I try to keep you out of my heart
But somehow I find
Trying to keep you out of my heart
I'm out of my mind
I tell myself "I'm through with you
And I'll having nothing more to do with you"
I stay away, but every day
I'm just foolin myself

Tell my friends that I don't care
I shrug my shoulders at the whole affair
But all know it isn't so
I'm just foolin myself

And every time I pass
And see my face in a looking glass
I tip my hat and say
"How do you do, you fool
You're trowing your life away"
I'm acting gay
I'm acting proud
And every time I see you in a crowd
I may pretend
But in the end
I'm just fooling myself

Overall Meaning

In Billie Holiday’s song “Foolin’ Myself,” the singer tries to convince themselves that they are over a past love and that they are moving on. However, they soon realize that they are not as over this person as they thought they were. They try to keep this person out of their heart but in doing so, they feel like they are out of their mind. The singer tells themselves and their friends that they do not care about this person anymore, but deep down they know that they are just fooling themselves. Every time they see their reflection in the mirror or see their former love in a crowd, they try to act happy and proud, but in the end, they are just lying to themselves.

This song is a reflection on the experience of heartache and how hard it can be to move on from a past love, regardless of how much one tries. The repetition of the line “I’m just foolin’ myself” emphasizes this point and highlights how the singer feels trapped in their own emotions. The use of a looking glass also symbolizes how the singer is trying to reflect and analyze their own thoughts and feelings, but still cannot come to terms with what they truly want.

Line by Line Meaning

I try to keep you out of my heart
I attempt to keep thoughts of you from entering my heart and mind

But somehow I find
Despite my efforts, my thoughts return to you

Trying to keep you out of my heart
I am struggling to resist the pull of my feelings for you

I'm out of my mind
I am beyond rational thought when it comes to you

I tell myself "I'm through with you
I attempt to convince myself that I am done with you

And I'll having nothing more to do with you"
I am trying to convince myself that I can move on completely from you

I stay away, but every day
I avoid you, but thoughts of you persist

I'm just foolin myself
I am deluding myself that I can truly move on from you

Tell my friends that I don't care
I try to convince others that I am not affected by my feelings for you

I shrug my shoulders at the whole affair
I downplay the significance of my emotions towards you

But all know it isn't so
Everyone is aware that I am lying to myself and others

And every time I pass
Whenever I cross paths with you

And see my face in a looking glass
Whenever I see my reflection

I tip my hat and say
I put on a façade of politeness and indifference

"How do you do, you fool
I acknowledge my own foolishness in continuing to be drawn to you

You're trowing your life away"
I recognize that I am potentially harming myself by continuing to pursue you

I'm acting gay
I am trying to appear happy and carefree

I'm acting proud
I am pretending to be unbothered and aloof

And every time I see you in a crowd
Whenever I spot you among a group of people

I may pretend
I put on a show of indifference

But in the end
Ultimately

I'm just fooling myself
I am still deluding myself about my true feelings for you

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CARLIN AMERICA INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JACK LAWRENCE, PETER TINTURIN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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