Ms. Portman has composed the scores for dozens of feature films, including "Emma", "Chocolat", "Oliver Twist", "The Cider House Rules", "The Duchess", and "Never Let Me Go".
She was the first female composer to win an Academy Award in the category of Best Musical or Comedy Score (for "Emma" in 1996). Ms. Portman was also nominated for Academy Awards for her scores for "The Cider House Rules" in 1999 and "Chocolat" in 2000.
She composed a score for the film "Dangerous Beauty," but it was unused; George Fenton replaced her, but some of her material still remains in the film. For television she composed the score for all thirteen episodes of Jim Henson's The Storyteller and two episodes of The Jim Henson Hour ("Monster Maker" and "Living with Dinosaurs"). Her other works include a children's opera, The Little Prince, which was later adapted for television, and Little House on the Prairie, a musical based upon the Laura Ingalls Wilder books "Little House on the Prairie" (2008). Ms. Portman was commissioned to write a piece of choral music for the BBC Proms series in August 2007.
On 19 May 2010, she was honored at the BMI Film & TV Awards with the Richard Kirk Award which is bestowed on composers who have made significant contributions to the realm of film and television music. Portman made BMI history as she became the first woman composer to receive the honor.
Portman was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2010 New Year Honours.
Official website: http://www.rachelportman.co.uk
What Is This Thing Called Love
Rachel Portman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Leading a life apart
When love flew in through my window wide
And quickened my hum-drum heart
Love flew in through my window
I was so happy then
But after love had stayed a little while
Love flew out again
What is this thing called love?
This funny thing called love?
Just who can solve its mystery?
Why should it make a fool of me?
I saw you there one wonderful day
You took my heart and threw my heart away
That's why I ask the Lawd up in Heaven above
What is this thing called love?
You gave me days of sunshine
You gave me nights of cheer
You made my life an enchanted dream
'Til somebody else came near
Somebody else came near you
I felt the winter's chill
And now I sit and wonder night and day
Why I love you still
In Rachel Portman's song "What Is This Thing Called Love," the singer begins by describing themselves as a hum-drum person leading a mundane life. However, everything changes when love enters their life unexpectedly, lifting their spirits and giving them a newfound happiness. However, as quickly as it entered, love disappears just as suddenly, leaving the singer longing for its return.
The chorus speaks to the baffling nature of love, which is often seen as a source of happiness but is equally capable of causing sorrow and confusion. The singer asks who can truly understand its mysteries and why it has the power to make them feel foolish. The second verse further delves into the complexities of love, describing how it can make one's life feel like a dream until it is taken away by someone else. Despite the heartbreak and confusion, the singer still finds themselves wondering why they continue to love the person who hurt them.
Overall, "What Is This Thing Called Love" is a bittersweet reflection on love and its many paradoxes. It acknowledges both the joy and heartbreak that love can bring, as well as the bewilderment it can cause in those who experience it.
Line by Line Meaning
I was a hum-drum person
I was a plain and unremarkable person
Leading a life apart
Living a solitary life, apart from any romantic entanglements
When love flew in through my window wide
When I unexpectedly fell in love
And quickened my hum-drum heart
And made me feel more alive and vibrant than ever before
Love flew in through my window
Love came into my life unexpectedly
I was so happy then
I was elated and content
But after love had stayed a little while
But once the initial excitement of being in love had faded a bit
Love flew out again
Love left me just as quickly and unexpectedly as it arrived
What is this thing called love?
What is this elusive and mysterious force known as love?
This funny thing called love?
This peculiar and puzzling thing we call love?
Just who can solve its mystery?
Is there anyone who truly understands the enigma that is love?
Why should it make a fool of me?
Why does love have the ability to make us act foolishly and irrationally?
I saw you there one wonderful day
I remember the day I first laid eyes on you and felt my heart skip a beat
You took my heart and threw my heart away
You captured my heart and then callously abandoned it
That's why I ask the Lawd up in Heaven above
That's why I turn to a higher power for answers
What is this thing called love?
What is this all-consuming and mysterious force that can bring us such joy and such heartache?
You gave me days of sunshine
You brought light and happiness into my life
You gave me nights of cheer
You made my nights lively and enjoyable
You made my life an enchanted dream
You made my life feel like a enchanting and wonderful reality
'Til somebody else came near
Until someone else caught your attention
Somebody else came near you
Someone else entered your life and captured your heart
I felt the winter's chill
I felt a coldness and emptiness in my heart
And now I sit and wonder night and day
And now I am left to ponder and contemplate endlessly
Why I love you still
Why I continue to love you despite the pain and heartache you've caused me
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Cole Porter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind