Blossom Dearie (1924-2009) was an American jazz singer and pianist.

… 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

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
Blossom Dearie Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I don't want you, but I'd hate to lose you
You've got me in between the devil and the deep blue sea
I forgive you, 'cause I can't forget you
You've got me in between the devil and the deep blue sea

[Repeat: x2]
I ought to cross you off my list
But when you come a-knocking at my door

Fate seems to give my heart a twist
And I come running back for more
I should hate you, but I guess I love you
You've got me in between the devil and the deep blue sea

You've got me in between the devil and the deep blue sea
The devil and the deep blue sea

Overall Meaning

In the song "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea," Blossom Dearie captures the complexities of love and the challenges involved in making a decision about a romantic partner. The lyrics announce that while the singer is not particularly interested in her lover, she can't bring herself to let him go entirely. She feels trapped between wanting to maintain her independence and being compelled to succumb to her feelings for him. The lyrics suggest that the singer has tried to distance herself from the one she loves, but whenever he appears, she is powerless to resist.

The lyrics are a metaphor for a difficult situation, where the singer faces two unappealing options: the devil representing a problematic or threatening situation, and the deep blue sea representing the possibility of being submerged in a perilous situation. Thus, between the devil and the deep blue sea, the singer just can't seem to find a way out. In the end, the lyrics suggest that despite the pitfalls of love, the singer would rather be with her lover than alone.

Line by Line Meaning

I don't want you, but I'd hate to lose you
I don't actually desire to be with you, but I also don't want to lose the opportunity to have you

You've got me in between the devil and the deep blue sea
I am stuck in a difficult and potentially dangerous situation because of you

I forgive you, 'cause I can't forget you
Even though I know you've done wrong, I can't help but still have feelings for you

I ought to cross you off my list
I really should remove you from my thoughts and actions

But when you come a-knocking at my door
But when you show interest in me once again

Fate seems to give my heart a twist
It feels as though some external force is influencing my emotions towards you

And I come running back for more
And I give in to the temptation of being with you once again

I should hate you, but I guess I love you
I logically know that I should dislike you, but my heart contradicts my mind and loves you instead

You've got me in between the devil and the deep blue sea
Once again, I am in a dangerous position because of my feelings towards you

The devil and the deep blue sea
A difficult and perilous choice between two equally dangerous options

Lyrics © S.A. MUSIC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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