Marie Magdelene Dietrich von Losch (aka Marlene) was born in Schöneberg bei… Read Full Bio ↴Marie Magdelene Dietrich von Losch (aka Marlene) was born in Schöneberg bei Berlin, Germany on December 27, 1901. Her father was an army officer who had served in the Franco-Prussian War. Because of his constant absences due to his army duties, Marlene and the family had to rely on themselves. After he died, while she was 11, Marlene's mother married Eduard von Losch and he adopted the Dietrich children.

Marlene was known in school for her "bedroom eyes" and her first affairs were at this stage in her life - a professor at the school was terminated.

Marlene enjoyed music and attended concerts. She was adept at playing the violin and piano. By the time she was in her mid-teens, Marlene had discovered the stage. Acting was to be her vocation. In 1921, Marlene applied for an acting school run by Max Reinhardt. She was accepted. She appeared in several stage productions, but never had more than a couple of spoken lines. In short, she wasn't setting the stage world on fire.

She attempted films for the first time in 1922 Her first film was So sind die Männer (The Little Napoleon) (1923) which was followed by Tragödie der Liebe (Love Tragedy) (1923). On this last project, she met Rudolf Sieber and married him in 1924. The union lasted until his death in 1976 although they didn't live together the whole time.

The remainder of her early film career was generally filled with bit roles. After being seen in the German production of Der blaue Engel (The Blue Angel) (1930) in 1930, Marlene was given a crack at Hollywood. Her first US film was Morocco (1930) with Gary Cooper, which was followed by Dishonored (1931). This latter movie had her cast as a street walker who is appointed a spy. The film was rather boring but was a success because of Marlene's presence. In 1932, Marlene filmed Shanghai Express (1932) which proved to be immensely popular, grossing $3 million. Once again, she was cast as a prostitute. The next film was Blonde Venus (1932) which turned out to be a horrible production. Her co-star was Cary Grant and once again she was cast as a prostitute.

During this period Dietrich had been typecast as a woman of low morals and she wanted different parts. Her chance came in 1939 in Destry Rides Again (1939) when she was cast as "Frenchy", a Western saloon hostess. This began a new direction for Marlene since it shed the previous typecasting. All through the 1940s, she appeared in well-produced, well-directed films such as Manpower (1942), The Spoilers (1942), The Lady Is Willing (1942) and Pittsburgh (1942).

Afterwards the roles came less frequently, perhaps one to two films every year. In 1945, Marlene didn't appear in any. She only made seven productions in the 1950's. Her last role of any substance was Judgment at Nuremberg (1961). Despite the lack of theatrical roles, Marlene still made appearances on the stage. However, by 1979, she was a shell of her former self. After breaking her leg in one performance, she never made a go of it in show business again.

Spending the last 12 years of her life bed-ridden, Marlene died on May 6, 1992 in Paris, France of kidney failure at the age of 90.

Candles Glowing
Marlene Dietrich Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Candles glowing
On the tree, it's christmas,
Little eyes are gleaming,
Older ones' are dreaming.

Candles glowing
Giving happiness
To all people

Everywhere on earth.

Candles glowing
Silent snowflakes falling,
Joyous hearts are singing,
Christmas bells are ringing.

People praying
Everywhere you go
Peace is, what we
Always want to know.

Candles glowing
That this world be so

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Marlene Dietrich's song "Candles Glowing" provide a beautiful description of the festive season, with candles shining brightly on the Christmas tree, illuminating the surrounding area, and bringing joy and happiness into the lives of people everywhere on the planet. The little ones' eyes are gleaming with excitement and anticipation, while the older ones are deep in thought, dreaming about the year's events and life in general.

Dietrich poetically describes the silent snowflakes falling outside, which are accompanied by joyous hearts singing and the sound of Christmas bells ringing. The singer also highlights the spiritual aspect of the holiday season when people pray and wish for peace everywhere they go. The candles symbolize hope, bringing light into the darkness, and signaling to everyone that this world can be better if they work towards it.

The song is a beautiful composition that helps create a festive atmosphere during Christmas, and it succeeds in capturing the magic and wonder of the holiday season. The lyrics invoke a sense of wonder and happiness that make the listener feel connected to the larger community and remind them of the real reason behind Christmas.

Line by Line Meaning

Candles glowing
The candles on the Christmas tree are lit

On the tree, it's christmas,
The Christmas season has arrived and the tree is decorated

Little eyes are gleaming,
Children are excited and filled with wonder

Older ones' are dreaming.
Adults are reminiscing about past holidays and dreaming of the future

Candles glowing
The lit candles are a symbol of warmth and hope

Giving happiness
The candles bring joy and delight

To all people
Everyone can appreciate the beauty of the candles

Everywhere on earth.
The candles spread their light and cheer across the world

Candles glowing
The candles continue to shine bright

Silent snowflakes falling,
The peacefulness of a snowy winter night is upon us

Joyous hearts are singing,
People are full of happiness and celebrating the season

Christmas bells are ringing.
The traditional sound of ringing bells can be heard

People praying
Many are taking time to offer prayers

Everywhere you go
This is a common theme throughout the season, no matter where one is

Peace is, what we
The hope for peace is a shared desire

Always want to know.
The need for peace is an ongoing hope

Candles glowing
Once again, the candles remain lit

That this world be so
It is hoped that this world will always know the joy and peace of the season

Writer(s): bader, lotar olias

Contributed by Callie T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Igor Gabert

MarleneXtreme2

11y

Well, since I don`t know the facts, it ain`t no use, speculating about it ! So, I think it`s for the best, to leave it at that ! Enjoy the Christmas Holidays :-)) Irene.