Powerful, milky smooth, rich baritone.

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.

Little White Lies
Dick Haymes Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

The moon was all aglow
But heaven was in your eyes
The night that you told me
Those little white lies

The stars all seemed to know
You didn't mean all those sighs
The night that you told me

Those little white lies

I try, but there's no forgetting
When evenin' appears
I sigh but there's no regretting
In spite of my tears

Who wouldn't believe those lips
Who wouldn't believe those eyes
The night that you told me
Those little white lies

I try, but there's no forgetting
When evenin' appears
I sigh but there's no regretting
In spite of my tears

The Devil was in your heart
But Heaven was in your eyes
The night that you told me
Those little white lies

Those lies
Teeny-weeny little white lies

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of “Little White Lies” by Dick Haymes tell the story of a night spent with a lover who tells little lies, but the singer of the song is unable to forget about it. Throughout the song, he paints a picture of a beautiful night, with the moon aglow and heaven in his lover’s eyes. However, he cannot ignore the fact that his lover is telling lies, even though they may seem small and insignificant. The singer struggles with the idea of forgiveness, but ultimately cannot ignore the lies that were told.

The lyrics contain a sense of nostalgia and longing for the past, as indicated by the lines “I try, but there's no forgetting, when evenin' appears, I sigh, but there's no regretting, in spite of my tears”. It is clear that the singer is finding it difficult to let go of what happened, even though he may have wanted to move past it.

The lyrics also make a reference to “the Devil in your heart”, which suggests that the lies being told may not just be small, but could potentially be deceiving and harmful to the singer. Overall, the song tells a story of love and deception, whilst exploring the complex themes of forgiveness and trust.

Line by Line Meaning

The moon was all aglow
The surroundings were serene and delightful.

But heaven was in your eyes
Your eyes sparkled with joy and love.

The night that you told me
On the fateful night that you shared your thoughts with me.

Those little white lies
The insignificant lies with no malicious intent.

The stars all seemed to know
The sky appeared to be aware of your deceit.

You didn't mean all those sighs
The expression of sadness was false.

I try, but there's no forgetting
Although I try, I cannot eliminate the memory of that night.

When evenin' appears
As nightfall ensues.

I sigh but there's no regretting
I am saddened, but I do not regret giving you my trust.

In spite of my tears
Despite my pain and distress.

Who wouldn't believe those lips
Anyone would have trusted your words.