Fortune Teller
Benny Spellman Lyrics
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To have my fortune read
I didn't what to tell her
I had a dizzy feeling in my head
Said she'd take a look at my palm
She said son, do you feel kind of warm?
And she looked into her crystal ball
I said it could not be so
Not with all the girls I know
She said when the next one arrives
You be looking into her eyes
I left there in a hurry
All looking forward to my big surprise
The next thing I discovered
The fortune teller told me lies
So I ran back to that woman
Mad as I could be
I told her I didn't see nobody
Why she made a fool out of me
Then something struck me
As if it came from up above
While looking at the fortune teller
I fell in love
Now I'm a happy fellow
I'm married to the fortune teller
We're happy as we can be
And now I get my fortune told for free
In Benny Spellman's song "Fortune Teller," the singer visits a fortune teller to have his future told. However, he is unsure of what to reveal to her as he is feeling quite dizzy. The fortune teller tries to assuage these concerns by analyzing his palm, asking if he is feeling warm, and then looking into her crystal ball to reveal to him that he is in love. The singer is skeptical of this prediction as he doesn't believe that any of the girls he knows could be the ones he falls for. However, the fortune teller assures him that the right person will reveal themselves and he will know who they are when he looks into their eyes.
But after leaving the fortune teller's residence, the singer discovers that her predictions were false. He angrily rushes back to her to confront her about this, but as he looks into her eyes, something changes in him, and he falls in love with her. The singer and the fortune teller eventually marry and live happily ever after, with the singer getting his fortune told for free.
One possible interpretation of this song is that it speaks to the power of love and destiny. The singer initially doubts that he will ever find true love, but through the mystical power of the fortune teller's gaze, he discovers that his fate is intertwined with hers. This suggests that there is a greater force at work in the universe that guides people towards their true purpose in life, even if it may not be immediately apparent.
Line by Line Meaning
Went to a fortune teller
I visited a fortune teller in search of answers
To have my fortune read
I wanted the fortune teller to reveal what the future holds for me
I didn't what to tell her
I didn't feel comfortable disclosing my concerns to her
I had a dizzy feeling in my head
I was experiencing confusion and uncertainty
Said she'd take a look at my palm
She agreed to provide me a palm reading
She said son, do you feel kind of warm?
She inquired if I was feeling a sense of affection towards someone
And she looked into her crystal ball
She peeked into her crystal ball - a popular fortune-telling tool
And said you're in love
She told me that I was in love
I said it could not be so
I expressed skepticism as I didn't believe it could be true
Not with all the girls I know
I didn't feel any romantic connection with the women I knew
She said when the next one arrives
She assured me that when the next woman comes along
You be looking into her eyes
I will unknowingly fall in love with her
I left there in a hurry
I left her place quickly
All looking forward to my big surprise
I looked forward to the moment when I would fall in love, just like the fortune teller predicted
The next thing I discovered
Soon after that experience, I realized
The fortune teller told me lies
The fortune teller deceived me
So I ran back to that woman
I went back to confront the fortune teller
Mad as I could be
I was very upset
I told her I didn't see nobody
I informed her that I didn't find anyone I could fall in love with
Why she made a fool out of me
I wondered why she tricked and mocked me
Then something struck me
Suddenly, I had an epiphany
As if it came from up above
It felt as if a message from a higher power came to me
While looking at the fortune teller
As I looked at the fortune teller
I fell in love
I realized that I had fallen in love with her
Now I'm a happy fellow
Now my life is great
I'm married to the fortune teller
I am now married to the fortune teller
We're happy as we can be
We are content with our lives together
And now I get my fortune told for free
I now receive fortune-telling services from my wife for free
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ALLEN TOUSSAINT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jack Elliott
Such a fine tune , never fails go get me on the floor and at 52 I'm glad I still can .
Paul Maney
I'm 67 and finally decided to get serious about playing guitar. As I was futzing around the other day stringing together A-G-Em chords, all of a sudden I realized I was playing "Fortune Teller!" All I need now are some maracas and a few backup singers and maybe a voice...
Thanks Allen and Benny for this great tune! Next on my list: "Land of 1,000 Dances" and "California Sun!"
eternal learner
Exactly the same happened to me a few years back, it just fell into place!
Michael Migliaccio
I've been constructing a playlist of all the songs covered by Plant & Krauss on Raising Sand and so far the originals have all been better, some significantly so. No disrespect to those two, because they made me find these fantastic tunes.
msbony2u
Benny Spellman was also the voice on Ernie K-Doe's record, saying, "Mother-In-Law." He was part of that wonderful New Orleans sound.
OldMod67
Sometimes you can hear a song so much it lessens it's feel; not so this tune. I clearly recall buying a copy (one of those Bandy copies actually) at The Soul Centre in my home town of Bournemouth in 1983. Absolute classic.
Paul R
I still have my Bandy copy, also bought in 1983 - from the flea market in Carnaby Street.
Lee Drummond
I still have mine on Bandy which I also bought from upstairs in the flea market in Carnaby St
Hilmar Wensorra
In VERY loving memory of Mr. Benjamin Spellman (1931 - 2011 R.I.P. Gone but NOT forgotten).
bluesman172
Every British beat group back in the 60's had to cover this classic (and Poison Ivy) - great song great days.