He was also musical director for a large number of musicals and other plays, including ones by Noel Coward. After the war, he concentrated on recording, and eventually gave up live performance altogether. He worked with arranger and composer Ronnie Binge, who developed the "cascading strings" sound (also known as the "Mantovani sound").[citation needed] His records were regulars in stores selling hi-fi stereo equipment, as they were produced and arranged for stereo reproduction. In 1952 Binge ceased to arrange for Mantovani, but his distinctive sound remained.
He recorded for Decca until the mid-1950s, and then London Records. He recorded over 50 albums on that label, many of which were top-40 hits. These included Song from Moulin Rouge and Cara Mia, which reached No. 1 in Britain in 1953 and 1954, respectively. The latter was also Mantovani's first U.S. Top Ten hit.
In the United States, between 1955 and 1972, he released over 40 albums with 27 reaching the Top 40 and 11 the Top Ten. His biggest success was with the album Film Encores, which made it to No. 1 in 1957. Similarly, Mantovani Plays Music From 'Exodus' and Other Great Themes made it to No. 2 in 1961 and sold over one million albums.
In 1959, Mantovani starred in his own syndicated television series, Mantovani, which was produced in England and which aired in the United States. 39 episodes were filmed.[1]
Mantovani made his last recordings in 1975.
What Now My Love
Mantovani and His Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now that you've left me
How can I live through another day?
Watching my dreams turn into ashes
And all my hopes into bits of clay
Once I could see, once I could feel
Now I am numb, I've become unreal
Stripped of my heart, my soul
What now my love?
Now that it's over
I feel the world closing in on me
Here come the stars, tumbling around me
There's the sky where the 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 or die
What now my love?
Now there is nothing
Only my last goodbye
The lyrics to Mantovani and His Orchestra's song "What Now My Love" tell a poignant story of heartbreak and despair. The singer begins by asking what will become of their life now that their love has left them. They describe the pain of watching their dreams crumble and their hopes fall apart, leaving them feeling numb and unreal. The singer is lost and wanders aimlessly through the night, stripped of their heart and soul.
As the song progresses, the singer reflects on the end of their relationship and the overwhelming sense of isolation that has taken hold. The stars tumble around them as they stare out at a sky where the sea should be. There seems to be no hope for the future, as the singer laments that no one would care if they were to live or die. The song concludes with a final goodbye, highlighting the depth of the singer's despair and the finality of their loss.
Overall, the lyrics to "What Now My Love" paint a vivid picture of heartbreak and loss, showing how the end of a relationship can leave a person feeling completely adrift.
Line by Line Meaning
What now my love?
What am I supposed to do now that you're gone?
Now that you've left me
I am without you in this world; you have abandoned me.
How can I live through another day?
Existence seems impossible in a world without you.
Watching my dreams turn into ashes
All that I once hoped for and wished for is so far away and lost; my aspirations are falling apart.
And all my hopes into bits of clay
My illusions turn to dust and slip through my fingers.
Once I could see, once I could feel
I was alive and experiencing the world, my senses were open and active.
Now I am numb, I've become unreal
My heart and soul have gone numb; I feel nothing, and am not feeling real.
I walk the night without a goal
I wander aimlessly because I have lost my direction in life.
Stripped of my heart, my soul
Without you, I am without my very essence and being.
Now that it's over
Our relationship is over and gone, there is nothing left between us.
I feel the world closing in on me
The world feels like it is suffocating me now that you're gone.
Here come the stars, tumbling around me
My whole world feels like it's losing control, like everything is tumbling out of reach.
There's the sky where the sea should be
The world seems so upside down that the earth and the sky have swapped places.
Now that you're gone
You are no longer a part of my life and I must face that.
I'd be a fool to go on and on
It feels pointless to continue living through the pain of your loss.
No one would care, no one would cry
If I were to die right now, no one would miss me.
If I should live or die
This is the ultimate question I am facing with no clear answer.
Now there is nothing
The emptiness and sorrow that came with your departure have consumed everything I once knew.
Only my last goodbye
This is the final chapter, the end of our relationship and story.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Carl Sigman, Gilbert Becaud, Pierre Delanoe
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind