Clark has sold more than 68 million records. She has also enjoyed success in the musical film Finian's Rainbow and in the stage musicals The Sound of Music, Blood Brothers, Sunset Boulevard, and Mary Poppins.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petula_Clark
Discography
Petula Clark Sings (1956)
A Date with Pet (1956)
You Are My Lucky Star (1957)
Γ Musicorama (1958)
Petula Clark in Hollywood / Pet Clark (1959)
Prends mon coeur (1959)
TΓͺte Γ tΓͺte avec Petula Clark (1961)
Rendez-vous avec Petula Clark (1962)
In Other Words (1962)
Petula (1962)
Le soleil dans les yeux (1963)
Ceux qui ont un coeur (1964)
Hello Paris (1964)
Petula au Canada (1964)
Downtown (1965)
I Know a Place (1965)
The World's Greatest International Hits (1965)
Petula '65 (1965)
My Love (1966)
I Couldn't Live Without Your Love (1966)
Petula Clark '66 (1966)
Colour My World (1967)
These Are My Songs (1967)
C'est ma chanson (1967)
Petula Italiana (1967)
The Other Man's Grass Is Always Greener (1968)
Petula (1968)
Portrait of Petula (1969)
Just Pet (1969)
Memphis (1970)
Warm and Tender / The Song of My Life (1971)
Comme une prière (1972)
La chanson de Marie-Madeleine (1972)
Now (1972)
Come On Home (1974)
I'm The Woman You Need (1975)
Je reviens (1977)
Destiny (1978)
Where The Heart Is (1998)
Here For You (1998)
Solitude & Sunshine: The Songs of Rod McKuen (2007)
Lost in You (2013)
From Now On (2016)
Living For Today (2017)
Vu d'ici (2018)
Who Am I
Petula Clark Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The traffic thunders on the busy street
Pavement slips beneath my feet
I walk alone and wonder who am I?
I close my eyes and I can fly
And I escape from all this worldly strife
Restricted by routine of life
I long to wake up in the morning and find everything has changed
And all the people that I meet don't wear a frown
But every day is just the same, I'm chasing rainbows in the rain
All the dreams that I believe in let me down
Maybe I'm reaching far too high
For I have something else entirely free
The love of someone close to me
Unfettered by the world that hurries by
To question such good fortune, who am I?
I long to wake up in the morning and find everything has changed
And all the people that I meet don't wear a frown
But every day is just the same, I'm chasing rainbows in the rain
All the dreams that I believe in let me down
Maybe I'm reaching far too high
For I have something else entirely free
The love of someone close to me
Unfettered by the world that hurries by
To question such good fortune, who am I?
The lyrics of Petula Clark's song "Who Am I?" speak about the feeling of emptiness and confusion that one can experience in the midst of a busy, impersonal city. The first verse describes the overwhelming urban landscape, with tall buildings and noisy traffic, against which the singer feels small and insignificant. She walks alone, wondering about her identity and her place in the world. In the following verse, however, she finds solace in her imagination, where she can escape from the routine of daily life and the "worldly strife" that surrounds her.
Despite this temporary escape, the singer remains haunted by the question of who she really is, and what her purpose might be. She longs for a change in her life, to wake up one morning and find everything transformed - but this is just a dream, and every day is just like the last, with disappointment always waiting around the corner. Still, the singer acknowledges that she may be reaching too high in her desires, and that she already possesses something valuable and free - the love of someone close to her. This relationship is a privilege to be cherished, and reminds her that she is more than just a lost soul wandering through the streets.
Overall, Petula Clark's "Who Am I?" captures a sense of aimlessness and yearning in the modern world, where it can be easy to feel disconnected from oneself and others. The song suggests that the answer to the question of our identity may not lie in grand accomplishments or dramatic transformations, but in the quiet, everyday moments of connection and love.
Line by Line Meaning
The buildings reach up to the sky
Tall and towering buildings stand high above, depicting the never-ending growth of the concrete city.
The traffic thunders on the busy street
The continuous noise of honking vehicles on the busy road makes me wonder about the purpose of this chaotic life.
Pavement slips beneath my feet
As I walk on the slippery concrete path, I feel detached from the world around me and lost in my thoughts.
