How Insensitive
Astrud Gilberto with Antonio Carlos Jobim Lyrics


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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

Overall Meaning

The song "How Insensitive" by Astrud Gilberto with Antonio Carlos Jobim is a melancholic tune about the end of a love affair. The singer reflects on how she must have seemed to her lover when he told her he loved her, and how she was unmoved and cold. She questions her own behavior and wonders why she didn't have a better response when she heard the news. The lyrics suggest that the singer was taken by surprise and that the love affair was not mutual. The singer is left alone with only memories of his last look, and the heartbreak it contained.


The song is a beautiful expression of how one can feel when they are faced with the end of a relationship. It captures the sadness and confusion that many people experience when a love affair comes to an end. The lyrics are poetic and insightful, and the haunting melody adds to the emotional impact of the song. The song is a reminder that even though love can be beautiful and transformative, it can also be painful and difficult to navigate.


Line by Line Meaning

How insensitive
I must have appeared emotionless


I must have seemed
I am guessing I appeared a certain way


When he told me that he loved me
When he professed his love for me


How unmoved and cold
I supposedly gave the impression of being unresponsive and chilly


When he told me so sincerely
When he spoke earnestly to me


Why he must have asked
I assume he inquired


Did I just turn and stare in icy silence
Did I respond with a cold, quiet gaze


What was I to say
I didn't know what to say


What can you say
There are no real words to say


When a love affair is over
At the end of a romance


Now he's gone away
He's left now


And I'm alone
I'm left by myself


With a memory of his last look
With a recollection of his final expression


Vague and drawn and sad
Faint and melancholic


I see it still
I still recall it to this day


All his heartbreak in his last look
His final expression displayed his anguish


Why, he must have asked,
I think he queried,


Could I just turn and stare in icy silence
As to why I responded with a silent, cold stare


What was I to do
I didn't know how to react


What can one do
There isn't much one can do


When a love affair is over
After a romance has come to a close




Contributed by Alyssa H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@avitalalef9947

Hey, here are the lyrics!

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



@user-yo7ir4uk2o

"How Insensitive"
(originally by Antônio Carlos Jobim)

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 hist 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



@joaobatistademelloayresneto

How Insensitive [Antônio Carlos Jobim, Vinicius de Moraes e Norman Gimbel]
com Astrud Gilberto
How insensitive
I must have seemed
When he told me that you 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 the heartbreak in his last look
How 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?



All comments from YouTube:

@MonogramistaML

Thank you, Astrud, for some of the most beautiful experiences in my life.

@lesliecallender5397

When I first heard her sing I was hypnotized.
After all these years,I am still hypnotized.

@maurolima7135

Thank u for your words ❤

@spindriftdrinker

When her eyes met mine it was eternity🎵

@davidmoss9083

So painful .... So true ! How many others have felt this ? ...

@zoet9508

Some songs are perfect, This is one of them.

@retrorockdriquesrock9638

Omg.....too perfect

@melissamanning7004

That's because it's inspired by Chopin's Prelude in e minor :-)

@ccaammiinniiito2

Astrud's voice is the right carrier for the surreal emotion.

@geejee1255

they way she changes mid word WOW......

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