Nicknamed Lady Day by her sometime collaborator Lester Young, Holiday was a seminal influence on jazz, and pop singing. Her vocal style — strongly inspired by instrumentalists — pioneered a new way of manipulating wording and tempo, and also popularized a more personal and intimate approach to singing. Critic John Bush wrote that she "changed the art of American pop vocals forever." She co-wrote only a few songs, but several of them have become jazz standards, notably "God Bless the Child," "Don't Explain," and "Lady Sings the Blues."
Practice Makes Perfect
Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra Lyrics
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Let's try that old embrace
In some romantic place
Where we can take out time
If practice makes perfect
Just close you eyes again
We'll try those sights again
We're in love's kindergarten
Learning from A to Z
And if it's fun just starting
Think what it's going to be
If practice makes perfect
Let's have that kiss again
We must'n miss again
We're not doing bad right now
We're not doing bad
Let's practice some more
We're not doing bad right now
The song Practice Makes Perfect by Billie Holiday is a playful and romantic reflection on the idea that the more you practice love and affection, the better you become at expressing it. The lyrics suggest that the couple singing the song are at the beginning of their relationship, still in love's kindergarten and learning from A to Z. They are eager to take their time and enjoy each other's company while they perfect the art of kissing and embracing. The repeated refrain of "We're not doing bad right now" suggests that they are already doing pretty well, but they want to keep practicing and improving.
The song has a light and upbeat tone, which is reflected in the playful lyrics and bouncy rhythm. The melody is simple and catchy, with a singalong quality that makes it easy to get caught up in the joy and fun of the moment. The lyrics convey a sense of optimism and hope, as the couple looks forward to a bright and exciting future together. Ultimately, the song is a celebration of love and the power of practice to bring us closer to the people we care about.
Line by Line Meaning
If practice makes perfect
If repeating an action leads to improvement
Let's try that old embrace
Let's attempt to reenact a past romantic gesture
In some romantic place
In a location that is picturesque and sentimental
Where we can take out time
Where we can enjoy a slow pace and savor the moment
Just close your eyes again
Let's try to relive a past experience in our imagination
We'll try those sights again
We'll attempt to create the same romantic atmosphere
And make them more sublime
And make it more perfect and beautiful than before
We're in love's kindergarten
We're still learning about love and relationships
Learning from A to Z
We're learning everything about love, from the basics to the advanced
And if it's fun just starting
And if the beginning of a relationship is already enjoyable
Think what it's going to be
Imagine how much better it will become with practice
Let's have that kiss again
Let's recreate a past intimate moment
We must'n miss again
We can't afford to make the same mistakes again
We're not doing bad right now
We're doing well for our level of experience
We're not doing bad
We're not failing or struggling
Let's practice some more
Let's continue to work on our relationship
We're not doing bad right now
We're currently successful, but there's always room to improve
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ARNOLD GOLAND, JACK GOLD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind