Sugar
Bix Beiderbecke;Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra Lyrics

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When my sugar walks down the street
All the little birdies go tweet, tweet, tweet.
And in the evening when the sun goes down
It's never dark when she's around

She's so affectionate and I'll say this
That when she kisses me I sure stay kissed
When my sugar walks down the street

The little birdies go tweet tweet tweet.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Bix Beiderbecke and Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra's "Sugar" suggest an almost childlike enchantment with the subject's lover. The opening line describes the effect that the lover's mere presence has on the natural world, as the "little birdies" chirp in response to her walking down the street. The singer goes on to describe how her presence also lights up his world, even in the evening when the sun goes down. He's enamored with her affection and the way she kisses him, conveying that her simple existence brings so much joy into his life. The lyrics overall paint a picture of a carefree, joyful romance.

It's also interesting to note that this song was released in 1927, during the height of the Jazz Age. This time period was characterized by a cultural obsession with jazz, flappers, and the carefree lifestyle that accompanied them. "Sugar" embodies the spirit of this time period, with its joyful lyrics and up-tempo jazz instrumentation. Additionally, the song is notable for being one of Bix Beiderbecke's most well-known recordings. Beiderbecke was a jazz cornet player and pianist who was popular during the 1920s and is still considered a major influence on the genre today.

Line by Line Meaning

When my sugar walks down the street
Whenever my beloved walks along the streets, all the birds in the sky start singing happily.

All the little birdies go tweet, tweet, tweet.
The happy birds chirp and tweet to greet my beloved as she strolls by.

And in the evening when the sun goes down
In the calm of the evening, when the sun sets lower and lower,

It's never dark when she's around
She brings light and brightness to my life whenever she is with me.

She's so affectionate and I'll say this
I can confidently say that she is one of the most loving people that I have ever met.

That when she kisses me I sure stay kissed
Whenever she gives me a sweet and passionate kiss, its effects linger on my lips for a long time.

When my sugar walks down the street
Whenever my beloved walks by, the birds of the neighborhood start chirping once again.

The little birdies go tweet tweet tweet.
The joyful birds continue to tweet and chirp as she keeps walking by, spreading her charm and grace.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Gene Austin, Jimmy McHugh, Irving Mills

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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