher Hampton, Andrew Lloyd Webber
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Susan
NORMA
With one look I can break your heart
With one look I play every part
I can make your sad heart sing
With one look you'll know all you need to know
With one smile I'm the girl next door
Or the love that you've hungered for
When I speak it's with my soul
I can play any role
No words can tell the stories my eyes tell
Watch me when I frown, you can't write that down
You know I'm right, it's there in black and white
When I look your way, you'll hear what I say
Yes, with one look I put words to shame
Just one look sets the screen aflame
Silent music starts to play
One tear in my eye makes the whole world cry
With one look they'll forgive the past
They'll rejoice I've returned at last
To my people in the dark
Still out there in the dark...
Silent music starts to play
With one look you'll know all you need to know
With one look I'll ignite a blaze
I'll return to my glory days
They'll say, "Norma's back at last!"
This time I am staying, I'm staying for good
I'll be back to where I was born to be
With one look I'll be me!
Debbie
I was honored to have seen Glenn Close in Sunset Boulevard on Broadway . I was overcome by emotions. She is truly one of the greatest actresses of all time.
Jaime Ahumada
I AM SO JEALOUS!
fastjag
Lucky
Pud Whacker
I wish!
richer enouff
I was there, too. Words can't describe the power that a full orchestra and a talented performer like Glenn Close brings to every stage. I love the crispness of an orchestra in a theater...especially the strings.
Peter Sumner
I had Elaine...
chbj121
Glenn Close was born to perform this song. What a woman.....What a show.
Hithere
chbj121 exactly! I’m still shook!
ian shaw
Xxx
Tony Chalupnik
Glenn Close is very versatile. Fatal Attraction as the wicked antagonist to this sensational performance, and that voice. Fabulous!