Brightman has received over 180 Gold and Platinum sales awards in over 40 different countries around the world and is the only artist to hold #1 spots on the Billboard Classical and Dance charts simultaneously, her other achievements feature her ranking by the Recording Industry Association of America as the best-selling female classical artist of the twenty-first century and a Guinness World Record for the success of “Time to Say Goodbye,” the best-selling single in German recording history.
She has established herself as the world's biggest selling soprano of all time, She has sold 78 million albums worldwide, including 40 million copies of the soundtrack of The Phantom of the Opera (1986 musical), 26 million albums, over two million DVDs and 10 million copies of the single " Time to Say Goodbye "as a soloist.
She made her debut as a dancer in troupes such as Hot Gossip and later released a string of disco singles. She was a musical theatre performer and partner of theatre composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, with whom she originated roles including Christine Daaé in The Phantom of the Opera.
After her divorce, Brightman became a crossover artist with former Enigma producer Frank Peterson. Her style, a blend of classical vocals and pop-inspired instrumentation and arrangement, earned her further success.
She is often cited as the woman who paved the way for other international success stories such as Il Divo, Andrea Bocelli and Josh Groban. She is said to be worth as much as £30m (about US$49m).
In The Mandarin's Orchid Garden
Sarah Brightman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A buttercup resided
In the mandarin's orchid garden.
A buttercup that did not please
The lovely peace of such a place.
And so it simply [shined] above
And begged each orchids pardon,
The bees keep passing daily
And kiss the orchids dearly,
In the mandarin's orchid garden.
A buttercup [side] longing leaf,
But love was not for such as she.
And so under the tree of love hanged I
Still begging pardon,
The lonely buttercup in the orchid garden.
I too have been misguided;
To long have I resided
In the mandarin's orchid garden.
And all for friendliness I am,
I do not know which way to talk.
Alone must I keep [praying God]
To beg each lady's pardon.
A lonely buttercup
In the orchid garden.
The song "In The Mandarin's Orchid Garden" by Sarah Brightman is a poetic portrayal of the lonely buttercup residing in the mandarin's orchid garden. The buttercup does not fit in with the lovely peace of the orchid garden and stands out as a misfit. As it longs for love and companionship, it is reminded of its solitude as the bees pass by and kiss the orchids that it longs to be among. The buttercup continues to beg each orchid's pardon for its existence in the garden, conveying a sense of longing for acceptance and belonging.
The lyrics depict a sense of isolation and the search for acceptance, which can be interpreted in various ways. It could represent a person who feels out of place in a particular environment or society, longing for acceptance and companionship. The mandarin's orchid garden is often seen as a metaphor for society, and the buttercup represents the individuals who do not fit in with the norms and expectations of society. The lyrics also seem to be an attempt to convey the message that despite the differences, everyone deserves to be accepted and should not be judged by their appearances.
Line by Line Meaning
Somehow by fate misguided,
Fate had taken a wrong turn for the buttercup that ended up in the mandarin's orchid garden.
A buttercup resided
A small, insignificant buttercup had made its home in the mandarin's orchid garden.
In the mandarin's orchid garden.
The buttercup was located in the beautiful and peaceful orchid garden belonging to the mandarin.
A buttercup that did not please
The buttercup's presence was not appreciated in the garden due to its lack of beauty and importance.
The lovely peace of such a place.
The orchid garden was gorgeous and peaceful, but the buttercup didn't belong there and disrupted the harmony.
And so it simply [shined] above
Despite not fitting in, the buttercup still tried to make itself stand out and be noticed.
And begged each orchids pardon,
The buttercup apologized to the orchids for not being like them and causing a disturbance.
The little buttercup in the orchid garden.
The insignificant buttercup was still trying to find its place in the grand orchid garden.
The bees keep passing daily
Bees frequently buzzed around the orchids and the buttercup, spreading pollen and enjoying the fragrance.
And kiss the orchids dearly,
The bees showed their affection for the beautiful orchids by gathering nectar and distributing pollen, but ignored the insignificant buttercup.
A buttercup [side] longing leaf,
The buttercup was yearning to have a relationship like the orchids had with the bees, but was not attractive enough to attract any attention.
But love was not for such as she.
The buttercup knew that love was not meant for her due to her lack of beauty and importance in the garden.
And so under the tree of love hanged I
The buttercup hung its head in sadness under the tree where the other flowers experienced love and happiness.
Still begging pardon,
Despite being an outcast, the buttercup continued to apologize and seek forgiveness from the other flowers.
The lonely buttercup in the orchid garden.
The buttercup remained lonely and isolated in the midst of the beautiful orchid garden.
I too have been misguided;
The artist of the song also feels lost and unsure of where they belong, like the buttercup in the garden.
To long have I resided
The artist has stayed in one place too long, possibly feeling stuck or stagnant.
In the mandarin's orchid garden.
The singer is also in the mandarin's orchid garden, surrounded by beauty but feeling out of place.
And all for friendliness I am,
The singer is friendly and approachable but may not know how to interact with others in the garden.
I do not know which way to talk.
The artist is uncertain about how to act and communicate in the orchid garden.
Alone must I keep [praying God]
The artist is left alone to pray to God for guidance and companionship.
To beg each lady's pardon.
The artist seeks forgiveness and acceptance from the ladies of the garden, like the buttercup sought pardon from the orchids.
A lonely buttercup
The buttercup symbolizes loneliness and isolation, which the singer also feels in the orchid garden.
In the orchid garden.
The song focuses on the buttercup and the artist's experiences in the beautiful but overwhelming mandarin's orchid garden.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GEORGE GERSHWIN, IRA GERSHWIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind