Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
Artie Shaw & Artie Shaw and His Gramercy Five Lyrics
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I of course replied "something here inside cannot be denied"
They said "someday you'll find all who love are blind"
When your heart's on fire, you must realize smoke gets in your eyes
So I chaffed them and I gaily laughed to think they could doubt my love
Yet today my love has flown away, I am without my love
Now laughing friends deride tears I cannot hide
(Smoke gets in your eyes, smoke gets in your eyes)
Smoke-gets-in-your-eyes
The song "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" by Artie Shaw & Artie Shaw and His Gramercy Five's talks about the nature of love and how it can be blind. The opening lyrics describe how the singer replies when asked how they knew their true love was true. The response is that there is something inside that cannot be denied. Then, the lyrics continue by describing how people have said that someday the singer will realize that all who love are blind. However, it is clear that the singer is presently in love and can feel their heart on fire. They must also realize that smoke gets in your eyes (meaning that they must be cautious and aware of the potential pitfalls that can come with being in love).
The lyrics take a turn when the singer describes how their love has flown away and they are now without their love. The friends who once laughed with the singer are now deriding them and they cannot hide their tears. The singer is left to smile and say that when a lovely flame dies, smoke gets in your eyes. This line serves to remind the singer (and the listener) that even when love fades away, the memories and emotions associated with it can still linger and cause pain.
Line by Line Meaning
They asked me how I knew my true love was true
They inquired how I could be certain that my love was genuine
I of course replied "something here inside cannot be denied"
I answered that I instinctively felt a passion that could not be disregarded
They said "someday you'll find all who love are blind"
They warned that eventually I would learn that those who are in love cannot see clearly
When your heart's on fire, you must realize smoke gets in your eyes
If your heart is consumed with passion, you should recognize that it can blur your perception
So I chaffed them and I gaily laughed to think they could doubt my love
I teased them and laughed joyfully at the thought that they could question my love
Yet today my love has flown away, I am without my love
However, today my love has left me and I am alone and without it
Now laughing friends deride tears I cannot hide
Now my friends mock me when they see me crying without being able to hide my sadness
So I smile and say "when a lovely flame dies, smoke gets in your eyes"
So I pretend to be cheerful and explain that when a beautiful passion fades, it can cloud your vision
(Smoke gets in your eyes, smoke gets in your eyes)
The repeated lyrics emphasize the metaphor of smoke getting in your eyes when your heart is on fire
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: OTTO HARBACH, JEROME KERN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@zaettav
Marvelous
@jonnynguyen6246
I don't think I've ever heard jazz harpsichord before.
@anachi63
It is!
@Merlin_Price
Shaw was a master blaster. This track can lift despondent people out of deep existential dread. That's good art.
@20alphabet
Beautiful
@eliasstenman3710
Truly
@Trombonology
Though the second edition of Artie's Gramercy Five -- featuring Roy Eldridge, Dodo Marmarosa and Barney Kessel -- came from my all-time favorite period for his orchestra, '44-'45, it's this original version of his band-within-a-band that I like best. I guess it's Johnny Guarnieri's harpsichord that gets me. Guarnieri revealed that when Artie asked him if he could play the instrument, the pianist assured his boss that he could, figuring harpsichord couldn't be that difficult to transition to. He discovered the next day that the action is different from that of a piano and requires greater strength to make the notes sound. The instrument's unique sound is achieved by its strings being plucked by quills or plastic plectra, whereas the piano's strings are struck by a felt-covered hammers. This performance -- one of the best treatments of this standard, for my money -- comes from the Gramercy Five's second session. In addition to Johnny's harpsichord, we have beautiful solos from Artie, the muted Billy Butterfield and the underrated Al Hendrickson.
@johnllewlyndavies222
Excellent. You win Most Interesting Comment of the day👍
@swingman5635
@@johnllewlyndavies222 She usually does. : )
@egmont3027
I thought I heard a harpsichord!