“Without Love (There is Nothing)” by Cole Porter
sung by Ray Charles (Click here to listen)
I awakened this morning, I was filled with despair
All my dreams turned to ashes and gone, oh yeah
As I looked at my life it was barren and bare
Without love I’ve had nothing at all
Without love I’ve had nothing
Without love I’ve had nothing at all
I have conquered the world
All but one thing did I have
Without love I’ve had nothing at all
Once I had a sweetheart who loved only me
There was nothing, oh that she would not give, oh no
But I was blind to her goodness and I could not see
That a heart without love cannot live
Without love I’ve had nothing
Without love I’ve had nothing at all
I have conquered the world
All but one thing did I have
Without love I’ve had nothing at all
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Cole Porter
Without Love (There is Nothing) lyrics
© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music
COMMENTS ON PREVIOUS SELECTION – “River of Dreams”
In addition to the reference to water as the means to the Divine through the unconscious (see comments on “The Ark” [no.1] and “Sailing” [no. 39 ]), we find here another common mythic device: the expression of the goal as something that was lost, even though it has not yet existed. We first encounter this in the Bible in the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden,(Genesis 3) where ‘life’ and fulfilment seem to be things that were ‘lost’ in the ‘Fall’ when Adam and Eve were expelled from Paradise because of their disobedience. Though the way back is impossibly well-guarded with flaming swords; nevertheless, the door is left open to return. Similarly, the words of the song speak of something ‘sacred’ that has been ‘lost’, presumably on the other side a the river that is impassibly wide. The journey back is attempted in the writer’s dreams, which is another vehicle in which to journey the unconscious mind.