How Insensitive
Antonio Carlos Jobim; Frank Sinatra Lyrics


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How insensitive
I must have seemed
When she told me that he loved me
How unmoved and cold
I must have seemed
When she told me so sincerely
Why she must have asked
Did I just turn and stare in icy silence
What was I to say
What can you say when a love affair is over

Now she's gone away
And I'm alone with the memory of her last look
Vague and drawn and sad
I see it still
All her heartbreak in that last look
Why she must have asked
Did I just stare in icy silence




What was I to do
What can one do when a love affair is over

Overall Meaning

In Frank Sinatra's song How Insensitive, the singer reflects on a past love affair that ended badly. The lyrics suggest that the singer was emotionally unavailable during the relationship, and failed to respond to the love that his partner offered. As a result, she eventually broke up with him, leaving him with only memories of her last look, which he describes as "vague and drawn and sad." He acknowledges that his behavior was insensitive, and wonders what he could have said or done differently to salvage the relationship. Ultimately, he realizes that there may have been nothing he could have done to save it, and resigns himself to the fact that it is over and he must move on.


One of the interesting things about "How Insensitive" is that it was originally written in Portuguese by Antonio Carlos Jobim, under the title "Insensatez." Jobim was a pioneer of the bossa nova genre, and also wrote the well-known song "The Girl from Ipanema." Another interesting fact is that Sinatra's version of the song rearranged the structure of the verses, and added a spoken-word section in the middle in which he recites a translated version of the original Portuguese lyrics. This was likely done to make the song more accessible to an English-speaking audience.


Another interesting aspect of the song is the title itself, which can be interpreted in a few different ways. The word "insensitive" can refer to the singer's own emotional distance during the relationship, or to the cruelty of the way that love affairs often come to an end. It can also refer to the insensitivity of the natural world, which continues to change and move forward even as a person is left alone to nurse their broken heart.


Overall, "How Insensitive" is a poignant reflection on lost love and the difficulty of moving on. It captures the sense of regret and resignation that often accompanies the end of a relationship, while also acknowledging the complexity and ambiguity of human emotions.


Chords (source: Ultimate Guitar)
Verse:
Gm7 C7/9 F7+ Gm7
Gm7 C7/9 F7+ Gm7
Chorus:
Ebmaj7 C7 Gm Gm7+ F7 Bbmaj7 F7 Bbm
Ebmaj7 C7 Gm7/6 Gm7 C7/9 F7 Bbm6/7 Eº


Line by Line Meaning

How insensitive
I lacked sensitivity


I must have seemed
It is likely that I appeared


When she told me that she loved me
When she confessed her love for me


How unmoved and cold
I lacked an emotional response


I must have seemed
It is likely that I appeared


When she told me so sincerely
When she genuinely expressed her feelings


Why, she must have asked
She probably wondered


Did I just turn and stare in icy silence
If I simply gave her a silent and unemotional reaction


What was I to say
What were my options for a response


What can you say when a love affair is over
There are no words that can console someone at the end of a romantic relationship


Now she's gone away
She has left


And I'm alone with the memory of her last look
I am left with the recollection of her final expression


Vague and drawn and sad
It was unclear and depressing


I see it still
It remains in my mind


All her heartbreak in that last look
Her sorrow was conveyed in that final expression


Ah, porque você foi falso assim, assim tão desalmado
Oh, why were you so false and heartless?


What was I to do?
What could I have done


What can one do when a love affair is over?
No actions can repair a relationship that has ended.




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Antonio Carlos Jobim, Norman Gimbel, Vinicius De Moraes

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@arq.ignacioalaniz2772

How insensitive
I must have seemed
When she told me that she loved me
How unmoved and cold
I must have seemed
When she told me so sincerely
Why she must have asked
Did I just turn and stare in icy silence
What was I to say?
What can you say
When a love affair is over?

Now she's gone away
And I'm alone
With a memory of his last look
Vague and drawn and sad
I see it still
All the heartbreak in his last look
How she must have asked,
Did I just turn and stare in icy silence
What was I to say?
What can you say
When a love affair is over...



Read more: Diana Krall - How Insensitive Lyrics | MetroLyrics



@francescocirillo9063

How insensitive
I must have seemed
When she told me that he loved me
How unmoved and cold
I must have seemed
When she told me so sincerely
Why she must have asked
Did I just turn and stare in icy silence
What was I to say
What can you say when a love affair is over

Now she's gone away
And I'm alone with the memory of her last look
Vague and drawn and sad
I see it still
All her heartbreak in that last look
Why she must have asked
Did I just stare in icy silence
What was I to do
What can one do when a love affair is over



@sammie_schl

How insensitive
I must have seemed
When he told me that he loved me
How unmoved and cold
I must have seemed
When he told me so sincerely
Why he must have asked
Did I just turn and stare in icy silence
What was I to say
What can you say
When a love affair is over
Now he's gone away
And I'm alone
With a memory of his last look
Vague and drawn and sad
I see it still
All his heartbreak in his last look
Why, he must have asked
Could I just turn and stare in icy silence
What was I to do
What can one do
When a love affair is over, over



All comments from YouTube:

@rr7firefly

THE Voice in an incomparable pairing with the great Jobim. Those 1960s gave us an incredibly rich inventory of music in several genres, and Bossa Nova was definitely one of its very high points.

@danjasim

Viva a Bossa Nova! Viva Tom Jobim! Viva Sinatra!

@MarkBlackburnWPG

Well put -- in so few well chosen words. But then that's your style, Noe Berengena. Keep it up.

@rr7firefly

@@MarkBlackburnWPG Thanks for your complimentary comment. I love music that actually has a melody and intelligent lyrics. Sometimes at lunch with a friend the music playing at the food place (not always an actual restaurant) becomes an annoying distraction. That foul situation has reached a critical level. I think my preferences come from listening to classical music as a child and to my parents' great collection of the American song book. But I also listen to most music from the 1960s. (Bacharach!)

@Carmenetta

God bless Frank and Jobim , what a wonderful combination. Thank you for the beautiful music. ❤

@ecapessoa8191

Aplausos do Brasil
para MPB bem representada por Tom Jobim e o belo canto de Frank Sinatra!

@robbiereilly

Perfect. Rest in Peace, Norman Gimbel, who wrote the English language lyrics for this wonderful song.

@randallpmcmurphy7501

This is why I drink.

@tudoreluri

Sadness is beautiful!

@markhall5656

You are right but I have to listen so beautiful

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