I Didn
Dave Brubeck Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Once I was young
Yesterday, perhaps
Danced with Jim and Paul
And kissed some other chaps

Once I was young
But never was naive
I thought I had a trick or two
Up my imaginary sleeve
And now I know I was naive

I didn't know what time it was
Then I met you
Oh, what a lovely time it was
How sublime it was too

I didn't know what day it was
You held my hand
Warm like the month of May it was
And I'll say it was grand

Grand to be alive, to be young
To be mad, to be yours alone
Grand to see your face, feel your touch
Hear your voice say, "I'm all your own"

I didn't know what year it was
Life was no prize
I wanted love and here it was
Shining out of your eyes
I'm wise and I know what time it is now

Grand to be alive, to be young
To be mad, to be yours alone
Grand to see your face, feel your touch
Hear your voice say, "I'm all your own"

I didn't know what year it was
Life was no prize
I wanted love and here it was




Shining out of your eyes
I'm wise and I know what time it is now

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Dave Brubeck's song "I Didn't Know What Time It Was" is a reflection on youth and the changes that occur when one falls in love. The song highlights a time when the singer was young and seemingly happy, dancing with Jim and Paul and kissing other men. However, the singer also thought that they had a few tricks up their sleeve. Then, they met someone who changed their life, and they realized how naive they were before.


The singer didn't know what time or day it was until they met their love interest. This person made an impression on them, and they remember how lovely and grand everything felt whenever they were together. The singer reflects on how they wanted love and finally found it in this person, who they describe as shining out of their eyes. The song is ultimately a tribute to the power of love and the transformative impact it can have on a person's life.


Overall, "I Didn't Know What Time It Was" is a nostalgic song that captures the magic of youth, the pursuit of love, and the changes that occur with personal growth through love.


Line by Line Meaning

Once I was young
At some point in my past, I was youthful.


Yesterday, perhaps
It could have been any point in the past, but specifically maybe yesterday.


Danced with Jim and Paul
At some point I danced with individuals named Jim and Paul.


And kissed some other chaps
I also kissed individuals who were not Jim or Paul.


But never was naive
Despite my young age, I was never foolish or gullible.


I thought I had a trick or two
I believed I had some skills or knowledge that could help me.


Up my imaginary sleeve
I felt like I had some secret skills or knowledge that were not readily apparent.


And now I know I was naive
In retrospect, I realize that I was not as knowledgeable as I had thought.


I didn't know what time it was
At some point in the past, I was unsure of the current time.


Then I met you
After meeting you, my sense of time became clearer or more meaningful.


Oh, what a lovely time it was
After meeting you, my life took on a more positive and beautiful quality.


How sublime it was too
The experience of meeting you was profound and elevated.


You held my hand
At some point, you took my hand in yours.


Warm like the month of May it was
The quality of the touch was warm and inviting, like a pleasant May day.


And I'll say it was grand
I consider the experience of being with you to be magnificent or excellent.


To be alive, to be young
Being alive and young is a great experience.


To be mad, to be yours alone
Feeling passionately in love and belonging solely to you is a wonderful experience.


Grand to see your face, feel your touch
Experiencing your presence and touch is an excellent feeling.


Hear your voice say, "I'm all your own"
Hearing you affirm that I belong only to you is a great feeling.


Life was no prize
At some point, I didn't feel like life was very rewarding or fulfilling.


I wanted love and here it was
I desired love, and it was present after meeting you.


Shining out of your eyes
I could see the emotion of love radiating from your eyes.


I'm wise and I know what time it is now
After meeting you and experiencing love, I feel more knowledgeable or aware of the passage of time and what matters in life.




Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., IMAGEM MUSIC INC
Written by: LORENZ HART, RICHARD RODGERS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Comments from YouTube:

hank

Amazing what he does with time on this song!

More Versions