101 Strings was an umbrella term for a highly successful easy listening sym… Read Full Bio ↴101 Strings was an umbrella term for a highly successful easy listening symphonic music organization, with a discography exceeding a hundred albums and a creative lifetime of roughly thirty years. Their LPs were individualized by the slogan "The Sound of Magnificence", a puffy cloud logo and sepia-toned photo of the orchestra. According to the photograph, the 101 Strings orchestra was composed of 124 string instruments (all male except for the harpist) and was conducted by Wilhelm Stephan. The orchestra's famous official photograph was taken in the Musikhalle Hamburg. In reality, of course, the recordings also featured a full brass, woodwind and percussion section, and not quite as many strings as are shown in the photograph. In later years (right up to the 80's), the recordings were made by a session orchestra in London, with a line-up including a modern "pop" rhythm section. In the late 1990's, the 101 Strings Orchestra was revived with "The New 101 Strings Orchestra" for a series of modern recordings.

But Not For Me
101 Strings Orchestra Lyrics

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Old man sunshine listen you
Never tell me dreams come true
Just try it and I'll start a riot
Beatrice Fairfax don't you dare
Ever tell me he will care
I'm certain it's the final curtain
I never want to hear from any cheerful Pollyannas
Who tell you fate supplies a mate

It's all bananas

They're writing songs of love but not for me
A lucky star's above but not for me
With love to lead the way I've found more clouds of gray
Than any Russian play could guarantee

I was a fool to fall and get that way
Hi-ho, alas, and also lack-a-day
Although I can't dismiss the memory of his kiss
I guess he's not for me

I was a fool to fall and get that way

Hi-ho, alas, and also lack-a-day
Although I can't dismiss the memory of his kiss

Overall Meaning

"But Not For Me" by 101 Strings is a melancholic song that depicts the pain of unrequited love. The singer of the song is frustrated with all the optimistic people around her, who say that dreams come true, and fate will eventually bring her a mate. She believes it's all nonsense and has lost hope of ever finding love. However, the real pain comes from being in love with someone who doesn't feel the same way. She remembers the times they spent together, the memory of his kiss still lingers, but she's aware that their love story is over, and he's never going to be hers. The singer is aware that love is not always guaranteed, and maybe it's just not meant for her.

The lyrics in the second verse of the song explain how the singer has found more clouds of gray than any Russian play could guarantee. This explains that even though she was in love, the pain of not being loved back has only brought sorrow to her life. The last two lines of the song reveal the depth of the pain, "I was a fool to fall and get that way. Hi-ho, alas, and also lack-a-day." The singer accepts her mistake of falling in love and the reality that the love she had hoped for will never come true.

Line by Line Meaning

Old man sunshine listen you
I am speaking to the character known as 'Old man sunshine,' who is an embodiment of optimism and good luck.

Never tell me dreams come true
Despite your optimistic nature, I refuse to believe that my dreams will come true.

Just try it and I'll start a riot
I am so convinced that my dreams will not come true that I will become violent if someone tries to convince me otherwise.

Beatrice Fairfax don't you dare
I am addressing the advice columnist 'Beatrice Fairfax,' and warning her not to offer me suggestions about finding love.

Ever tell me he will care
I do not want to hear any advice suggesting that someone will care for me romantically.

I'm certain it's the final curtain
I am certain that my chances of finding love are over.

I never want to hear from any cheerful Pollyannas
I do not want to hear any cheerful, overly optimistic people suggesting that fate will lead me to a mate.

Who tell you fate supplies a mate
I do not believe that fate controls who I end up with romantically.

It's all bananas
I believe that those who suggest fate or luck plays a role in finding love are full of nonsense.

They're writing songs of love but not for me
Others may be writing songs about love, but I do not think they apply to me.

A lucky star's above but not for me
Others may believe in the concept of luck and good fortune, but I do not think it applies to me.

With love to lead the way I've found more clouds of gray
Even when I have pursued love, I have found more disappointment and sadness than anything else.

Than any Russian play could guarantee
Even the most tragic works of Russian drama cannot compare to the disappointment I have experienced in my love life.

I was a fool to fall and get that way
I regret ever allowing myself to fall in love and be vulnerable to heartbreak.

Hi-ho, alas, and also lack-a-day
I express my melancholy attitude towards love.

Although I can't dismiss the memory of his kiss
Despite everything, I cannot forget the memory of a kiss from someone I loved.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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