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.
No Love No Nothin'
Marlene Dietrich Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Until my baby comes home
No sir, no nothin'
As long as baby may roam
I promised him to wait for him
'Till even Hades froze
I'm lonesome heaven knows
No love, no nothin'
And that's a promise I'll keep
No fun with no one
I'm getting plenty of sleep
My heart's on strike
And though it's like
An empty honeycomb
No love, no sir
No nothin' 'till my baby comes home
No love, no nothin'
Until my baby comes home
No sir, no nothin'
As long as baby may roam
I promised him to wait for him
'Till even Hades froze
I'm lonesome heaven knows
But what I said still goes
No love, no nothin'
And that's a promise I'll keep
No fun with no one
I'm getting plenty of sleep
My heart's on strike
And though it's like
An empty honeycomb
No love, no nothin', no baby, no sleep
No nothin' 'till my baby comes home
Why don't you come home, baby?
The lyrics of Marlene Dietrich's song "No Love No Nothin'" are about a woman's vow to stay faithful to her partner even when separated by distance. The opening lines ("No love, no nothin', until my baby comes home / No sir, no nothin', as long as baby may roam") express her commitment to remain loyal to her lover until he returns to her. She is willing to sacrifice her own desires and pleasures ("No fun with no one, I'm getting plenty of sleep") for the sake of keeping her word.
The verse "I promised him to wait for him / 'Till even Hades froze / I'm lonesome heaven knows / But what I said still goes" illustrates the intensity of her devotion. She has made a solemn promise to her partner, and she will not break it even if it means enduring loneliness and heartache. The use of the mythological figure of Hades (the god of the underworld) emphasizes the depth of her commitment.
The chorus ("No love, no nothin', and that's a promise I'll keep / My heart's on strike, and though it's like an empty honeycomb") reinforces her vow of fidelity. The image of her heart being "on strike" emphasizes her refusal to give her affection to anyone else. The metaphor of the "empty honeycomb" conveys the idea that she is unable to find joy or sweetness in life without her partner.
Overall, "No Love No Nothin'" is a powerful expression of loyalty and devotion. The lyrics reveal a woman's unwavering commitment to her partner, even in the face of hardship and separation.
Line by Line Meaning
No love, no nothin'
I cannot find happiness without my beloved partner by my side.
Until my baby comes home
I will not experience any true love or contentment until my lover returns to me.
No sir, no nothin'
Absolutely nothing will satisfy me or bring me joy until my loved one is back in my arms.
As long as baby may roam
Even if my partner is away and taking their time to come back, I will wait.
I promised him to wait for him
I have sworn to be patient and wait for my beloved until they return to me.
'Till even Hades froze
I will be true to my promise and wait for my sweetheart until the impossible happens.
I'm lonesome heaven knows
I feel incredibly alone without my loved one beside me and can't help but feel very sad.
But what I said still goes
I am committed to follow through on my word of waiting for my partner.
And that's a promise I'll keep
I will not give up on my vow to wait for my sweetheart no matter how long it takes.
No fun with no one
I can't enjoy any activity or pleasure without my loved one by my side.
I'm getting plenty of sleep
I am trying to cope with my loneliness by sleeping more.
My heart's on strike
My heart is refusing to be open to anyone or anything else until my lover returns to me.
And though it's like
Even though it feels empty and dead inside like an empty honeycomb,
An empty honeycomb
My heart is vacant and lifeless when my partner is not with me.
No love, no sir
I won't accept any substitute for the love and affection of my beloved.
No nothin' 'till my baby comes home
I refuse to engage in anything in life until my darling returns to me.
Why don't you come home, baby?
I am yearning and begging for my loved one to return to me so that I can finally find happiness and fulfillment in my life again.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HARRY WARREN, LEO ROBIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind