Lush Life
ジョン・コルトレーン & Johnny Hartman Lyrics
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Those come-what-may places
Where one relaxes on the axis of the wheel of life
To get the feel of life from jazz and cocktails
The girls I knew had sad and sullen gray faces
With distinguish traces that used to be there
You could see where they'd been washed away
Then you came along with your siren song
To tempt me to madness
I thought for awhile that your poignant smile
Was tinged with the sadness of a great love for me
Ah, yes, I was wrong, again, I was wrong
Life is lonely again and only last year
Everything seemed so sure
Now life is awful again a trough full of hearts
Could only be a bore
A week in Paris could ease the bite of it
All I care is to smile in spite of it
I'll forget you, I will while yet you are still
Burning inside my brain
Romance is mush stifling those who strive
I'll live a lush life in some small dive
And there I'll be while I rot with the rest
Of those whose lives are lonely too
Romance is mush stifling those who strive
I'll live a lush life in some small dive
And there I'll be while I rot with the rest
Of those whose lives are lonely too
The lyrics of "Lush Life" by ジョン・コルトレーン & Johnny Hartman describe a life of decadence and indulgence in which the singer has previously been accustomed. The singer used to frequent all of the "very gay places" which allowed them to escape the monotony of life and "get the feel of life" from the jazz music and cocktails. The girls the singer knew also frequented these places, but their faces showed the toll that too much indulgence had taken on their lives. The singer then meets someone who seduces them with their siren song, leading the singer to believe that their love for them was great. However, the singer realizes that they were wrong and that life is lonely again. Despite this, the singer only cares to smile in spite of the pain and forget this person.
In the final verse, the singer concludes that romance is mush and stifles those who strive for more. Instead, they will live a lush life in some small dive and be amongst others whose lives are just as lonely as theirs. The song describes the singer's search for meaning and happiness which ultimately leads him to realize that true happiness cannot be found in indulging oneself in a life of decadence.
Line by Line Meaning
I used to visit all the very gay places
I used to frequent places where people would come and go without any care, just living life as it comes
Those come-what-may places
Those places where you could find anyone, anytime, no matter the circumstance
Where one relaxes on the axis of the wheel of life
Where one can sit back and enjoy life, finding balance and comfort amidst the chaos
To get the feel of life from jazz and cocktails
To have a taste of what life truly is, through the sounds of jazz and the taste of cocktails
The girls I knew had sad and sullen gray faces
The women I knew had a dull, unhappy look about them
With distinguish traces that used to be there
These women had something special about them that was not present anymore
You could see where they'd been washed away
The traces of happiness on their faces had faded and washed away
By too many through the day, twelve O'clock tales
Their joy had been worn out by too many meaningless stories and caustic experiences
Then you came along with your siren song
Then you arrived with your mesmerizing allure and your captivating voice
To tempt me to madness
To drive me wild and insane with desire
I thought for awhile that your poignant smile
For a moment, I believed that your meaningful smile
Was tinged with the sadness of a great love for me
Was steeped with the sorrow and love that only a great love can bring
Ah, yes, I was wrong, again, I was wrong
But alas, I was incorrect, just as I have been before
Life is lonely again and only last year
Life has become solitary once again, and this change was sudden, only a year after everything seemed right
Everything seemed so sure
Everything used to be so certain and secure
Now life is awful again a trough full of hearts
Now, life is horrible again and filled with empty, broken hearts
Could only be a bore
Life feels mundane and tedious
A week in Paris could ease the bite of it
A short trip to Paris could ease the pain of this monotonous life
All I care is to smile in spite of it
All I want now is to keep up appearances and smile, even in the face of this dull existence
I'll forget you, I will while yet you are still
I will forget about you, even while you still linger on in my mind
Burning inside my brain
Your memory still haunts me, even now
Romance is mush stifling those who strive
Romance and love can be suffocating for those who are ambitious and trying to succeed
I'll live a lush life in some small dive
I will live a life of indulgence in a shabby little bar
And there I'll be while I rot with the rest
And there I will remain, alongside the others who have given up on life
Of those whose lives are lonely too
Of the many who live in solitude, lost and alone
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Billy Strayhorn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Valérie G
I used to visit all the very gay places
Those come-what-may places
Where one relaxes on the axis
Of the wheel of life
To get the feel of life
From jazz and cocktails
The girls I knew had sad and sullen gray faces
With distingué traces
That used to be there
You could see where
They'd been washed away
By too many through the day
Twelve o'clock tales
Then you came along
With your siren song
To tempt me to madness
I thought for awhile
That your poignant smile
Was tinged with the sadness
Of a great love for me
Ah, yes, I was wrong
Again, I was wrong
Life is lonely again
And only last year everything seemed so sure
Now life is awful again
A troughful of hearts could only be a bore
A week in Paris will ease the bite of it
All I care is to smile in spite of it
I'll forget you I will
While yet you are still
Burning inside my brain
Romance is mush
Stifling those who strive
I'll live a lush life
In some small dive
And there I'll be
While I rot with the rest
Of those whose lives are lonely, too
limestonegoth
Johnny Hartman is my favorite vocalist from that era. So good.
Michael Lisinski
My favourite version of this, by far.
Henry Sadowski
Johnny Hartman should have been declared a national treasure!!!
ajde Decty
Trane at his best and Hartman what can say ! A Gift From God!
Valérie G
"J'étais un(e) habitué(e) de ces lieux de plaisir
où l'on vient s'étourdir
en bavardant de tout de rien sans aucun préambule
avec des inconnus, autres noctambules..
Visages sophistiqués, rencontres éphémères
aventures passagères,
regards cernés, rouges effacés
cruels témoins des nuits
noyées d'un peu trop d'alcool
autour de minuit.
Mais tu es venu(e) et toi tu as su
me plaire et m'envouter
ton charme rêveur, tes mots enchanteurs
présageaient le bonheur
d'une éternelle passion..
cruelle déception, trop belle illusion..
Seul(e) à nouveau je traîne
sans joie et sans haine
mon rêve abandonné
Maintenant plus rien n'est pareil
l'amour de la veille
a goût de fleurs fânées.
Un train dans la nuit
emporte mon ennui
peu importe où je vais chercher l'oubli
Seul(e) au hasard des bars, j'offre mon chagrin
au tourbillon mondain..
Page tournée, cendres du passé,
en moi pourtant, rien n'est effacé,
et je suivrais, sur la route sans lumière,
tous ceux dont l'âme est solitaire.."
paroles traduction "Tourbillon mondain" par Elizabeth Caumont
Valérie G
Lyrics: Billy Strayhorn