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.
my foolish heart
Archie Shepp Lyrics
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They don't know
Then I don't stand up
The night is like a lovely tune
Take care my foolish heart
How white the ever constant moon
Beware my foolish heart
There's a line between love and fascination
That can be seen to see, on an evening such as this
For they both have the very same sensation
When you're locked in the magic of a kiss
Her lips are much too close to mine
Beware my foolish heart
But should our eager lips combine
Then let the fire start
For this time it isn't fascination
Or a dream that will fade and fall apart
It's love, this time it's love
My foolish heart
De-de-de-de-de-re-de-de
Her lips are much too close to mine
Beware my foolish heart
But should our eager lips combine
Then let the fire start
For this time it isn't fascination
Or a dream that will fade and fall apart
It's love, this time it's love
My foolish heart
In Archie Shepp's rendition of "My Foolish Heart," he portrays the feeling of being helplessly bewitched by someone to the point of losing control of one's emotions. The night acts as a metaphor for this fixation being like a lovely tune, which can easily lull someone into a state of vulnerability. Shepp repeatedly warns to "Beware" of his foolish heart while also acknowledging the difficulty in identifying the line between love and fascination. The moon, a constant and reliable object in the night sky, is used to illustrate the difference between this potential love and the transience of a temporary obsession.
The lyrics suggest the possibility of the thrill of the moment being insufficient and potentially leading to heartache; however, Shepp demonstrates that the promise of passionate love ultimately outweighs the danger. The reference to the "magic of a kiss" denotes a transformative experience between two people, with the resulting sensation being so intense that it can be hard to differentiate from simple fascination. The final lines of the song suggest that this time around, Shepp is genuinely and unapologetically in love, with his heart becoming foolish in the face of his infatuation.
Overall, "My Foolish Heart" is a song that embodies the siren call of love, urging one to revel in the possibilities - as well as the risks - of opening oneself up to the allure of another person.
Line by Line Meaning
The night is like a lovely tune
The night is peaceful and charming like a melody.
Beware my foolish heart
Be cautious of my easily influenced heart.
How white the ever constant moon
The full moon is bright and constant, never fading.
Take care my foolish heart
My easily swayed heart needs protection despite the constant moon's beauty.
There's a line between love and fascination
It's tough to differentiate between love and infatuation.
That's hard to see, how many names such as this
The boundary is unclear and both emotions share multiple similarities.
For they both have the very same sensation
Both love and infatuation can trigger intense feelings within a person.
When you're locked in the magic of a kiss
Being caught up in the moment of a kiss can create a powerful illusion of love.
Her lips are much too close to mine
Her kiss is arousing and too close to my own.
But should our eager lips combine
If we do kiss, my passion will ignite.
Then let the fire start
The heat of passion and love will ignite once our lips join in union.
For this time it isn't fascination
This intensity and desire isn't merely infatuation.
Or a dream that will fade and fall apart
It's not just a fleeting fantasy, but a deep and enduring love.
It's love, this time it's love
This time, my foolish heart has fallen in true love.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Ned Washington, Victor Young
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind