Speak Low
Al Cohn Lyrics
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Our summer day withers away
Too soon, too soon.
Speak low when you speak, love,
Our moment is swift, like ships adrift,
We're swept apart too soon.
Speak low, darling speak low,
Love is a spark lost in the dark,
Too soon, too soon,
I feel wherever I go
That tomorrow is near, tomorrow is here
And always too soon.
Time is so old and love so brief,
Love is pure gold and time a thief.
We're late darling, we're late,
The curtain descends, ev'rything ends
Too soon, too soon,
I wait darling, I wait
Will you speak low to me,
Speak love to me and soon.
The lyrics to Al Cohn's song "Speak Low" are an intimate plea to a lover to speak softly, as time and the fleeting nature of love loom large. The first two stanzas set the scene of a summer day passing too quickly and a moment shared that feels like ships drifting apart. The chorus repeats this idea of speaking low, with the added metaphor of love as a spark lost in the dark. The second half of the song reflects on the brevity of love and the inevitability of time's theft, with the curtain of mortality drawing nearer too soon. The singer begs their lover to speak low and speak love before it's too late.
Overall, the lyrics are a meditation on the transient nature of life and the importance of cherishing moments with loved ones while they last. The repetition of "too soon" throughout the song emphasizes the sense of urgency and impending loss, while the gentle melody and phrasing emphasize the tenderness and vulnerability of the singer's emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
Speak low when you speak, love,
Lower your voice when expressing love to me, for the time we have together is fading away too quickly.
Our summer day withers away
The season of our love is coming to an end and fading away.
Too soon, too soon.
Our love was brief and ending too soon.
Our moment is swift, like ships adrift,
Our moment together is fleeting, as we are like ships lost and drifting away from each other.
We're swept apart too soon.
Our love has ended too quickly, causing us to be separated from each other.
Speak low, darling speak low,
Speak quietly, my love, for our relationship is brief and fragile.
Love is a spark lost in the dark,
Love is brief and can disappear all too quickly, like a spark that is lost in the darkness.
Too soon, too soon,
Our love was too brief and ended too quickly.
I feel wherever I go
No matter where I go, I always feel the presence of time, reminding me that our love was temporary.
That tomorrow is near, tomorrow is here
The future is always approaching and is already present, indicating that the end of our love will come soon.
And always too soon.
No matter what, our love would always come to an end unexpectedly and too soon.
Time is so old and love so brief,
Time is infinite and ancient, while love is short and fleeting by comparison.
Love is pure gold and time a thief.
Our love is valuable and beautiful, but time has stolen it away.
We're late darling, we're late,
Our love was delayed, and we do not have much time left together.
The curtain descends, ev'rything ends
The show is coming to an end, and everything, including our love, will soon come to a close.
Too soon, too soon,
Our love was ending too quickly, and we did not have enough time together.
I wait darling, I wait
I will wait for you, my love, even though our time together is short.
Will you speak low to me,
Can you please speak quietly to me, so that we can cherish our time together?
Speak love to me and soon.
Express your love for me soon, as our time together is coming to an end.
Lyrics © Music Hub O/B/O GEMA, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Kurt Weill, Ogden Nash
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind