Dame Shirley Veronica Bassey, (born January 8, 1937), is a Welsh singer, pe… Read Full Bio ↴Dame Shirley Veronica Bassey, (born January 8, 1937), is a Welsh singer, perhaps best-known for performing the theme songs to the James Bond films Goldfinger (1964), Diamonds Are Forever (1971), and Moonraker (1979). She is the only singer to have recorded more than one James Bond theme song.

She now resides in Monaco and has recently sold her London apartment. Many of its furnishings were auctioned for charity. Two very popular 'Audiences With Shirley Bassey' have aired on British TV, the most recent being in March 2006.

In 2006, UK retailer Marks and Spencer hired Bassey for their Christmas advertising campaign, with Dame Shirley singing a cover of P!nk's 'Get the Party Started'.

In late 2009 Bassey released 'The Performance' her first studio album for two decades, which was released in a maelstrom of anticipation. Still popular well into one of the longest and most illustrious musical careers in British and indeed international history, Bassey is considered by Brits to be a national treasure.

If we only have love
Shirley Bassey Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

If we only have love
Then tomorrow will dawn
And the days of our years
Will rise on that morn

If we only have love
To embrace without fears
We will kiss with our eyes

We will sleep without tears

If we only have love
With our arms open wide
Then the young and the old
Will stand at our side

If we only have love
Love that's falling like rain
Then the parched desert earth
Will grow green again

If we only have love
For the hymn that we shout
For the song that we sing
Then we'll have a way out

If we only have love
We can reach those in pain
We can heal all our wounds
We can use our own names

If we only have love
We can melt all the guns
And then give the new world
To our daughters and sons

If we only have love
Then Jerusalem stands
And then death has no shadow
There are no foreign lands

If we only have love
We will never bow down
We'll be tall as the pines
Neither heroes nor clowns

If we only have love
Then we'll only be men
And we'll drink from the Grail
To be born once again

Then with nothing at all
But the little we are

We'll have conquered all time
All space, the sun, and the stars

Overall Meaning

The song begins with a powerful message that love can bring about a new dawn and brighter days to come. The lyrics express that love can be the solution to all our problems and fears, and with it, we can embrace each other without feeling any sense of threat. With love, we can sleep peacefully without shedding a tear, and with open arms, both young and old will stand together at our side.

Continuing with the theme of love being the answer to all, the song suggests that if there is only love, then even the dry and barren land will become green again, and death will not hold any power over us. The only thing we need is love that pours down like rain, a love that we carry within us and manifests through our hymns and songs. This love will enable us to reach out to those in pain, heal our wounds, and live in harmony without any conflict.

The song concludes by stating that if we only have love, we need nothing else. Love will help us conquer all that the universe holds, and we'll be born again. With just a little bit of love, we can be better people, drink from the mythical Grail, and conquer time, space, the sun, and stars.

Line by Line Meaning

If we only have love
Love is the only thing we need

Then tomorrow will dawn
If we have love, there will always be hope

And the days of our years
Our lives will be filled with love

Will rise on that morn
Love brings new beginnings

To embrace without fears
Love allows us to be vulnerable without worry

We will kiss with our eyes
Love allows us to see beyond physical attraction

We will sleep without tears
Love brings comfort and peace of mind

With our arms open wide
Love is all-inclusive

Then the young and the old
Love knows no age

Will stand at our side
Love brings us together

Love that's falling like rain
Love is constant and abundant

Then the parched desert earth
Love can revive even the most hopeless situation

Will grow green again
Love brings life and vitality

For the hymn that we shout
Love can be expressed through song and prayer

For the song that we sing
Love can be expressed through art and creativity

Then we'll have a way out
Love can provide a path to freedom

We can reach those in pain
Love is a powerful tool for healing

We can heal all our wounds
Love can mend broken hearts and emotional pain

We can use our own names
Love allows us to embrace our true selves

We can melt all the guns
Love can bring an end to violence and conflict

And then give the new world
Love can create a better future

To our daughters and sons
Love can be passed down to future generations

Then Jerusalem stands
Love can bring peace to even the most divided places

And then death has no shadow
Love can conquer even the fear of death

There are no foreign lands
Love removes barriers and brings us together

We will never bow down
Love gives us strength and independence

We'll be tall as the pines
Love brings us confidence and stature

Neither heroes nor clowns
Love allows us to be ourselves, without the need for pretense

Then we'll only be men
Love allows us to be fully human

And we'll drink from the Grail
Love can provide a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction

To be born once again
Love can bring us new life and new beginnings

But the little we are
Love requires nothing but our true selves

We'll have conquered all time
Love transcends time and brings us eternal joy

All space, the sun, and the stars
Love encompasses all of creation

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ERIC BLAU, MORT SHUMAN, JACQUES ROMAN BREL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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