… Read Full Bio ↴Blossom Dearie (1924-2009) was an American jazz singer and pianist.
Born on 28th April 1924 in East Durham, New York, of mixed Scottish and Norwegian ancestry, Dearie began her career in vocal groups in New York. In the early 1950s she moved to Paris, forming her own vocal group, The Blue Stars, later to become the Swingle Singers.
After signing to Verve, Dearie returned to the U.S. where, despite developing a successful career and achieving international fame, by 1974 the lack of interest from major labels led her to start her own label, Daffodil Records. She continued performing into her eighties.
Blossom Dearie died on 7th February 2009, at her apartment in Greenwich Village, New York City
April In Paris
Blossom Dearie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I never met it face to face
I never knew my heart could sing
I never missed a warm embrace
Till April in Paris, chestnuts in blossom
Holiday tables under the trees
April in Paris, this is a feeling
I never knew the charm of spring
I never met it face to face
I never knew my heart could sing
I never missed a warm embrace
Till April in Paris
Whom can I run to
What have you done to my heart
The song "April in Paris" by Blossom Dearie is a beautiful tribute to the arrival of springtime in the poetic city of Paris. The melody and lyrics evoke an air of levity and romance, two themes that characterize the warmer months of the year. The lyrics, which repeat twice in the song's entirety, express a sentiment of awe and wonder at the arrival of spring, which the singer claims she has never truly experienced before. The opening lines, "I never knew the charm of spring/ I never met it face to face," convey a sense of longing and anticipation for something new and beautiful to grace her life. She goes on to say that she had never felt so happy or complete until she discovered Paris in the springtime. The second stanza also mirrors the first, indicating that her newfound joy and contentment had only just begun and that she could not bear to lose it.
The song's central imagery revolves around the blossoming of chestnut trees in Paris and the joyous tables of holiday feasts that follow. The song's titular line, "April in Paris," signifies a particular season and evokes the feelings of renewal and rebirth that come with spring. The singer claims that this feeling is one that cannot be replicated, suggesting that it is an ephemeral moment in time that cannot be surpassed or reclaimed. As the song progresses, the singer becomes more enraptured with the beauty of spring in Paris, and she is left wondering what she should do with the newfound joy that has filled her heart. The final line, "What have you done to my heart," suggests that she has been so thoroughly transformed by the magic of Paris in April that she cannot help but feel forever changed by the experience.
Overall, the song "April in Paris" is a brilliant capture of the joy and beauty of springtime in one of the world's most romantic and enchanting cities. It evokes an air of magic and wonder and captures the essence of what it feels like to be swept away by new possibilities and fresh beginnings.
Line by Line Meaning
I never knew the charm of spring
I had never before experienced the captivating beauty of the season of Spring.
I never met it face to face
I had never actually been immersed in the delights of Spring before, having only heard about it from others in passing.
I never knew my heart could sing
Until I witnessed the sheer joy that Spring can bring, I had no idea how much it could uplift and enliven me.
I never missed a warm embrace
Prior to encountering the romance of Spring in Paris, I had never yearned for the warmth of someone's arms around me.
Till April in Paris
All of this changed upon my arrival in the charming city in April, where the magic of Spring was in full bloom.
Whom can I run to
I now find myself completely captivated by the sensations of Spring, and am unsure of where to turn to try and replicate this feeling elsewhere.
What have you done to my heart
The beauty and wonder of Paris in the Spring have had an indelible impact on me, altering both my mood and my emotions in a significant way.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, SHAPIRO BERNSTEIN & CO. INC.
Written by: E. Y. HARBURG, VERNON DUKE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Heather Collins
on Comment Allez Vous
(Parlez-vous Français?)
Mais oui, allons-y
(Parlez-vous chère madame?)
Comment allez vous? Fancy bumping into you
Comment allez vous? Tell me everything that's new
Are you happy are you sad?
Feeling good or feeling bad?
(and is there anything you're craving?)
(do you feel like misbehaving?)
Comment allez vous? Gee, it's nice to see you here
Comment allez vous? You look better every year
I was really on my way, but I had to stop and say:
Comment allez vous?
(Comment allez vous petit chou?)
Say it, it has 'savoir faire'
(Comment allez vous mon minou?)
Has a continental air
(once she heard it in the land, from a chinese laundry man)
Cloaks and suitors, by the oodles, say it to their cute french poodles
Comment allez vous?
Spaniards say it, so do Greeks
Comment allez vous?
In the desert, so do Sheiks
(show they know a thing or two)
(it's so easy, why can't you say?)
Comment?
Comment?
Comment allez vous?