La mer
Coleman Hawkins with Manny Albam and His Orchestra Lyrics

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Somewhere beyond the sea
Somewhere waiting for me
My lover stands on golden sands
And watches the ships that go sailing

Somewhere beyond the sea
She's there watching for me
If I could fly like birds on high

Then straight to her arms I'd go sailing

It's far beyond a star
It's near beyond the moon
I know beyond a doubt
My heart will lead me there soon

We'll meet beyond the shore
We'll kiss just as before
Happy we'll be beyond the sea
And never again I'll go sailing

I know beyond a doubt
My heart will lead me there soon

We'll meet I know we'll meet
Beyond the shore
We'll kiss just as before
Happy we'll be beyond the sea
And never again I'll go sailing

Together we'll be just you and me
Beyond the sea

Overall Meaning

The song "Beyond the Sea" is a timeless classic that speaks about longing and love. The song is often associated with Coleman Hawkins and Manny Albam and His Orchestra. In the first verse, Hawkins sings that his lover is waiting for him beyond the sea on golden sands, watching the ships that go sailing. He dreams of flying like birds on high straight into her arms. The second verse describes how far away his lover is and how much he longs to be with her. He knows that his heart will lead him to her soon. The final verse is about their future together, beyond the shore, where they will kiss just like they did before. Hawkins sings that they will be happy beyond the sea, and he will never go sailing again.

The song "Beyond the Sea" was originally written in French in 1945, with the title "La Mer," by Charles Trenet, a French singer and songwriter. The song’s music was composed by Trenet himself. In 1947, an English version of the song was released, with lyrics written by Jack Lawrence, which became the version that is most popular. The English version of the song has been performed by several different artists, including Frank Sinatra, Bobby Darin, and Rod Stewart. The song has also been featured in several movies and television shows, including Finding Nemo and American Horror Story.

Line by Line Meaning

Somewhere beyond the sea
In a place far away across the sea

Somewhere waiting for me
A lover eagerly awaits my arrival

My lover stands on golden sands
My beloved is standing on a beach of gold

And watches the ships that go sailing
Observing boats as they slide across the waves

She's there watching for me
My lover keeps an eye out for my appearance

If I could fly like birds on high
I would soar like a bird through the sky

Then straight to her arms I'd go sailing
Sailing would bring me straight into the arms of my beloved

It's far beyond a star
It is much farther than a distant star

It's near beyond the moon
Despite its distance, it is still closer than the moon

I know beyond a doubt
Without any hesitation, I am sure

My heart will lead me there soon
My heart will guide me to that faraway place soon