She had released a number of standards throughout the 1970's on the Pye label and was a popular draw on the cabaret circuit but her gospel tinged country cover of the song written by Marijohn Wilkin and Kris Kristofferson proved to be an unlikely success at the height of disco and new wave, topping the UK singles chart for three weeks in November 1979. Her follow up single failed to chart so she has the dubious honour of being classified as a one hit wonder.
Although out of the limelight for a while while nursing her sick mother, Lena has now returned to the music business and is still touring the UK. She has recently released a few albums on the ScotDisc label which have been very successful[citation needed].
Her audience's favourite still remains "One Day At A Time", though there are many others who absolutely adore "The Old Rugged Cross"!
If
Lena Martell Lyrics
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Then tomorrow will dawn
And the days of our years
Will rise on that morn
If we only have love
To embrace without fears
We will kiss with our eyes
We will sleep without tears
With our arms open wide
Then the young and the old
Will stand at our side
If we only have love
Love that's falling like rain
Then the parched desert earth
Will grow green again
If we only have love
For the hymn that we shout
For the song that we sing
Then we'll have a way out
If we only have love
We can reach those in pain
We can heal all our wounds
We can use our own names
If we only have love
We can melt all the guns
And then give the new world
To our daughters and sons
If we only have love
Then Jerusalem stands
And then death has no shadow
There are no foreign lands
If we only have love
We will never bow down
We'll be tall as the pines
Neither heroes nor clowns
If we only have love
Then we'll only be men
And we'll drink from the Grail
To be born once again
Then with nothing at all
But the little we are
We'll have conquered all time
All space, the sun, and the stars.
Lena Martell's song 'If We Only Have Love' is a compelling and emotional appeal to humanity to embrace love as a means of healing, unity, and progress. The lyrics suggest that love has the power to light up even the darkest corners of our lives and that it is only through love that we can truly reach out to others, heal society's wounds and create a better future.
The song suggests that, with love, even the impossible becomes possible - wars can be ended, deserts can bloom, and humanity can find a new way to live in harmony. The song's message is that if we embrace love and make it the centerpiece of our lives, we can overcome even the most significant challenges and bring about a better tomorrow.
The lyrics' beauty and simplicity lie in their accessibility, as the song speaks directly to everyone, regardless of their background or beliefs. The song is a universal message of hope that transcends borders and boundaries, and it is an inspiring call to action for all humanity to embrace and promote love.
Line by Line Meaning
If we only have love
Love is the only thing we need
Then tomorrow will dawn
The future will be bright
And the days of our years
Our lifetime
Will rise on that morn
Will be successful
To embrace without fears
We can be together without any worries
We will kiss with our eyes
Express our love without words
We will sleep without tears
We will be peaceful and content
With our arms open wide
We will accept all without prejudice
Then the young and the old
People of all ages
Will stand at our side
Will unite with us
Love that's falling like rain
Love pouring endlessly
Then the parched desert earth
The world will be revitalized
Will grow green again
It will be healthy and lively
For the hymn that we shout
For the joyous songs we raise
For the song that we sing
For the music that fills our hearts
Then we'll have a way out
We will be able to overcome any hardship
We can reach those in pain
We can help those who are suffering
We can heal all our wounds
We can overcome all our troubles
We can use our own names
We can be ourselves
We can melt all the guns
We can eliminate violence
And then give the new world
Create a better future
To our daughters and sons
For our children and future generations
Then Jerusalem stands
A symbol of peace and harmony
And then death has no shadow
Death will not be a fear
There are no foreign lands
Everyone is united and equal
We will never bow down
We will not be defeated
We'll be tall as the pines
We will be strong and resilient
Neither heroes nor clowns
We will not be defined by stereotypes
Then we'll only be men
We will be our true selves
And we'll drink from the Grail
We will find fulfillment
To be born once again
To experience a new life
Then with nothing at all
Without material possessions
But the little we are
With our true selves
We'll have conquered all time
We will overcome all obstacles
All space, the sun, and the stars.
We will have achieved greatness and transcendence
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ERIC BLAU, MORT SHUMAN, JACQUES ROMAN BREL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind