… 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
It Might as Well Be Spring
Blossom Dearie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm as jumpy as a puppet on a string
I'd say that I had spring fever
But I know it isn't spring
I am starry-eyed and vaguely discontented
Like a nightingale without a song to sing
Oh, why should I have Spring fever
I keep wishing I were somewhere else
Walking down a strange new street
Hearing words that I have never heard
From a girl I've yet to meet
I'm as busy as a spider spinning daydreams
I'm as giddy as a baby on a swing
I haven't seen a crocus or a rosebud or a robin on the wing
But I feel so gay in a melancholy way
That it might as well be spring
It might as well be spring
The song "It Might As Well Be Spring" has become a popular jazz tune, famously recorded by Blossom Dearie. The lyrics paint the picture of a person who is feeling restless and discontented, even though it isn't springtime. The first stanza uses metaphors to describe this feeling - the person is as restless as a willow in a windstorm and as jumpy as a puppet on a string. They say that they have spring fever, but they know it isn't actually springtime. The second stanza has a similar structure, with the person feeling starry-eyed and discontented like a nightingale without a song to sing. They wonder why they have spring fever when it isn't even spring.
The third stanza shifts into a more tangible desire for change. The person is wishing they were somewhere else, walking down a strange new street and hearing words they have never heard from a girl they have yet to meet. However, they also acknowledge that they are busy spinning daydreams and feeling giddy, even though they haven't seen any signs of spring like crocuses or rosebuds or robins on the wing. The final line is a twist - the person feels "so gay in a melancholy way" that it might as well be spring, despite the fact that it is not.
The song captures the feeling of restlessness and discontentment that can come from a sense of stagnation or routine. Even though the person in the song is not actually experiencing spring, it represents a sense of renewal and change that they are craving. The lyrics are filled with vivid imagery and metaphors, which help to convey the emotion of the song. Overall, "It Might As Well Be Spring" is a beautiful and haunting tune that captures a specific feeling in a way that is both relatable and poetic.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm as restless as a willow in a windstorm
I feel unstable and uneasy, constantly moving and swaying like a willow tree in a storm.
I'm as jumpy as a puppet on a string
I feel nervous and agitated like a puppet that is controlled by someone else, constantly being pulled in different directions.
I'd say that I had spring fever
I feel restless and excitable, like I have the feverish energy often associated with the spring season.
But I know it isn't spring
Despite feeling like I have spring fever, I know it is not actually springtime.
I am starry-eyed and vaguely discontented
I am both dreamy and dissatisfied, feeling both wonder and disillusionment at the world around me.
Like a nightingale without a song to sing
Just like a bird that has lost its song, I feel as though I have lost my voice or purpose.
Oh, why should I have Spring fever
I question why I have this sudden restlessness and energetic feeling when it is not yet spring.
When it isn't even spring?
I reiterate that it is not yet the season of spring, making my restlessness even more confusing.
I keep wishing I were somewhere else
I feel a strong sense of longing and desire to be in a different place or situation.
Walking down a strange new street
I imagine myself exploring an unfamiliar and new place, seeking adventure and novelty.
Hearing words that I have never heard
In my daydreams, I imagine hearing new and exciting things from people I have never met before.
From a girl I've yet to meet
I imagine specifically a girl who I have not met yet, who I hope will bring new experiences and excitement into my life.
I'm as busy as a spider spinning daydreams
I am lost in my own thoughts and imagination, busy creating new ideas and fantasies for myself.
I'm as giddy as a baby on a swing
I am feeling lighthearted and playful, much like a young child happily playing on a swing.
I haven't seen a crocus or a rosebud or a robin on the wing
I have not yet seen any of the typical signs of spring, such as flowers blooming or birds returning.
But I feel so gay in a melancholy way
Despite feeling a sense of happiness, I also feel conflicted and somber.
That it might as well be spring
My internal emotions and restlessness feel so powerful that they might as well be the actual signs of spring, despite the time of year.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Tratore
Written by: Oscar Hammerstein II, Richard Rodgers
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?