In the evening
When the kettle's on for tea
An old familiar feeling's settles over me
And it's your face I see
And I believe that you are there

In a garden
When I topped to touch a rose
And feel the petal soft and sweet against my nose
I smile and I suppose
That somehow maybe you are there

When I'm dreaming
And I find myself awake without a warning
Then I rub my eyes and fantasize
And all at once I realize

It's morning
And my fantasy is fading like a distant star at dawn
My dearest dream is gone
I often think there's just one thing to do
Pretend that dream is true
And tell myself that you are there

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Stacey Kent's song "You Are There" describe the feeling of longing for someone who is no longer present in a person's life. The song talks about how this feeling is triggered by certain moments that bring back memories of the person. For instance, in the evening when the kettle is on for tea, the singer is reminded of the person they miss. Similarly, when the singer touches a rose in a garden, they remember the person's soft and sweet nature. These moments make the singer temporarily believe that the person is still there with them.

The song gains a sense of melancholy in the last verse when the singer talks about how they often pretend that their dream of being with the person is true. They tell themselves that the person is still there and try to hold on to that feeling for as long as possible. However, the fantasy is always fleeting, and the singer realizes that their dearest dream is gone. This bittersweet feeling of longing is captured beautifully through the delicate melody and the softness of Stacey Kent's voice.

Overall, the song "You Are There" is a beautiful ode to the idea of holding onto the memory of someone you love. It's a reminder that even though people may not physically be in our lives anymore, their love and memories continue to stay with us.

Line by Line Meaning

In the evening
At night time

When the kettle's on for tea
When it's tea time and I'm boiling the kettle

An old familiar feeling's settles over me
I feel a sense of comfort and nostalgia wash over me

And it's your face I see
I imagine your face in my mind's eye

And I believe that you are there
I convince myself that you are with me

In a garden
Outside, surrounded by nature

When I stop to touch a rose
When I pause to feel the soft petals of a rose

And feel the petal soft and sweet against my nose
And notice the gentle fragrance of the flower

I smile and I suppose
I feel a sense of happiness and assume

That somehow maybe you are there
That you might be with me in spirit

When I'm dreaming
In my sleep, in my dreams

And I find myself awake without a warning
And suddenly wake up without knowing why

Then I rub my eyes and fantasize
I try to shake off the sleep and imagine

And all at once I realize
And then suddenly understand

It's morning
That it is now daytime

And my fantasy is fading like a distant star at dawn
And my dream is slipping away like a star disappearing as the sun rises

My dearest dream is gone
The dream that meant the most to me is over

I often think there's just one thing to do
I frequently believe that I have only one option

Pretend that dream is true
To imagine that the dream actually happened

And tell myself that you are there
And convince myself that you were with me in the dream

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVID L. FRISHBERG, JOHNNY MANDEL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

puzzleclocks

14y↑3

This is an excellent rendition of one of my favorite Dave Frishberg songs. Unfortunately very few of his are on Youtube so thank you for sharing this. :)

Terry Anthony

6y↑2

I lost my wife three years ago and this hit me right in the heart! Thanks so much!

ExBuickRacer

12y↑3

I love the piano arrangement at 2:13...awesome.

Gary Brumburgh

5y↑2

So simple, so touching. Beautiful job. I am adding it to my jazz repertoire and will dedicate this to my gentle-hearted grandfather, Frank D. Howe, who died when I was 11. A profound loss as he was the ONLY kind and decent adult male figure in my life growing up. Thank you, Stacey.