Brubeck's style ranged from refined to bombastic, reflecting his mother's attempts at classical training and his improvisational skills. Much of his music employed unusual time signatures, a fact jokingly referred to by his greatest hits album 'Time Signatures: A Career Retrospective'. Upon his death, a number of commentators noted his crossover appeal to mainstream pop audiences, something putting him in the company of other jazz legends such as Louis Armstrong and Herbie Hancock among others.
The Old Black Magic
Dave Brubeck Lyrics
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Old black magic that you weave so well
Those icy fingers up and down my spine
The same old witch craft when your eyes meet mine
Same old tingle that I feel inside
Then the elevator starts it ride
Down and down I go
Like a leaf caught in a tide
I should stay away but what can I do
I hear your name and I'm a flame
Flame, flame of desire
Only your kiss can put out the fire
Oh you're the lover I have waiting for
Your the mate that fate had me created for
And every time your lips meet mine
Down and down I go
Round and round I go
In a spin, lovin' the spin I'm in
Under the old black magic called love
In a spin lovin' the spin I'm in
Under the old black magic called love
In a spin lovin' the spin I'm in
Under the old black magic called love
I should stay away but what can I do
I hear your name and I'm a flame
Flame, flame of desire
Only your kiss can put out the fire
Oh you are the lover I have waited for
Your the mate that fate had me created for
And every time your lips meet mine
Down and down I go
Round and round I go
In a spin, lovin' the spin I'm in
Under the old black magic called love
The lyrics of "Old Black Magic" by Dave Brubeck convey a feeling of being entranced and captivated by someone through the use of supernatural imagery. The song describes the sensation of being under a spell or being under the influence of some kind of powerful magic. The line "Old black magic has me in its spell" implies that the singer is powerless to resist the charms of the person being described. The "icy fingers up and down my spine" describe the physical and emotional sensations the singer experiences when they are around this person.
The lyrics also suggest that this power is not necessarily negative, as the singer appears to be enjoying the experience of being under this spell. They are in a "spin," and they describe their love and desire as powerful, almost supernatural forces themselves. The line "Only your kiss can put out the fire" indicates that the singer is deeply attracted to the person they are singing about and suggests that the feelings between them are not just physical but also deep and enduring.
Overall, the lyrics use magical imagery to convey the power of love and desire, and the sense of being swept away by these powerful emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
Old black magic has me in its spell
I am powerless against the spell of your black magic.
Old black magic that you weave so well
You have mastered the art of weaving your black magic.
Those icy fingers up and down my spine
Your touch sends shivers down my spine.
The same old witch craft when your eyes meet mine
I fall victim to your witchcraft every time our eyes meet.
Same old tingle that I feel inside
I experience the same feeling of excitement every time we are together.
Then the elevator starts its ride
My emotions escalate rapidly, like an elevator starting its ascent.
Down and down I go
I descend into a state of uncontrollable desire.
Round and round I go
I am consumed by a cyclical pattern of emotions.
Like a leaf caught in a tide
I feel helpless and swept away by the forces of attraction.
I should stay away but what can I do
I know I should resist, but I am unable to control my emotions.
I hear your name and I'm a flame
Just hearing your name sets my passion alight.
Flame, flame of desire
My desire for you burns with an intense flame.
Only your kiss can put out the fire
Only your kiss can quell my burning desire.
Oh you're the lover I have waiting for
You are the lover I have longed for and have finally found.
You're the mate that fate had me created for
You are the partner that destiny has created for me.
And every time your lips meet mine
Every time we kiss, I am consumed by desire.
In a spin, lovin' the spin I'm in
I am dizzy with excitement, loving the wild ride of passion.
Under the old black magic called love
I am under the spell of love's old black magic.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind