Music's Power to Heal

Celine Dion singing "Hymne A L'Amour" & Luciano Pavarotti singing "Nessun Dorma"

Celine Dion, the “Ambassador of Love,” called the “gold medal vocalist” of the 2024 Olympic Games, gave a breathtaking performance of “Hymn of Love” last night at the Eiffel Tower in the rain. It was the closing performance of an entire evening of amazing, next-level performances up and down the Seine River as part of the Opening Ceremonies in Paris (performance begins at minute 1:17). Kudos, Celine Dion!

The music is incredibly moving, but I wish the words were more in line with love. Love does not lower itself to the dictates of others because the love is within us. The other person merely draws it out and helps it to grow. And love is everywhere to be found, including in nature and the stars in the sky. God is love.

Hymne A L'Amour, Song by Édith Piaf

Lyrics (English & French)

The blue sky over us may fall
Le ciel bleu sur nous peut s'effondrer

And the Earth may well collapse
Et la Terre peut bien s'écrouler

I don't care as long as you love me
Peu m'importe si tu m'aimes

I do not care about the whole world
Je me fous du monde entier

As long as love floods my mornings
Tant qu'l'amour innondera mes matins

As long as my body quivers under your hands
Tant qu'mon corps frémira sous tes mains

I don't care about problems
Peu m'importe les problèmes

My love, since you love me
Mon amour, puisque tu m'aimes

I would go to the end of the world
J'irais jusqu'au bout du monde

I would dye my hair blonde
Je me ferais teindre en blonde

If you asked me
Si tu me le demandais

I would go unhook the moon
J'irais décrocher la Lune

I would go steal a fortune
J'irais voler la fortune

If you asked me
Si tu me le demandais

I would deny my homeland
Je renierais ma patrie

I would deny my friends
Je renierais mes amis

If you asked me
Si tu me le demandais

You can laugh at me
On peut bien rire de moi

I would do anything
Je ferais n'importe quoi

If you asked me
Si tu me le demandais

If one day life tears you away from me
Si un jour, la vie t'arrache à moi

If you die, and are far from me
Si tu meurs, que tu sois loin de moi

I don't care as long as you love me
Peu m'importe si tu m'aimes

Because I would die too
Car moi je mourrais aussi

We will have all of eternity
Nous aurons pour nous l'éternité

In the blue immensity
Dans le bleu de toute l'immensité

In the sky, no more problems
Dans le ciel, plus de problème

My love, do you think we love each other?
Mon amour, crois-tu qu'on s'aime?

God unites those who love each other
Dieu réunit ceux qui s'aiment

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Another equally beautiful song about the invincibility love endows is the aria “Nessun Dorma” (No One Sleeps) the high point of Puccini’s only opera set in Japan, “Turandot.”

Nessun dorma, Aria by Giacomo Puccini

Lyrics (English & Italian)

Nobody sleeps
Nessun dorma

Nobody sleeps
Nessun dorma

You too, or Princess
Tu pure, o Principessa

In your cold room
Nella tua fredda stanza

Look at the stars
Guardi le stelle

Who tremble with love
Che tremano d'amore

And of hope
E di speranza

But my mystery is closed within me
Ma il mio mistero è chiuso in me

No one will know my name, no, no
Il nome mio nessun saprà, no, no

In your mouth I will say it
Sulla tua bocca lo dirò

When the light shines
Quando la luce splenderà

And my kiss will melt
Ed il mio bacio scioglierà

The silence that makes you mine
Il silenzio che ti fa mia

(No one will know his name
(Il nome suo nessun saprà

And we must, alas, die, die)
E noi dovrem, ahimè, morir, morir)

Disappear, oh night
Dilegua, o notte

Set, stars
Tramontate, stelle

Set, stars
Tramontate, stelle

I'll win at dawn
All'alba vincerò

I will win, I will win
Vincerò, Vincerò

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Today’s gemstone expands happiness and joy:

Rainforest Jasper