Once Upon A Summertime
Derby Browne Lyrics

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Once upon a summertime if you recall
We stopped beside then in a flower stall
A bunch of bright forget-me-nots
Was all I let you buy me
Once upon a summertime just like today
We laughed the happy afternoon away
And stole a kiss in every street cafe
You were sweeter than the blossom on the tree

I was as proud as any girl could be
As if the major had offered me the key, the key to Paris
Now another wintertime has come and gone
The pigeons feeding in the square have flown
But I remember when the vespers chime
You loved me once upon a summertime
Tous les lilas, tous les lilas de mai
N'en finiront, n'en finiront jamais
De faire la fete du coeur
Des jeunes qui s'aiment
S'aiment, s'aiment
Now another wintertime has come and gone
The pigeons feeding in the square have flown

But I remember when the vespers chime
You loved me once upon a summertime...

Overall Meaning

Derby Browne’s song “Once Upon a Summertime” is about a past love, a time when the singer was happy and carefree. The opening line “Once upon a summertime if you recall” is an invitation to remember that time. The singer reminisces about a day spent with their lover, stopping beside a flower stall and buying a bunch of bright forget-me-nots. The forget-me-nots serve as a reminder of that summer day, a tangible token from a happy memory.

The singer also recalls stealing kisses in every street café, swept away by the romance and joy of being in love. They describe their love as being sweeter than the blossom on the trees and they felt as proud as any girl could be. The singer compares their love to being offered the key to Paris, a symbol of the height of luxury and romance.

The second verse talks about the passage of time, how another winter has come and gone and the pigeons in the square have flown away. Despite the changing seasons and the passage of time, the singer still remembers their love from that summertime. They reference the vespers chime, a symbol of the end of the day and the passage of time, as a reminder of their love.

Line by Line Meaning

Once upon a summertime if you recall
Reminiscing of a past summer when we stopped by a flower stall

We stopped beside then in a flower stall
We stood together near a flower stall

A bunch of bright forget-me-nots
You offered to buy me a bunch of bright forget-me-nots

Was all I let you buy me
I let you buy only a bunch of bright forget-me-nots

Once upon a summertime just like today
Just like today, during a past summertime we were joyous

We laughed the happy afternoon away
We spent the happy afternoon together, laughing

And stole a kiss in every street cafe
We were completely enamored and kissed in each street cafe

You were sweeter than the blossom on the tree
You were even sweeter than the blossom on the tree

I was as proud as any girl could be
I felt immensely proud as any girl would be

As if the major had offered me the key, the key to Paris
It felt as if achieving your love was as great as receiving the key to Paris

Now another wintertime has come and gone
Another wintertime has passed