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Barbra Streisand Lyrics


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It's not the pale moon that excites me
That thrills and delights me
Oh no, it's just the nearness of you

Isn't your sweet conversation
That brings this sensation,
Oh no, it's just the nearness of you
When I'm in your arms
And I feel you so close to me
All my wondrous dreams come true

I need no soft lights to enchant me
If you only grant me the right
To hold you ever so tight
And to feel in the night
The nearness of you

I need no soft lights to enchant me
If you only grant me the right
To hold you ever so tight




And to feel in the night
The nearness of you

Overall Meaning

The opening line "It's not the pale moon that excites me" of Barbra Streisand's song The Nearness of You suggests that the singer is not fascinated by artificial beauty. The beauty of the natural world and its representations may please the people, but it is not the case for her. However, the song then takes on a different tone, with the singer saying that she is, in fact, mesmerized by the sheer proximity of the person she is addressing in the song. It is not their physical form, nor is it their conversation, that excites her. It's just the fact that they are close by.


The singer goes on to say that she doesn't need romantic lighting or anything else to create an atmosphere around her as long as she is in the arms of her partner. What matters to her the most is the person’s presence and the intimacy that they share. The lyric "And to feel in the night the nearness of you" creates a touching and moving emotion of how it feels like to be with someone that you love.


Overall, the song shares the message that true love goes beyond physical attraction and how important it is to feel connected to the natural essence of another person. It suggests that being in someone's company can make a person feel elated and fulfilled.


Line by Line Meaning

It's not the pale moon that excites me
The singer is not thrilled by the beauty of the moon


That thrills and delights me
The singer is not thrilled or delighted by anything outside the person they are addressing


Oh no, it's just the nearness of you
The singer is excited and thrilled only because of how close they are to the person they are addressing


Isn't your sweet conversation
The person's sweet words or talk is not what the artist finds exciting


That brings this sensation,
The person's closeness is what brings a specific sensation to the artist


Oh no, it's just the nearness of you
The singer continues to emphasize that it's only the closeness they feel that excites them


When I'm in your arms
The singer is describing a physical moment they share with the person they are addressing


And I feel you so close to me
The artist is describing how physically close they feel to the person they are addressing


All my wondrous dreams come true
The artist feels content and fulfilled when they are in the embrace of the person they are addressing


I need no soft lights to enchant me
The artist doesn't need special lighting or surroundings to feel enchanted


If you only grant me the right
The singer is asking for permission from the person they are addressing to hold them close


To hold you ever so tight
The artist wants to hold the person they are addressing very tightly


And to feel in the night
The singer describes how they want to feel the person they are addressing at night


The nearness of you
The singer emphasizes again that it's only the closeness they feel that makes them feel happy




Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS

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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@vindictivevillain

You don't bring me flowers
You don't sing me love songs
You hardly talk to me anymore
When I come through the door at the end of the day

I remember when
You couldn't wait to love me
Used to hate to leave me

Now after lovin' me late at night
When it's good for you, babe
And you're feeling alright
Well, you just roll over and turn out the light
And you don't bring me flowers anymore

It used to be so natural (used to be)
Talk about forever
But used-to-bes don't count anymore
They just lay on the floor 'til we sweep them away

And baby, I remember
All the things you taught me
I learned how to laugh
And I learned how to cry
Well, I learned how to love
And I learned how to lie

So you'd think I could learn how to tell you goodbye
(So you'd think I could learn how to tell you goodbye)
You don't bring me flowers anymore

Well, you'd think I could learn how to tell you goodbye
Well, you don't say you need me
And you don't sing me love songs
You don't bring me flowers anymore



All comments from YouTube:

@marklinroth3014

I first heard this song in the fall of 1977 as a freshman in college. I though that has got to be the saddest song I've ever heard. Having spent middle and high school as chicken #10, I swore that if I was ever lucky enough to have a woman in my life I would never let that happen. 25 years on, I still bring random flowers to Martha and surprise her with random events. I still hold the door for her and meet her at the airport with a bouquet (man, does she get comments from the women and I get dirty looks from the guys.) I sing to her also, even though with my skill that makes dogs whine. Yeah, newlyweds got nothing on us. And I make sure to listen to this song at least once a year so I never forget how important it is to hold her in the limelight.

@hummingbird9221

years! You are a wise man!

@Mindy-ny8pm

You're a wonderful person

@vernanelson4469

One fortunate lady your wife is. So good to hear how much you value her.

@oscarrocharealtorcaribemx7474

Me da gusto saber que has hecho cosas maravillosas a través de los años, y es un gusto saber que esta canción te inspira para dar lo mejor de ti a tu esposa. Que sigan juntos muchos años más!!!

@oscarrocharealtorcaribemx7474

I'm glad to know that you've done wonderful things over the years, and it's nice to know that this song inspires you to give your best to your wife. May they continue together for many more years!!!

30 More Replies...

@andrewh5457

Been married 38 years, and still bring my wife flowers every week.

@munsters2

RE:Andrew H. 1976 weeks x $30 = $59280

@tfinn7

& worth every penny ....try lawyers

@andrzejzyczynski

good for you

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