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).
O Waly Waly
Sarah Brightman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And neither have I wings to fly.
Give me a boat that will carry two,
And both shall row, my love and I.
O, down in the meadows the other day,
A-gath'ring flowers both fine and gay,
A-gath'ring flowers both red and blue,
I leaned my back against some oak
Thinking that he was a trusty tree;
But first he bended, and then he broke,
And so did my false love to me.
A ship there is, and she sails the sea,
She's loaded deep as deep can be,
But not so deep as the love I'm in;
I know not if I sink or swim.
O, love is handsome and love is fine,
And love's a jewel while it is new,
But when it is old, it groweth cold,
And fades away like morning dew
The song 'O Waly Waly' is a traditional ballad that Sarah Brightman sang with simplicity, yet emotional depth. The song is about heartbreak, love, and the fragility of human trust. In the first stanza, the singer is faced with the obstacle of the widening river and not having the means to cross it, which can serve as a metaphor for the divide the singer is feeling from their loved one. The singer then asks for a boat that will carry two and that they will both row, demonstrating the effort and sacrifice they are willing to put into their relationship.
In the second stanza, the singer is gathering flowers when they realize the power of love and the potential consequences it may have. The next stanza narrates how the singer leaned on someone they trusted, perhaps their lover, but like the oak tree, their partner broke their trust. The final stanza compares love to a jewel that loses its value with time and eventually fades away.
The lyrics of this song showcase the complexity of human emotions of love, trust, and heartbreak. In addition to its emotional depth, it is also a well-known traditional ballad performed by numerous artists, with its origins lost in time.
Line by Line Meaning
The water is wide, I cannot get o'er,
I am faced with an obstacle that seems insurmountable, and I do not have the means to overcome it.
And neither have I wings to fly.
I lack a solution that would enable me to overcome the obstacle easily without exerting much effort.
Give me a boat that will carry two,
I need help to cross over this obstacle, and I am willing to share the burden with someone else.
And both shall row, my love and I.
Together, we will work hard to overcome this obstacle, and our love will make the journey easier.
O, down in the meadows the other day,
I was happy and carefree, enjoying the simple pleasures of life.
A-gath'ring flowers both fine and gay,
I was picking beautiful flowers, savoring the joy of the moment.
A-gath'ring flowers both red and blue,
I was appreciating the colorful variety of the flowers, finding beauty in their diversity.
I little thought what love can do.
I was unaware of how love could transform my life and bring both joy and heartache.
I leaned my back against some oak
I believed that I had found something strong and reliable to support me.
Thinking that he was a trusty tree;
I trusted in this support and believed that it would always be there for me.
But first he bended, and then he broke,
To my surprise, this support proved to be weak and unreliable, and it let me down when I needed it most.
And so did my false love to me.
Similarly, someone I loved and trusted proved to be false and betrayed me.
A ship there is, and she sails the sea,
There are many things in the world that are vast and powerful, and that seem to offer incredible opportunities and adventures.
She's loaded deep as deep can be,
These things seem to be full of potential and promise, with limitless depth and possibility.
But not so deep as the love I'm in;
But none of these things can compare to the depth and intensity of the love that I feel.
I know not if I sink or swim.
I am unsure of what lies ahead, and I am uncertain whether this love will bring me joy or sorrow.
O, love is handsome and love is fine,
Love is beautiful, and it brings great pleasure and happiness.
And love's a jewel while it is new,
In the beginning, love is precious and valuable, like a shining jewel.
But when it is old, it groweth cold,
Over time, love can lose its luster and fade away, becoming less passionate and less intense.
And fades away like morning dew
Like the morning dew that evaporates with the rising sun, love can vanish without much warning or explanation.
Lyrics © IMAGEM U.S. LLC
Written by: BENJAMIN BRITTEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind