A Foggy Day
Billie Holiday Lyrics


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I was a stranger in the city
Out of town were the people I knew
I had that feeling of self pity
What to do, what to do, what to do?
The outlook was decidedly blue
But as I walked through the foggy streets alone
It turned out to be the luckiest day I've known
A foggy day in London town
It had me low and had me down
I viewed the morning with such alarm
The British museum had lost its charm
How long, I wondered, could this thing last?
But the age of miracles hadn't passed
For, suddenly, I saw you there
And through foggy London town
The sun was shining everywhere

A foggy day in London town
It had me low, had me down
I viewed the morning with such alarm
The British museum had lost its charm
How long, I wondered, could this thing last?
But the age of miracles hadn't passed
For, suddenly, I saw you there

And through foggy London town
The sun was shining upside-down!

Overall Meaning

In Billie Holiday's song "A Foggy Day," the singer sets the scene by describing herself as a stranger in the city, feeling lost and alone. She expresses her self-pity and wonders what she should do. The outlook is decidedly blue, but as she walks through the foggy streets on this particular day, she finds it to be the luckiest day she has ever had. The song continues to describe the foggy day in London, a day that had her feeling low and down. She views the morning with alarm and even the British Museum has lost its charm, causing her to wonder how long this feeling will last.


In the midst of all the gloom, suddenly the age of miracles had not passed as she saw someone there. Through the foggy London town, the sun was shining everywhere, turning her luck around. The final line of the song says that through the "foggy London town, the sun was shining upside-down!" seeming to mean that even though everything seemed different, it would all work out.


The song is a metaphor for life that starts off pessimistically but ends up with hope. The London fog is used to symbolize the depression and uncertainty of life. Billie Holiday describes the feeling of being a stranger in the city as an emotion that everyone has experienced when they visit a new place or move to a new city. The song is about finding someone to share happiness with and that even though things might seem difficult, there is always hope.


Line by Line Meaning

I was a stranger in the city
I was unfamiliar with the city and did not know anyone there


Out of town were the people I knew
The people I knew were not present in the city


I had that feeling of self pity
I was feeling sorry for myself


What to do, what to do, what to do?
I didn't know what actions to take to improve my situation


The outlook was decidedly blue
The situation seemed hopeless and depressing


But as I walked through the foggy streets alone
Despite feeling alone and lost, I continued walking through the foggy streets


It turned out to be the luckiest day I've known
The day ended up being lucky and fortuitous for me


A foggy day in London town
The weather was foggy in the city of London


It had me low and had me down
The weather was dampening my mood and spirits


I viewed the morning with such alarm
I was concerned and worried about how my day would go


The British museum had lost its charm
Even something that I usually found interesting, like the British museum, was not enjoyable due to my negative feelings


How long, I wondered, could this thing last?
I was questioning how long this negative mindset would continue


But the age of miracles hadn't passed
Despite my worries, there was still hope for something unexpected and positive to happen


For, suddenly, I saw you there
Unexpectedly, I saw someone that changed my mood and turned my day around


And through foggy London town
Despite the fog, the overall atmosphere of the city felt brighter and lighter to me


The sun was shining everywhere
There was a sense of hope and positivity that illuminated everything around me


And through foggy London town
Despite the persistent fog, the newfound hope and positivity continued to shine through the city


The sun was shining upside-down!
Everything that was once negative and seemingly hopeless had been turned around, making everything feel brighter and more optimistic




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@assadmuhammad7058

She was one of a kind . Truly a diamond in the rough. We love you lady day. Rest up.

@clarkewi

This is a great song: An excellent rendition along with Satchmo and Ella's. Lady Day adds something special as does Lester Young. This is America at its greatest..

@eggburtd715

I was raised on this song and this is the first time I’ve heard it in years.

It’s just as amazing as I remember

@gaiacerrai9367

This song, walking by myself in a big city (first London of course going ti British Museum, than Milan in the rain).. speaks so soflty and loud :) giving me happiness and calm at the same time!

@namahasiva8935

Best version of the song

@deborahadams4721

I just love it I could listen to this all the time

@lastknowngood0

Lady sang this so perfectly as if she were expressing through a tenor horn!

@DelightfulTravellers

Cool channel. Well done! We truly loved it.

@niccolomantovani6388

very beautiful

@gilliansavage1441

il-n-y a pas mieux !!!

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