Shepp was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on May 24th, 1937, but raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he studied piano, clarinet and alto saxophone before focusing on tenor saxophone (he occasionally plays soprano saxophone). He is best known for his passionately Afrocentric music of the late sixties which focused on highlighting the injustices faced by people of African descent. He is also known for his 60's work with the New York Contemporary Five with co-founder Don Cherry and Shepp's collaborations with his "New Thing" contemporaries, most notably Cecil Taylor and John Coltrane, but also Roswell Rudd and Bobby Hutcherson.
Considered a jazz great, saxophonist Archie Shepp recorded albums like Poem For Malcolm and Live in Antibes for labels like Verve and Impulse. He was active in academia at SUNY Buffalo as a professor of African American Studies and the University of Massachusetts Amherst as a professor of music. He played with other notable musical radicals including Frank Zappa and provided the musical score to the movie Gotta Dance and is featured on the 1984 Wilebski's Blues Saloon Festival DVD.
In A Sentimental Mood
Archie Shepp Lyrics
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I can see the stars come thru my room
While your loving attitude
Is like a flame that lights the gloom
On the wings of ev'ry kiss
Drift a melody so strange and sweet
In this sentimental bliss you make my
Paradise complete
It's all like a dream to call you mine
My heart's lighter thing
Since you made me this night a thing divine
In A Sentimental Mood
I'm within a world so heavenly
For I never dreamt
That you'd be loving sentimental me
In A Sentimental Mood
I can see the stars come thru my room
While your loving attitude
Is like a flame that lights the gloom
On the wings of ev'ry kiss
Drift a melody so strange and sweet
In this sentimental bliss you make my
Paradise complete
Rose pearls seem to fall
It's all like a dream to call you mine
My heart's lighter thing
Since you made me this night a thing divine
In A Sentimental Mood
I'm within a world so heavenly
For I never dreamt
That you'd be loving sentimental me
The song "In A Sentimental Mood" by Archie Shepp is a beautiful composition that exudes a sense of romantic bliss. The lyrics depict a lover who is overwhelmed by emotions of happiness and contentment in the presence of their partner. The opening lines "I can see the stars come thru my room, While your loving attitude is like a flame that lights the gloom," highlights the ethereal aura that encompasses the lovers. The stars coming through the windows represent the intimacy and vulnerability between the two partners. The presence of the lover provides a glow that illuminates the room in which they are present.
As the song progresses, the lyrics become more poetic, and the romanticism deepens. The lovers' kisses are compared to melodies that are sweet and strange, which captures the feeling of unexpected love. The chorus, "Rose pearls seem to fall, it's all like a dream to call you mine, my heart's lighter thing since you made me this night a thing divine," encapsulates the euphoric feeling of completeness felt by the singer in the presence of their loved one. The romantic connection between the two is described as a paradise that is now complete.
Overall, "In A Sentimental Mood" is a timeless love song that paints a beautiful picture of two lovers bonded together. The poetic nature of the lyrics captures the emotions, and the smooth melody of the song complements the theme of the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
In A Sentimental Mood
The singer is currently feeling very sentimental
I can see the stars come thru my room
The singer can see stars shining through their window, giving them feelings of wonder and amazement
While your loving attitude is like a flame that lights the gloom
The attitude of the singer's love interest is like a light in the darkness, bringing happiness and joy to the singer's life
On the wings of ev'ry kiss, drift a melody so strange and sweet
Every kiss that the artist and their love interest share seems to carry a sweet, melodious feeling unlike any other
In this sentimental bliss you make my paradise complete
The happiness and emotions that the artist feels around their love interest make their life feel complete and fulfilling
Rose pearls seem to fall, it's all like a dream to call you mine
The love that the singer feels for their partner feels surreal and dreamlike, filled with beauty and wonder
My heart's lighter thing since you made me this night a thing divine
The love that the singer and their partner share makes them feel divine and blessed, filling their heart with lightness and joy
I'm within a world so heavenly
The love and emotions that the artist feels make their world feel like a heavenly paradise
For I never dreamt that you'd be loving sentimental me
The artist never thought they would be lucky enough to find someone who would love and appreciate them in such a sentimental way
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Tratore
Written by: Duke Ellington, Irving Mills, Manny Kurtz
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind