She is known for her sense of humor, which is expressed in both her music and her onstage performances. Many of her songs alternate between emotional reflections on romance and outright comedy. Two of her more famous songs include "Sensitive New Age Guys" and "Bald Headed Men".
The Scent Of Your Cologne
Christine Lavin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
nobody was there
but the scent of your aftershave
wafted through the air
I stepped into the elevator
touched the number nine
I closed my eyes, breathed deeply
traveled back in time
Now I am falling through space
I picture your face
another time and place
you are here
the scent of your cologne
brings me back home
I feel a peace I haven't known
for years
and years
The revival's still in previews
opens in two weeks
but I can't wait I buy two tickets
they are expensive seats
the overture begins
it's music that I heard
from a time back when
I could not speak a single word
Now I am falling through space
I picture your face
another time and place
you are here
melodies I've always known
played forever in our home
and like the scent of your cologne
across the years
it brings you here
I feel sad, I feel happy
I feel twinges of regret
it takes me by surprise
to think it's not over yet
I dreamed that you were still alive
it was an ordinary day
you were puttering about
in your usual way
but when I awoke I looked around
I knew it wasn't true
so I closed my eyes and begged for sleep
to pull me back to you
Now I'm falling through space
I picture your face
another time and place
you are here
you are laughing in the sun
you are loved by everyone
your day is never done
in my dreams
you're still here
And you are falling through space
I picture your face
another time and place
you are here
melodies I've always known
play forever in our home
and like the scent of your cologne
across the years
it brings you here . . .
it brings you here
"The Scent of Your Cologne" by Christine Lavin is a heart-wrenching song about the memories and emotions that are evoked by a specific scent. The song is split into three parts, with each part focusing on a different scent - aftershave, cologne, and dreams. The first verse sets the scene with the singer of the song stepping into an elevator and being transported back in time by the scent of aftershave. The second part of the song is triggered by the smell of cologne and takes us on a journey through the singer's memories of a loved one who has passed away. The final verse is about the vivid dream the singer has about the loved one they lost, and the bittersweet feeling when they wake up.
The lyrics paint a powerful picture of a person experiencing intense and complex emotions due to the power of a scent. The way in which the scent takes the singer back in time shows not only the power of the scent itself but also how memories can become ingrained in our senses. The use of time travel as a metaphor for memory is also poignant as it highlights the way our minds transport us back to different times and places.
Line by Line Meaning
The shiny doors slid open
The elevator doors opened smoothly
nobody was there
The elevator was empty
but the scent of your aftershave
The elevator air smelled like the aftershave you wore
wafted through the air
The scent from your aftershave was carried gently through the air
I stepped into the elevator
I walked into the elevator
touched the number nine
I pressed the button with the number nine on it
I closed my eyes, breathed deeply
I shut my eyes, took a deep breath
traveled back in time
I felt like I traveled back to a previous time
Now I am falling through space
I feel like I'm falling through space
I picture your face
I imagine your face in my mind
another time and place
A different moment in the past
you are here
In my mind, you are here with me
brings me back home
It makes me feel like I'm back home again
I feel a peace I haven't known
I feel a sense of tranquility I haven't felt in a long time
for years and years
For a very long time
The revival's still in previews
The play is still being rehearsed
opens in two weeks
The play will officially open in two weeks
but I can't wait I buy two tickets
I am too excited to wait, so I buy two tickets
they are expensive seats
The tickets I bought are pricey
the overture begins
The show's opening music starts to play
it's music that I heard from a time back when
The music is from a time in the past when I heard it before
I could not speak a single word
I was unable to say anything at that time
melodies I've always known
Songs that I have always been familiar with
played forever in our home
The songs were always played in our home
across the years it brings you here
Even after so many years, these things make me feel like you are here with me
I feel sad, I feel happy
I feel a mixture of emotions
I feel twinges of regret
I have moments of feeling remorseful
it takes me by surprise
It catches me off guard
to think it's not over yet
To realize that things are not finished yet
I dreamed that you were still alive
I had a dream where you were still alive
it was an ordinary day
It was a usual day, nothing out of the ordinary
you were puttering about
You were casually working
in your usual way
Doing things in the same manner as you always did
but when I awoke I looked around
When I woke up, I realized it was only a dream
I knew it wasn't true
I realized that it was not a reality
so I closed my eyes and begged for sleep
I closed my eyes and wished for sleep to take me back to my dream
to pull me back to you
To make me feel like you were still with me
you are laughing in the sun
I picture you happily enjoying the sunshine
you are loved by everyone
Everyone around you admired and cherished you
your day is never done
You were always busy and productive
in my dreams you're still here
When I dream of you, it feels like you are still here with me
Contributed by Liam K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.