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.
They Say It
Dave Brubeck Lyrics
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It's wonderful, so they say
And with the moon up above, it's wonderful
It's wonderful, so they tell me
I can't recall who said it
I know I've never read it
I only know they tell me that love is grand, and
Is wonderful, wonderful
In every way, so they say
To leave your house some morning
And without any warning, you're stopping people,
Shouting that love is grand, and
To hold a man in your arms is wonderful, wonderful
In every way, so they say
The lyrics of Dave Brubeck's song "They Say It's Wonderful" explore the idea of falling in love and how it is often hailed as a wonderful experience. The repetition of "it's wonderful, so they say" throughout the song emphasizes the idea that falling in love is often romanticized and glorified in our culture. The lyrics also suggest that love is something that is passed down through generations, as the singer notes that they can't recall who said it but they know that "they" say love is grand.
The song creates a sense of longing and desire through the imagery of the moon and the idea of holding someone in your arms. The singer seems to be yearning for this experience themselves, as they imagine leaving their house and proclaiming to the world how wonderful love is. However, the song also acknowledges that the reality of love may not always match up to this romanticized ideal, as it is something that is often "told" rather than experienced firsthand.
Overall, "They Say It's Wonderful" is a commentary on how love is portrayed in our society, both as an idealized experience and as something that is often talked about more than it is actually lived.
Line by Line Meaning
They say that falling love is wonderful
According to popular belief, experiencing the feeling of love is a wonderful thing
It's wonderful, so they say
People describe love as a positive experience
And with the moon up above, it's wonderful
The allure of the moon adds to the wonder of love
It's wonderful, so they tell me
Others have shared stories of love being a great thing
I can't recall who said it
I don't remember specifically who made this claim about love
I know I've never read it
I don't have any sources to support this idea of love
I only know they tell me that love is grand, and
All I have to go off of are the stories that other people have told me about love being amazing
The thing that's known as romance
This special feeling is often referred to as romance
Is wonderful, wonderful
Romance is described as being delightful and amazing
In every way, so they say
People believe that romance is great in all aspects
To leave your house some morning
One day, you might step outside and leave your home
And without any warning, you're stopping people,
Out of sheer excitement, you might start stopping strangers on the street
Shouting that love is grand, and
Announcing to everyone that love is truly grand and amazing
To hold a man in your arms is wonderful, wonderful
Feeling the embrace of someone you love is an incredible feeling
In every way, so they say
People believe that holding someone you love is a great feeling in all ways
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: IRVING BERLIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind