He soon gained fame due to the power and strength of his voice. The young tenor earned valuable experience and significant recognition while touring on the invitation of soprano Joan Sutherland, making his 1965 U.S. debut in Miami, Florida on her recommendation. His position was solidified in the years between 1966 and 1972, during which Pavarotti first appeared at Milan's seminal La Scala, at other major European houses, and, in 1968, at NYC's Metropolitan Opera. He received great acclaim, particularly working well with Joan Sutherland.
By the mid-70s, the tenor became known worldwide, famed for the brilliance and beauty of his tone, especially into the upper register. His "high C" became one of his trademarks. The late 70s and 80s saw Pavarotti making significant appearances in the world's opera houses and establishing himself as one of the great singers of the era.
Popular stardom came at the 1990 World Cup in Italy with the performances of "Nessun Dorma" (from Turandot) and as one of The Three Tenors in their famed first concert held on the eve of the final match of the tournament (repeated at later Cups). Pavarotti sang together with fellow star tenors Plácido Domingo and José Carreras and brought to the much wider audience hits previously confined to the opera world. Appearances in advertisements and with pop icons in concerts around the world furthered his influence. Pavarotti always maintained his identity as an opera star, unlike many crossover artists.
The later years brought a decline in ability to perform on stage due to a weight gain and lack of mobility. Pavarotti's final appearance in an opera was at the Met in March 2004. The 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy saw him performing for the last time. Pavarotti sang Nessun Dorma, with the crowd as its Chorus, and got a thunderous standing ovation. On September 6, 2007, he died at home in Modena from pancreatic cancer.
Holy Mother
Luciano Pavarotti Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tonight I feel broken in two.
I've seen the stars fall from the sky.
Holy mother, can't keep from crying.
Oh I need your help this time,
Get me through this lonely night.
Tell me please which way to turn
Holy mother, hear my prayer,
Somehow I know you're still there.
Send me please some peace of mind;
Take away this pain.
I can't wait, I can't wait, I can't wait any longer.
I can't wait, I can't wait, I can't wait for you.
Holy mother, hear my cry,
I've cursed your name a thousand times.
I've felt the anger running through my soul;
All I need is a hand to hold.
Oh I feel the end has come,
No longer my legs will run.
You know I would rather be
In your arms tonight.
When my hands no longer play,
My voice is still, I fade away.
Holy mother, then I'll be
Lying in, safe within your arms.
The lyrics to Luciano Pavarotti's song "Holy Mother" exude a great deal of emotion and vulnerability. The singer pleads with a higher power, specifically the Virgin Mary, to help him through a difficult time. He feels broken and lost, and he has nowhere to turn. The vivid imagery of the stars falling from the sky adds to the somber tone of the song. The singer seems to want nothing more than to be held by the Virgin Mary, to be comforted and protected.
As the song progresses, it becomes clear that the singer has been struggling for some time. He has cursed the name of the Virgin Mary and felt anger running through his soul. However, he now realizes that he needs her help and guidance more than ever. He is afraid that he is nearing the end and that soon he will no longer be able to play music or sing. He longs to be in the arms of the Virgin Mary, to feel safe and loved.
The overall message of "Holy Mother" seems to be one of hope and redemption. Despite the singer's struggles and pain, he still believes that the Virgin Mary is there, listening to his prayers and offering him comfort. The idea that he will one day be lying in her arms, safe from harm, is a powerful and comforting image.
Line by Line Meaning
Holy Mother, where are you?
The singer is calling out to the divine force of the Holy Mother, questioning her whereabouts and feeling lost.
Tonight I feel broken in two.
The singer is experiencing intense emotional turmoil and feels shattered.
I've seen the stars fall from the sky.
The singer has witnessed a deep sense of loss and devastation.
Holy mother, can't keep from crying.
The singer is overwhelmed with grief and is unable to hold back their tears.
Oh I need your help this time,
The singer is reaching out for aid and support from the Holy Mother during their difficult time.
Get me through this lonely night.
The singer is expressing their desire to get past their loneliness and find peace.
Tell me please which way to turn
The singer is lost and seeking direction and guidance from the Holy Mother.
To find myself again.
The singer is expressing their desire to rediscover themselves and regain their sense of self.
Holy mother, hear my prayer,
The singer is praying and asking the Holy Mother to listen to their words.
Somehow I know you're still there.
The singer has faith in the presence of the Holy Mother despite feeling lost.
Send me please some peace of mind;
The singer is asking for inner calm and stillness in their mind.
Take away this pain.
The singer is pleading for the Holy Mother to remove their emotional agony.
I can't wait, I can't wait, I can't wait any longer.
The singer is feeling impatient and desperate for relief from their pain.
I can't wait, I can't wait, I can't wait for you.
The singer's need for the Holy Mother's presence and help is urgent and overwhelming.
Holy mother, hear my cry,
The singer is calling out to the Holy Mother once again, now in distress.
I've cursed your name a thousand times.
The singer has felt anger and bitterness towards the Holy Mother in the past, but now seeks her help.
I've felt the anger running through my soul;
The singer has experienced intense feelings of rage deep within them.
All I need is a hand to hold.
The singer desires support and comfort during their struggles.
Oh I feel the end has come,
The singer is losing hope and feels as though their struggles will lead to their downfall.
No longer my legs will run.
The singer is no longer able to keep running or fighting; they feel defeated.
You know I would rather be
The singer expresses their preference to be elsewhere or with someone else.
In your arms tonight.
The singer longs to be held and comforted by the Holy Mother.
When my hands no longer play,
The singer contemplates their own eventual death and inability to create music or do anything else.
My voice is still, I fade away.
The singer recognizes their own eventual quietude and disappearance from life.
Holy mother, then I'll be
The singer trusts that they will be safe and secure in the arms of the Holy Mother when they pass away.
Lying in, safe within your arms.
The singer imagines a peaceful, comforting death, embraced by the Holy Mother.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: STEPHEN BISHOP, ERIC CLAPTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@davamort3096
Never thought I would see Pavorotti and Clapton on stage together. This is an amazing and powerful performance.
@kendavies945
Agreed, shame the lyrics are such crap. They should have chosen a better song. That would have been so easy.
@photographacataday
的确如此！
@patsytate426
I agree 👍
@elainemeyer5062
@Ken Davies I don’t know why you and Patsy Tate (who gave your comment a 👍 a month ago) think the lyrics are such ‘crap’?! I, and many others, think they are beautiful, as well as the performance! I believe (and hope others agree with me) that you are the minority of listeners with YOUR crappy viewpoint, and I can only say you don’t deserve to even listen or comment on it!
@elainemeyer5062
@Ken Davies I wrote a comment about yours about 1 1/2 weeks ago, but I want to add one more. It doesn’t matter what religion you are - you could be an atheist or agnostic for that matter. The lyrics are beautiful, and just bc it’s called and makes reference to the ‘Holy Mother’, shouldn’t cause you to be biased - their meaning has such depth. What kind of person are you and the others who share your thoughts about this song’s words make you feel like you do? Have you no belief in anything?! If that’s the case, I don’t feel sorry for you - instead I pity you for being so shallow.
@samanthaprevost9750
I am in the choir .It was such an honour.
@foxmulder6272
Thank you! Your choir, added so much to this performance. Your choir sounded heavenly!!
@maryann7619
I don't know if you could see it, but Mr. Pavarotti was grinning like a schoolboy when the 3 of you (EC, him, and your choir) were singing together towards the end. Well done. 👏 👏 👏
@sharonsharonduncan3129
Wonderful choir!