Lush Life
Coltrane John Lyrics

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I used to visit all the very gay places
Those come-what-may places
Where one relaxes on the axis of the wheel of life
To get the feel of life from jazz and cocktails

The girls I knew had sad and sullen gray faces
With distinguish traces that used to be there
You could see where they'd been washed away

By too many through the day, twelve O'clock tales

Then you came along with your siren song
To tempt me to madness
I thought for awhile that your poignant smile
Was tinged with the sadness of a great love for me
Ah, yes, I was wrong, again, I was wrong

Life is lonely again and only last year
Everything seemed so sure
Now life is awful again a trough full of hearts
Could only be a bore

A week in Paris could ease the bite of it
All I care is to smile in spite of it
I'll forget you, I will while yet you are still
Burning inside my brain

Romance is mush stifling those who strive
I'll live a lush life in some small dive
And there I'll be while I rot with the rest
Of those whose lives are lonely too

Romance is mush stifling those who strive
I'll live a lush life in some small dive

And there I'll be while I rot with the rest
Of those whose lives are lonely too

Overall Meaning

In "Lush Life," Coltrane John sings about his experiences visiting what he calls "the very gay places," where he would listen to jazz and drink cocktails, seeking a connection to life. The women he encountered in these places were often sad and washed out, with no distinguishing features to set them apart. But then he meets someone who tries to tempt him away from that life with a great love. Despite his hopes, however, he realizes that he was wrong, and life is just as lonely as it was before. He imagines leaving for Paris, but ultimately decides to hole up in a dive bar and live a lush life of his own, with all the loneliness that that implies.

This song expresses an ambivalent attitude toward the jazzy, cocktail-fueled lifestyle that Coltrane John was documenting in his music. On the one hand, he clearly feels a certain nostalgia for the heightened sensations and "feel of life" that these places offered. On the other hand, he also recognizes that they are ultimately empty and pointless, leaving him just as lonely as he was before. The siren song of the chorus seems to be both alluring and cautionary, as if warning both him and his listeners about the dangers of these kinds of empty pleasures.

Line by Line Meaning

I used to visit all the very gay places Those come-what-may places Where one relaxes on the axis of the wheel of life To get the feel of life from jazz and cocktails
I used to go to all the lively and unpredictable places, where people unwind and live life in the moment. It is a place where one can get a glimpse of the essence of life through listening to jazz and sipping cocktails.

The girls I knew had sad and sullen gray faces With distinguish traces that used to be there You could see where they'd been washed away By too many through the day, twelve O'clock tales
The girls I knew were once full of hope and promise, but now they look sad and downtrodden due to the life they live. The traces of their once bright future have faded away, from too much time spent listening to and telling stories of unfulfilled dreams.

Then you came along with your siren song To tempt me to madness I thought for awhile that your poignant smile Was tinged with the sadness of a great love for me Ah, yes, I was wrong, again, I was wrong
Then you entered my life with your irresistible charm and seductive nature, which lead me to a feeling of madness. For a fleeting moment I believed that your captivating smile held a deep and meaningful love for me, but like many times before, I was completely wrong.

Life is lonely again and only last year Everything seemed so sure Now life is awful again a trough full of hearts Could only be a bore
Life has returned to a state of loneliness, and not too long ago everything was going well. Now life is dreadful again, a life filled with failed relationships, heartache and disappointment, a life that is just too boring to be endured.

A week in Paris could ease the bite of it All I care is to smile in spite of it I'll forget you, I will while yet you are still Burning inside my brain
A trip to Paris for a week could alleviate some of the pain, but more importantly all I desire is to simply smile in the face of it all. I'll learn to forget you while you still occupy my thoughts and memories, an intense experience that shapes who I am.

Romance is mush stifling those who strive I'll live a lush life in some small dive And there I'll be while I rot with the rest Of those whose lives are lonely too
Romantic relationships can make us complacent and unambitious, inhibiting our drive to achieve greater things. So, I'll live a life of extravagance and gluttony, in some small run-down bar. And there I'll stay, living a hedonistic life, one of many who suffer from similar loneliness and depression.

Lyrics © CONSALAD CO., Ltd., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Billy Strayhorn

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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