Dick Haymes (September 13, 19… Read Full Bio ↴Powerful, milky smooth, rich baritone.
Dick Haymes (September 13, 1918 – March 28, 1980) was one of the most popular American male vocalists of the 1940s and early 1950s.
He was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. His Irish-born mother, Marguerite Haymes (1894-1987), was a well-known vocal coach and instructor. He became the vocalist in a number of big bands, worked in Hollywood on radio and in many films throughout the forties and fifties.
He never became a United States citizen and avoided military service during World War II by asserting his non-belligerent status as a citizen of Argentina, which was neutral. Years later (1955), this act of his nearly caused his deportation to Argentina on an unrelated technicality in immigration law. During World War II, he was briefly detained at Ellis Island.
Haymes was married six times and had six children. His most famous marriages were to film actresses Joanne Dru (1941-1949) and Rita Hayworth (1953-1955). His daughter Stephanie Haymes was married to Sir Elton John's lyricist Bernie Taupin
He died in Los Angeles from lung cancer, at the age of 61.
If I Should Lose You
Dick Haymes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If I should lose you, leaves would wither and die
The birds in May-time - they'd sing a mournful refrain
And I would wander around - hating the sound of rain
With you beside me, the rose would bloom in the snow
With you beside me, no winds of winter would blow
I gave you my love - and I was living a dream
But living would seem - in vain if I
(All is in vain if I)
If I ever lost you
The lyrics of the song "If I Should Lose You" by Dick Haymes are an expression of the singer's intense love for his partner. The opening lines "If I should lose you, the stars would fall from the sky, leaves would wither and die" suggest that the singer's world would collapse and lose its natural beauty without his partner.
The next lines "The birds in May-time-they'd sing a mournful refrain, and I would wander around-hating the sound of rain" highlight the depth of the singer's sorrow and the lonely path he would have to walk in the absence of his beloved. He would feel disconnected from nature, and even the rain that nourishes life would annoy him.
The next verse "With you beside me, the rose would bloom in the snow, with you beside me, no winds of winter would blow" signifies the positive influence of his partner in his life. The rose blooming in the snow suggests that even in difficult times, their love would provide warmth and beauty. The line "no winds of winter would blow" represents the power of love to protect them from harm.
The closing verse "I gave you my love and I was living a dream, but living would seem in vain if I" repeats the central theme of the song: that without his partner, life would lose its meaning for the singer.
Overall, the song is a heartfelt expression of the importance of love and companionship in life, and how much it would hurt to lose someone so dear.
Line by Line Meaning
If I should lose you, the stars would fall from the sky
The loss of the person addressed would result in an unparalleled disaster and the end of the universe as we know it
If I should lose you, leaves would wither and die
Without the person addressed, all color and joy would disappear from the world and life would be unbearable
The birds in May-time - they'd sing a mournful refrain
Even the natural world would mourn the loss, and the happiness and vitality of spring would be transformed into sadness and despair
And I would wander around - hating the sound of rain
The artist's sorrow and grief would be so profound that even the sounds of nature would be painful and unbearable
With you beside me, the rose would bloom in the snow
The person addressed is the source of an indomitable power and strength that makes even the most inhospitable and harsh conditions bearable
With you beside me, no winds of winter would blow
The person addressed is the sole source of protection and comfort against life's harsh and unpredictable trials and tribulations
I gave you my love - and I was living a dream
The singer's love for the person addressed brought him immense joy and fulfillment; it was the closest thing to heaven on earth
But living would seem - in vain if I
Without the person addressed, life would be utterly meaningless and pointless
(Hating the rain - if I)
The artist's joylessness and misery would extend even to the most innocuous and natural phenomena
(All is in vain if I)
Everything in life would be pointless and meaningless without the person addressed
If I ever lost you
The singer is consumed by the fear and desperation of losing the person addressed
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DONALD HOGAN, JERRY ROSS, MURRAY WECHT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind