They Say
Billie Holiday with Teddy Wilson and His Orchestra Lyrics

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They say you have no lips for a fool such as I
They say you just believe in hello and goodbye
And they say that the one I admire isn't even remotely concerned
And that I'll go on playing with fire
Until I have learnt, my heart has been burned

They say I shouldn't dream of your face in the gloom
They say that all my dreams will be nightmares too soon

Let them talk, let them say what they want to

If it makes them feel happy that way
I know I'll always love you, no matter what they say

Overall Meaning

In "They Say," Billie Holiday reflects on the criticism and judgement of others towards her relationship with someone. The people around her criticize her for being foolishly in love with someone who doesn't reciprocate her feelings. They believe that her love interest is not interested in her at all, and that she will continue to get hurt until she learns her lesson. Despite this, Holiday firmly believes in her love, even if it means going against what society deems acceptable. She acknowledges that people will continue to tell her what to do and how to feel, but she will always stand by her feelings for this person.

The song serves as a commentary on society's expectations of relationships and the stigma that comes from loving someone who does not feel the same way. Holiday's lyrics capture the intense emotions of love and heartbreak, and the struggle of navigating these emotions in a world that is constantly judging and criticizing.

Line by Line Meaning

They say you have no lips for a fool such as I
Rumors abound that your kiss lacks passion for one such as me

They say you just believe in hello and goodbye.
There are whispers that all you care for is superficial conversation.

And they say that the one I admire isn't even remotely concerned
The grapevine suggests that the object of my affections feels nothing for me.

And that I'll go on playing with fire
They predict that I'm in for heartbreak.

Until I learn, my heart has been burned.
Until I've gone through it, I'll never understand the pain of heartbreak - but I'll undoubtedly experience it soon.

They say I shouldn't dream of your face in the gloom.
I've heard rumors that visualizing your face in the dark is a bad idea.

They say that all my dreams will be nightmares too soon.
It's been suggested that my dreams will soon be riddled with stress and anxiety.

Let them talk. Let them say what they want to
I couldn't care less about their opinions.

If it makes them feel happy that way
If talking trash makes them feel better, then let them do it.

I know I'll always love you, no matter what they say.
Regardless of their untrue chatter, my feelings for you will never change.

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Edward Heyman, Paul Mann, Stephan Weiss

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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