I walk alone and wonder who am I?
Amidst the crowd of strangers, I feel isolated and ponder over my existence and identity in relation to the vast universe.
I close my eyes and I can fly
In my mind, I can transcend the limits of reality and attain the freedom to fly, liberated from the shackles of mundane life.
And I escape from all this worldly strife
Through my imagination, I find solace and relief from the hardships and conflicts of day to day life.
Restricted by routine of life
The monotonous life I lead constricts my ability to explore and discover who I truly am.
But still I can't discover who am I?
Despite my attempts to seek self-discovery, I remain perplexed and clueless about my true identity.
I long to wake up in the morning and find everything has changed
Every day feels like a recurring nightmare, and I yearn for a magical transformation in the mundane reality I live in.
And all the people that I meet don't wear a frown
The people around me always seem unhappy, and I wish to see them happy and content, without any worries or stress.
But every day is just the same, I'm chasing rainbows in the rain
My life feels dull, and I struggle to achieve my goals as they seem impossible, like chasing a rainbow in the rain.
All the dreams that I believe in let me down
My aspirations often lead to disappointment, leaving me questioning their worth and meaning.
Maybe I'm reaching far too high
Perhaps my aspirations and ambitions are unattainable, and I'm expecting too much from myself.
For I have something else entirely free
Despite my struggles, I have unconditional love from someone close to me, which is a priceless treasure not bound by the materialistic world.
The love of someone close to me
The affection and care from someone special in my life bring me joy and peace, providing a different perspective on life.
Unfettered by the world that hurries by
The love I receive from my loved one is beyond the chaotic and fast-paced world we live in, providing freedom and comfort.
To question such good fortune, who am I?
Despite having someone affectionate in my life, I wonder if I deserve such happiness, and I contemplate my true identity and purpose.
Lyrics Β© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JACKIE TRENT, TONY HATCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Lang Kuai
The buildings reach up to the sky.
The traffic thunders on the busy street.
The pavement slips beneath my feet.
I walk alone and wonder
who am I?
I close my eyes and I can fly.
And I escape from all this worldly strife,
restricted by routine of life,
but still I can't discover
who am I.
I long to wake up in the morning
and find everything has changed,
and all the people that I meet don't wear a frown.
But every day is just the same.
I'm chasing rainbows in the rain.
All the dreams that I believe in let me down.
Maybe I'm reaching far too high,
for I have something else entirely free,
the love of someone close to me,
unfettered by the world that hurries by.
Um, to question such good fortune,
who am I?
I long to wake up in the morning
and find everything has changed,
and all the people that I meet don't wear a frown.
But every day is just the same,
I'm chasing rainbows in the rain.
All the dreams that I believe in let me down.
Maybe I'm reaching far too high,
for I have something else entirely free,
the love of someone close to me,
unfettered by the world that hurries by.
To question such good fortune,
Who am I
Lookout Mountain
The song that got me through living life in an orphanage. This was truly the song of my life and what turned me into a life long fan of this incredible Lady. To me she is the 'Goddess of Song'!
david W
one of the greatest records ever made. I was 10 when this came out, I went nuts, bought it and played it constantly. Still get goosebumps when I hear it today.
Ken
Those years come back to me in my dreams today.
Robert P. Wainman
I know what you mean.
George Vreeland Hill
Petula Clark has one of the greatest voices in music history and yet, we never hear her name on any list of artists. That's music injustice.
Matt Patton
One of the smarter pop songs of the time. It's about disillusion and trade-offs and getting on with life. Unusual for the time and our time as well.
TheCatgirl6
This song, and "You'd Better Come Home," are my all-time favorites of Petula Clark's sixties catalogue. "Who Am I?" blends a bouncy baroque arrangement, Tony Hatch's imaginative, thoughtful lyrics, and Pet's warm, vibrant vocal in all the very best ways--a pop masterpiece.
WhoKnowsWhy
When I was little (mid 70's), my mom played this album ALL the time; we cleaned house to it, got ready for holidays, etc. I grew up loving this music and I had no idea who Petula Clark was! Thanks for great memories of my childhood.
Richard Gray
what a great song, petula sings it from her heart and nails it, she is great.
pattigee1
A highly under-rated singer, just a great song. Thanks.