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.
These Foolish Things
Dave Brubeck Lyrics
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Oh! Will you never set me free?
The ties that bound us
Are still around us
There's no escape that I can see
And still those little things remain
That bring me happiness or pain
An airline ticket to romantic places
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you
A tinkling piano in the next apartment
Those stumbling words that told you what my heart meant
A fair ground's painted swings
These foolish things remind me of you
You came you saw you conquer'd me
When you did that to me
I knew somehow this had to be
The winds of March that make my heart a dancer
A telephone that rings but who's to answer?
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you
First daffodils and long excited cables
And candle lights on little corner tables
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you
The park at evening when the bell has sounded
The "Ile de France" with all the gulls around it
The beauty that is Spring's
These foolish things remind me of you
How strange how sweet to find you still
These things are dear to me
They seem to bring you near to me
The sigh of midnight trains in empty stations
Silk stockings thrown aside dance invitations
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you
Gardenia perfume ling'ring on a pillow
Wild strawb'ries only seven francs a kilo
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you
The smile of Garbo and the scent of roses
The waiters whistling as the last bar closes
The song that Crosby sings
These foolish things remind me of you
How strange how sweet to find you still
These things are dear to me
They seem to bring you near to me
The scent of smould'ring leaves, the wail of steamers
Two lovers on the street who walk like dreamers
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you
These lyrics, written by Jack Strachey and Eric Maschwitz, reflect on the lingering memories of a past relationship that continue to haunt the singer in the present. The first two lines convey a sense of entrapment and desperation, as the singer pleads to be set free from the ties that bind them to their former lover. Despite this longing for freedom, the singer admits that they are still affected by the little things that remind them of their lost love – a cigarette with lipstick traces, an old airline ticket to a romantic destination, a tinkling piano from a neighboring apartment. These “foolish things” trigger memories of the love they shared, leaving the singer with a bittersweet mix of happiness and pain.
The second verse continues to describe various items and experiences that evoke the memory of the singer’s past lover, including the winds of March, a ringing telephone with no one on the other end, and silk stockings discarded in the heat of passion. However, even as the singer is consumed by these memories, they cannot deny the sweetness of being reminded of their lost love. The third verse presents a collage of additional sights, sounds, and smells that remind the singer of their past love, ending with the realization that these memories continue to bring their love near to them even in their absence. The song concludes with the poignant image of two lovers walking like dreamers through the streets, reminding the singer of their own lost love.
Overall, the lyrics of “These Foolish Things” explore the complex and often contradictory feelings of nostalgia, pain, and longing that come with the end of a romantic relationship. The various sensory details throughout the song serve to bring the memories of the past lover to life and evoke a sense of shared experience that resonates with listeners.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh! Will you never let me be?
Are you going to keep haunting me forever?
Oh! Will you never set me free?
Am I never going to be able to move on and forget you?
The ties that bound us
The emotional connections that we had
Are still around us
Still present and affecting us
There's no escape that I can see
I don't see any way to free myself from the memories of you
And still those little things remain
Those small details that remind me of you are still there
That bring me happiness or pain
Sometimes they make me happy, other times they make me sad
A cigarette that bears a lipstick's traces
A cigarette that I imagine you smoking, with your lipstick on it
An airline ticket to romantic places
A reminder of the trips we took together
And still my heart has wings
I still feel light and happy when I remember those times
These foolish things remind me of you
All of these small details make me think of you
A tinkling piano in the next apartment
Hearing someone play the piano next door makes me think of you
Those stumbling words that told you what my heart meant
The clumsy way I used to express my feelings to you
A fair ground's painted swings
Reminders of the fun we had at the fair
You came you saw you conquer'd me
You won me over completely
When you did that to me
When you captured my heart
I knew somehow this had to be
I had a feeling that we were meant to be together
The winds of March that make my heart a dancer
The spring breeze makes me feel alive and happy
A telephone that rings but who's to answer?
When the phone rings and I don't know who's on the other end
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
I can't escape the memory of you
First daffodils and long excited cables
The first sign of spring and the anticipation of connecting with you
And candle lights on little corner tables
The romantic atmosphere of dining out
The park at evening when the bell has sounded
The peacefulness of the park at dusk
The "Ile de France" with all the gulls around it
The French ocean liner and the birds that fly around it
The beauty that is Spring's
The loveliness of the season of spring
How strange how sweet to find you still
It's amazing how I still feel so attached to you
These things are dear to me
These memories hold a special place in my heart
They seem to bring you near to me
They make me feel like you're still with me
The sigh of midnight trains in empty stations
The sound of trains in the middle of the night when there's no one else around
Silk stockings thrown aside dance invitations
The suggestion of a romantic evening that never came to fruition
Gardenia perfume ling'ring on a pillow
The scent of the flowers you wore all the time, still present on your pillow
Wild strawb'ries only seven francs a kilo
The memory of a time when strawberries were affordable and plentiful
The smile of Garbo and the scent of roses
Reminders of the old Hollywood glamour that we loved
The waiters whistling as the last bar closes
The sound of the waitstaff closing up the restaurant for the night
The song that Crosby sings
The melodies that reminded us of each other
The scent of smould'ring leaves, the wail of steamers
The autumnal smell of burning leaves and the haunting sound of steamboats
Two lovers on the street who walk like dreamers
Seeing a happy couple walking hand-in-hand, lost in their own world
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
I can't seem to shake off the memory of you
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Harry Link, Holt Marvell, Jack Strachey
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@markbryce1
I am 74 now. I bought this number on an extended playrecord some 60 years ago. I still like it.
it reminds me to my youth. The sixties were a fantastic period.
@germanobregon9080
Fantástico, inolvidable u único
@dushaunlewis7574
Paul is such a great saxophonist.
@polara01
Don't forget Gene Wright on bass! He was absolutely incredible and helped make the band what it was his contributions are just as important as any of the other four if you listen and dig in he holds it all down and swings like a madman! We are still blessed to have him with us the only one left from his era in his 90s now and still playing!
@bigbass421
These men were The Beatles of Jazz. nothing quite like them before... they introduced the beauty, complexity, and diversity of Jazz to mainstream middle America. The composition "It's a Raggy Waltz," was one of the tunes that inspired me to become a musician. Thanks, Dave, Eugene, Joe, and Paul. R.I.P. Dave.
@chewgumer
Paul Desmond`s solo was absolutely beautiful.
@JeffHogue-u.s.a.
What a group! Paul, at his best on that solo. Always liked Joe's marvelous brush work on his snare. Gene's great bass work was always solid and there. Dave MADE the whole group, though. Been listening to them since '62 with my collection of super albums. Joe's terrific drumming inspired me to play jazz at age 12. I met Joe once at the Hollywood Bowl in the mid-sixties!
@marciopimentanoronha2472
Incredible Gene Wright's bass soloing. I did not know this version of "These Foolish Things" played at Rome. Thanks for posting erwigfilms,
@mpcguy
I think even Paul was happy with his solo on this one. Beautiful!
@bryancar70
Dave, Paul, Gene and Joe were masters. Their talents were far and above most other groups. Their skills and musicianship are the greatest; their creativity is beyond anything I have ever heard.