Garrett has performed across the whole world and has also sung opera and pop classics with Bryan Ferry, The Eurythmics and Mick Hucknall to celebrate the arrival of the new century on Millennium Eve, in the grounds at the Royal Observatory and National Maritime Museum.
She played the lead role of Hanna Glawari, in the Welsh National Opera's production of The Merry Widow, which toured the United Kingdom in 2005. As of November 2006, Garrett was performing as Mother Abbess for six months, in Andrew Lloyd Webber's revival of The Sound of Music.
As a recording artist, Garrett has released eleven solo albums. Many of her albums have received gold and silver status. Soprano in Red received the Gramophone Award for "Best-selling Classical Artist of the Year". Garrett was also a featured artist on the platinum selling Perfect Day single released by the BBC in aid of Children in Need.
Garrett is a member of the board of the English National Opera. In 2002, she was awarded the CBE for services to music.
She is also a presenter on the UK commercial radio station "Classic FM".
Over the Rainbow
Lesley Garrett Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's a land that I've heard of once in a lullaby.
Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue
And the dreams that you dare to dream,
Really do come true.
Someday I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me.
High above the chimney tops,
That's where you'll find me.
Somewhere over the rainbow, blue birds fly
Birds fly over the rainbow
Why then, oh why can't I?
If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow
Why, oh why can't I?
Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high
There's a land that I've heard of once in a lullaby.
Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue
And the dreams that you dare to dream,
Really do come true.
Someday I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me.
Where troubles melt like lemon drops,
High above the chimney tops,
That's where you'll find me.
Somewhere over the rainbow, blue birds fly
Birds fly over the rainbow
Why then, oh why can't I?
If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow
Why, oh why can't I?
Lesley Garrett's rendition of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" is a heartwarming and captivating tribute to the classic song made famous by Judy Garland in the classic film The Wizard of Oz. The lyrics hold a certain nostalgia that speaks to a longing for a better place, a place of hope and possibilities, possibly a faraway land beyond the rainbow. The song begins with a description of this distant place, "somewhere over the rainbow, way up high, there's a land that I've heard of once in a lullaby", signifying that the place is otherworldly and unknown to us. The skies are described as being blue, a striking contrast to the dull and monotonous grey that's seen in the movie just before Dorothy is transported to Oz. This land is a place that inspires hope and makes even the most impossible dreams possible.
The second verse speaks of the desire to leave the human world behind and step into this fabled land, beyond the clouds, where troubles cease to hold sway, and lemon drops replace them. The idea of a utopia where nothing can go wrong speaks to the longing for that perfect place, a place that most of us have dreamt of but never truly experienced. The chorus is a refrain of the same words from the beginning of the song, the only difference being that "blue birds fly over the rainbow" and "why can't I?" asks the question that all of us have wondered at some point in our lives. Why can't we experience that perfect place beyond the horizon, a place where all our dreams come true, where the birds fly freely but we're left behind?
Line by Line Meaning
Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high
There is a magical place beyond our reach
There's a land that I've heard of once in a lullaby.
A dreamland or fantasy world that we only hear about in stories
Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue
In this wondrous place, the sky is blue and beautiful
And the dreams that you dare to dream,
The aspirations and hopes that you have, but may be too scared to chase
Really do come true.
Attaining these goals is not impossible; they can be realized
Someday I'll wish upon a star
I will make a wish, casting out into the universe
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me.
In this new world, there are no clouds, no things that obscure the bright light
Where troubles melt like lemon drops,
All of the issues or difficulties we have are dissolved like melting lemon candy
High above the chimney tops,
Up so high above the world where we can see the chimney stacks
That's where you'll find me.
I will not be on earth anymore, but in this magical Wonderland
Somewhere over the rainbow, blue birds fly
A place where even blue birds can fly; a place of fantasy and hope
Birds fly over the rainbow
Other animals like the birds have found it and where they soar
Why then, oh why can't I?
I cannot see why I can't join them and be there too.
If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow
If even the birds are happy enough to sneak away to this new world
Why, oh why can't I?
then, there should be no reason why I can't be there beside them.
Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high
Beyond our usual place, there is something even more wonderful
There's a land that I've heard of once in a lullaby.
It is a magical place that only in a lullaby can we ever hope to reach
Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue
In this world of wonder, the sky is a beautiful blue that is unmatched anywhere else.
And the dreams that you dare to dream,
follow those dreams and have the courage to make them a reality
Really do come true.
Even these lands, that were once thought of as just a dream, can become a reality once you take the chance and look for them
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Yip Harburg, Harold Arlen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
violet pinotti
stunning, she conveys a innocence to her performances that brings you to tears.
McGravity1
She is the only opera singer who can chat to camera like a professional presenter.
McGravity1
I had never heard the introduction before this.
G6JPG
I love LG, but I don't think this type of song works when sung by an opera singer - any such, not just LG. in the same way I wouldn't expect Miss Garland to tackle the great arias. It's like playing golf with a sledgehammer, or using a Ferrari or 18-wheeler to go down to the corner shop.
van1976
Great