Jazz vocalist Cyrille Aimée (pronounced: "Surreal Emmay") has a culturally … Read Full Bio ↴Jazz vocalist Cyrille Aimée (pronounced: "Surreal Emmay") has a culturally rich background -- Dominican and French, Gypsy -- and conservatory training (SUNY Purchase) that help to form the rhythmic and expressive foundation by which a jury of legendary vocalists including Al Jarreau, Kurt Elling, Dianne Reeves and Dee Dee Bridgewater judged her to be a finalist in the prestigious Thelonious Monk Vocal Competition in 2010. At the young age of twenty-six, Cyrille has since become one of the hottest young artists on the New York scene. She has already released four CDs with a variety of ensembles and performed at the top venues around the world. The New York Times dubs her, "one of those singers whom non-singing musicians call 'a musician.'"

I Remember
Cyrille Aimee Lyrics

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I remember sky
It was blue as ink
Or at least I think
I remember sky

I remember snow
Soft as feathers
Sharp as thumb tacks

Coming down like lint
And it made you squint
When the wind would blow

And ice like vinyl
On the streets
Cold as silver
White as sheets
Rain like strings
And changing things
Like leaves

I remember leaves
Green as spearmint
Crisp as paper
I remember trees
Bare as coat racks
Spread like broken umbrellas

And parks and bridges
Ponds and zoos
Ruddy faces
Muddy shoes
Light and noise and
Bees and boys
And days

I remember days
Or at least I try
But as years go by
They're a sort of haze
And the bluest ink
Isn't really sky
And at times I think

I would gladly die
For a day of sky

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Cyrille Aimée's "I Remember" evoke vivid imagery of memories from the past, particularly ones associated with nature and the changing seasons. The repeated refrain of "I remember" emphasizes the act of reminiscing and looking back on moments that have left a lasting impression on the singer. The first stanza sets the scene with a recollection of a blue sky, suggesting a sense of clarity and peacefulness in the memory.

The second stanza shifts to memories of snow, describing it as both soft and sharp, emphasizing the contrasting sensations it brought. The imagery of snow falling like lint and making one squint in the wind adds a tactile and visual element to the recollection. The mention of ice like vinyl on the streets and rain like strings further paints a picture of a winter scene, with details that trigger sensory memories.

The third stanza transitions to memories of leaves and trees, using similes to compare their colors and textures to spearmint and coat racks respectively. The imagery of parks, bridges, ponds, and zoos conjures up a sense of nostalgia for familiar outdoor spaces and the experiences associated with them. The inclusion of ruddy faces, muddy shoes, and the mention of light, noise, bees, and boys adds a dynamic and bustling quality to the memories being recalled.

In the final stanza, the singer reflects on the passage of time and the fading clarity of memories as years go by. The comparison of the bluest ink not being as vivid as the sky suggests a longing for the purity and intensity of past experiences. The wistful tone in the lines "And at times I think I would gladly die for a day of sky" conveys a longing to recapture the simplicity and beauty of a bygone day. Overall, the lyrics of "I Remember" capture the bittersweet nature of reminiscing about the past and the fleeting nature of memories.

Line by Line Meaning

I remember sky
I reminisce about the vast blue expanse of the sky

It was blue as ink
The sky had a deep and vibrant blue hue

Or at least I think
Well, that's how I recollect it

I remember sky
I recall the beauty and vastness of the sky

I remember snow
I recall the soft white snowfall

Soft as feathers
Gentle and light, like a feather

Sharp as thumb tacks
It could be sharp and biting, like thumb tacks

Coming down like lint
Falling gently and quietly, like dust or lint

And it made you squint
Sometimes the brightness made you close your eyes half way

When the wind would blow
Especially when the wind picked up

And ice like vinyl
Icy surfaces that shimmered like vinyl records

On the streets
Lining the roads and pathways

Cold as silver
Chillingly cold, like silver metal

White as sheets
Blanketing everything in white, like sheets

Rain like strings
Raindrops falling like musical strings

And changing things
Causing transformations in the environment

Like leaves
Similar to the changing of leaves in the fall

I remember leaves
I recollect the vibrant greenery of leaves

Green as spearmint
Bright and fresh, like spearmint leaves

Crisp as paper
Their texture crisp like a sheet of paper

I remember trees
I have vivid memories of the tall trees

Bare as coat racks
Stripped of their leaves, like coat racks waiting for jackets

Spread like broken umbrellas
Their branches outstretched like broken umbrellas

And parks and bridges
Remembering the green spaces and connections

Ponds and zoos
Reflecting on ponds and the lively energy of zoos

Ruddy faces
Faces flushed with color and warmth

Muddy shoes
Footwear caked with mud from adventures

Light and noise and
The abundance of light, sounds, and activities

Bees and boys
The buzzing of bees and the laughs of young boys

And days
Simply recalling the passage of days

I remember days
Nostalgia for the past and the ordinary days

Or at least I try
Attempting to recollect the past, imperfectly

But as years go by
Time dims the clarity of memories

They're a sort of haze
Memories becoming fuzzy and indistinct

And the bluest ink
Even the most vivid memories fade with time

Isn't really sky
They are not as vibrant as the true experience

And at times I think
Occasionally considering the fleeting nature of memories

I would gladly die
Considering the longing for a past experience

For a day of sky
A day filled with the beauty and freedom of the sky

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: STEPHEN SONDHEIM

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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