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 mio babbino caro
Sarah Brightman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mi piace è bello, bello
Vo' andare in Porta Rossa
A comperar l'anello
Sì, sì, ci voglio andare
E se l'amassi invano
Andrei sul Ponte Vecchio
Ma per buttarmi in Arno
O Dio, vorrei morir
Babbo, pietà, pietà
Babbo, pietà, pietà
The lyrics to Sarah Brightman's rendition of "O Mio Babbino Caro" tell the story of a young woman who longs for her father's approval and permission to marry the man she loves. She sings, "Oh my dear daddy, I like him so much, I want to go to Porta Rossa to buy the ring. Yes, yes, I want to go there, and if my love were in vain, I would go to Ponte Vecchio and throw myself into the Arno. I am dying, I am tormented, oh God, I want to die. Father, have mercy, have mercy." The song speaks to the universal experience of young people seeking the approval of their parents and the pain they feel when that approval is denied.
The use of the Italian language adds to the emotional intensity of the song, as the melody is expressive and mournful, evoking feelings of anguish and desperation. Brightman's rendition is particularly haunting and powerful, with her soaring soprano voice adding a sense of urgency and yearning to the lyrics. In all, "O Mio Babbino Caro" is a beautiful, moving tribute to the power of love and the lengths people will go to in order to be together.
Line by Line Meaning
O mio babbino caro
Oh my dear father
Mi piace è bello, bello
I am in love and it is beautiful, beautiful
Vo' andare in Porta Rossa
I want to go to Porta Rossa
A comperar l'anello
To buy the ring
Sì, sì, ci voglio andare
Yes, yes, I want to go there
E se l'amassi invano
And if my love is in vain
Andrei sul Ponte Vecchio
I would go to Ponte Vecchio
Ma per buttarmi in Arno
But to throw myself in the Arno
Mi struggo e mi tormento
I am tormented and I suffer
O Dio, vorrei morir
Oh God, I wish to die
Babbo, pietà, pietà
Father, have pity, have pity
Babbo, pietà, pietà
Father, have pity, have pity
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: GIOVACCHINO FORZANO, GIACOMO ANTONIO PUCCINI, FRANK PETERSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind