Down In the Depths
Cole Porter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The one I've most adored
Is bored
With me.
Manhattan, I'm awfully nice,
Nice people dine with me,
And even twice.
Yet the only one in the world I'm mad about
And walks out.
With a million neon rainbows burning below me
And a million blazing taxis raising a roar
Here I sit, above the town
In my pet pailletted gown
Down in the depths on the ninetieth floor.
While the crowds at El Morocco punish the parquet
And at '21' the couples clamor for more**
I'm deserted and depressed
In my regal eagle nest
Down in the depths on the ninetieth floor.
When the only one you wanted wants another
What's the use of swank and cash in the bank galore?
Why, even the janitor's wife
Has a perfectly good love life
And here am I
Facing tomorrow
Alone with my sorrow
Down in the depths on the ninetieth floor.
In Cole Porter's song Down in the Depths, the singer shares their heartache for someone who does not reciprocate their feelings. The singer is in Manhattan, and even though they have various nice acquaintances, the person they love does not love them back. They feel like they are stuck in limbo, watching the rest of the world have fun while they are left out. The singer is dressed up in a fancy outfit, looking down on the city from the ninetieth floor, surrounded by the bustling city lights and taxis. Despite this glamour, they still feel depressed and rejected, wondering why even the janitor's wife has a happier love life. The last lines suggest that they are facing tomorrow alone with their sorrow in this self-imposed loneliness.
The lyrics of Down in the Depths portray the reality of unrequited love and how it can make a person feel lonely in a bustling city like Manhattan. The singer has all the trappings of wealth and status but not the one thing they truly desire. The song's hyperbole of being on the ninetieth floor further emphasizes this feeling of isolation and helplessness as they are physically removed from the bustle of the city below. The song is a poignant reminder that love and human connection are more valuable than material wealth.
Line by Line Meaning
Manhattan, I'm up a tree
I feel stuck and hopeless in Manhattan
The one I've most adored
The person I love the most
Is bored with me.
Is uninterested in me.
Manhattan, I'm awfully nice,
I'm a nice person in Manhattan
Nice people dine with me,
I have good company when I dine
And even twice.
Even twice as nice people dine with me
Yet the only one in the world I'm mad about
The one I love and care about
Talks of somebody else
Is interested in someone else
And walks out.
And leaves me alone
With a million neon rainbows burning below me
There are many lights and colors
And a million blazing taxis raising a roar
And many taxis are making noise
Here I sit, above the town
I'm sitting high up overlooking Manhattan
In my pet pailletted gown
Wearing my fancy dress with small decorative metal pieces
Down in the depths on the ninetieth floor.
But feeling low and trapped on the ninetieth floor of a building
While the crowds at El Morocco punish the parquet
While others are partying and having a good time at a popular place
And at '21' the couples clamor for more**
And at another well-known place, couples are eagerly wanting more
I'm deserted and depressed
I feel alone and sad
In my regal eagle nest
In my luxurious and exclusive dwelling
Down in the depths on the ninetieth floor.
Still feeling trapped and low on the ninetieth floor
When the only one you wanted wants another
When the person you love wants someone else
What's the use of swank and cash in the bank galore?
What's the point of having wealth and prestige?
Why, even the janitor's wife
Even somebody with a lower social class
Has a perfectly good love life
Has a good and satisfying romantic relationship
And here am I
Yet, here I am
Facing tomorrow
Looking ahead to tomorrow
Alone with my sorrow
Feeling sad and without anyone to share it with
Down in the depths on the ninetieth floor.
Still feeling trapped and low on the ninetieth floor
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: COLE PORTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Sillylittlebug
Manhattan, I'm up a tree
The one I’ve adored is bored With me.
Manhattan, I'm awfully nice,
Nice people dine with me,
And even twice.
Yet the only one in the world I'm mad about
Talks of somebody else
And walks out.
With a million neon rainbows burning below me
And a million blazing taxis raising a roar
Here I sit, above the town
In my pet pailletted gown
Down in the depths on the ninetieth floor.
While the crowds at El Morocco punish the parquet
And at '21' the couples clamor for more
I'm deserted and depressed
In my regal eagle nest
Down in the depths on the ninetieth floor.
When the only one you wanted wants another
What's the use of swank and cash in the bank galore?
Why, even the janitor's wife
Has a perfectly good love life
And here am I
Facing tomorrow
Alone with my sorrow
Down in the depths on the ninetieth floor.
@lecaprice2572
One of the greatest standards in the 20th Century "American Song Book" repertoire.
The dark minor key tones of Porter are a "knockout".
Needless to say, it is unappreciated today.
@willmcmillan1430
Wonderful to hear her sing this gem! The arrangement is also full of delicious musical surprises.
@arthurboehm
Don't let anyone tell you Ethel couldn't do plaintive. She and Cole were a divine combo in every mood and manner.
@Arkelk2010
Her "Make it Another Old Fashioned, Please" also has a plaintive quality. I am thinking of a version on YT from 1965 in particular. She's still acting the situation--not just singing the notes.
@sandrathomas1934
So many of us today ... who actually remember LaMerman, associate her with her trademark deep and husky voice... the type of voice which has naturally deepened over the years; it happens to us all. So, it's wonderful to hear the voice her fame is based-on: a surprising light and agile tessitura, but still with all the power we associate with her. That combination of lightness and power is quite remarkable... and often found only in those who have operatic training... and that articulation: clean as a whistle! This is one of my very favorite ColePoter songs, and it's wonderful to hear that 30s-type orchestration, full of syncopation and a rhythm surging the song forward. Thank-you very much for sharing this wonderful gem with us!
@Streisand70
Great critique!!!
@gersonconstantinus7015
Iam in tears after this nostalgic and warm voice that resembles my grandmother!!! I am 56 .
@dw999
Thank you very much, not only for sharing the song but for the wonderful vid. My sense of Ethel Merman was shaped by listening, often, to the Gypsy OBC album when I was a kid (my father always listened to diverse music); only in the past 10 years or so, as I began watching a lot of 1930s movies, did I see another aspect of who she was and of her career. Fascinating. Thanks again.
@garygreen3102
Terrific presence in her phonation all through the range... They just don't sing like this anymore, nor do they write much music that is really singable... Too much shouting and screaming!
@robertschwartz4810
This version is a lot smoother, and musically satisfying, but the later version when she was older had a lot more feeling. What a great Cole Porter song, though one I haven't heard anywhere else.