I Didn't Know What Time It Was
Artie Shaw and His Orchestra With Helen Forrest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yesterday, perhaps
Danced with Jim and Paul
And kissed some other chaps
Once I was young
But never was naive
I thought I had a trick or two
And now I know I was naive
I didn't know what time it was
Then I met you
Oh, what a lovely time it was
How sublime it was too
I didn't know what day it was
You held my hand
Warm like the month of May it was
And I'll say it was grand
Grand to be alive, to be young
To be mad, to be yours alone
Grand to see your face, feel your touch
Hear your voice say, "I'm all your own"
I didn't know what year it was
Life was no prize
I wanted love and here it was
Shining out of your eyes
I'm wise and I know what time it is now
Grand to be alive, to be young
To be mad, to be yours alone
Grand to see your face, feel your touch
Hear your voice say, "I'm all your own"
I didn't know what year it was
Life was no prize
I wanted love and here it was
Shining out of your eyes
I'm wise and I know what time it is now
The song "I Didn't Know What Time It Was" by Artie Shaw and His Orchestra With Helen Forrest is a beautiful ballad that tells the story of a young woman who has lived a wild and exciting life filled with many lovers. However, she never quite found what she was looking for until she met someone special. The first image that the song presents is that of a woman who is looking back on her life with a certain degree of nostalgia. She remembers dancing with Jim and Paul and kissing other men, but she also acknowledges that she was never naive, believing she had tricks up her sleeve. However, she now realizes that she was naive to the extent of her experience.
The second half of the song introduces us to the man who changed her life. He is the one who showed her what real love is, and he is the reason why she is "grand to be alive, to be young, to be mad, to be yours alone." The song is a celebration of love and how it can transform a person's life. The lyrics are touching and poignant, and they are beautifully complemented by the lush and romantic orchestration.
Overall, "I Didn't Know What Time It Was" is a song about growing up, learning from experience, and finding the love that truly matters. It is a timeless ballad that has resonated with audiences for decades, and it is sure to continue captivating listeners for generations to come.
Line by Line Meaning
Once I was young
There was a time where I was young and carefree
Yesterday, perhaps
This time could have been yesterday or a long time ago
Danced with Jim and Paul
I used to dance with friends named Jim and Paul
And kissed some other chaps
I also kissed some other boys
But never was naive
However, I was never inexperienced or foolish
I thought I had a trick or two
I believed I knew some tricks to get what I wanted
Up my imaginary sleeve
Tricks I kept up my imaginary sleeve
And now I know I was naive
But now I realize my inexperience and naivete
I didn't know what time it was
I had no idea what time it was
Then I met you
Until I met you
Oh, what a lovely time it was
What a wonderful time it was
How sublime it was too
How exquisite and perfect it was
I didn't know what day it was
I didn't have any idea what day of the week it was
You held my hand
But then you took my hand
Warm like the month of May it was
It was warm, reminiscent of the month of May
And I'll say it was grand
And I will say it was magnificent
Grand to be alive, to be young
It was great to be alive and young
To be mad, to be yours alone
Crazy in love with only you
Grand to see your face, feel your touch
It was wonderful to see your face and feel your touch
Hear your voice say, "I'm all your own"
Hear you say that I'm exclusively yours
Life was no prize
Life was not going well
I wanted love and here it was
All I wanted was love and that's exactly what I found
Shining out of your eyes
Love was reflected in your eyes
I'm wise and I know what time it is now
Now I am wiser and know what time it is in my life
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., IMAGEM MUSIC INC
Written by: LORENZ HART, RICHARD RODGERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jimnydan7203
Great Helen
@RoryVanucchi
One of the great lyrics ever
@CharlieHoliday369
The singer does magnificently.
This so often sounds lackluster done slowly.
@omomon
Back beyond
@biketech60
The sound is good considering it's likely from a 78 RPM record .
@ednguyen3822
Maybe I'm biased, but I prefer this faster pace for the song, which is the 1st version I've heard. Most other renditions feel slow to me. :)
@RoryVanucchi
One of the great lyrics. Artie probably wanted dance tempo for the swing era crowd..
@Trombonology
I think Artie had almost a contempt for every singer except Billie Holiday. He considered them only a necessary evil in the job of leading a swing orchestra. Other bandleaders of this late '30's period, notably T. Dorsey, were slowing down the tempo for vocal numbers to provide the best frame for both the singer and the lyrics -- Artie, almost alone, refused. ... So we get my favorite song at a ridiculously brisk pace. Helen does her best, but she sounds rushed, particularly in the bridge. I like the record all right on its own terms, but it bombs as a showcase for Helen and for Lorenz Hart's beautiful lyrics.
@Trombonology
@Henri de Lagardère Yes, Miles was prickly -- I might even leave off the last two letters. Great story about Duke and "I Didn't Know." ... Larry is my favorite lyricist.
@briancooper1022
the 78Prof, thank you for sharing so much. While my beloved mother, Mimi (Hebrew name Miriam) Mestesky- Rosenberg lived on the same block as the late great Ms. Helen Forrest's mother lived in Washington, D.C., for which I believe her last name was Fogel and then Helen changed it to Helen Forrest if memory serves me correctly. When Helen Forrest came to town, all the kids would run over to Mrs. Fogel's home to see Helen Forrest