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.

Where or When
Dick Haymes Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

It seems we stood and talked like this before
We looked at each other in the same way then
But I can't remember where or when

The clothes you're wearing are the clothes you wore
The smile you are smiling you were smiling then
But I can't remember where or when

Some things that happened for the first time
Seem to be happening again

And so it seems that we have met before

And laughed before, and loved before
But who knows where or when

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Dick Haymes's song "Where Or When" depict a nostalgic and romantic feeling of déjà vu. The song's protagonist seems to be reconnecting with an old friend or love interest whose presence triggers memories of a past encounter they may have had. The song speaks to a universal feeling of reminiscing and longing for a past love that one can't quite remember.

Haymes highlights how certain things like a person's clothes or smile may trigger memories from a past encounter. The lyrics suggest that even though the singer can't quite recall the details of the past meeting, he knows that he has met or known the other person before. Haymes, however, raises the question of "where or when" these memories took place. The song's lyrics are melancholic but also comforting. The singer highlights how some things that one experiences for the first time may feel familiar, and the song's chorus speaks to the idea that it's possible to reconnect with people from the past unexpectedly.

Line by Line Meaning

It seems we stood and talked like this before
I feel as though we have been in this exact situation and had this same conversation before

We looked at each other in the same way then
The way we are looking at each other now is familiar from a previous encounter

But I can't remember where or when
Despite having these familiar sensations and experiences, I cannot recall the specific time and place of our supposed previous encounter

The clothes you're wearing are the clothes you wore
The outfit you are currently wearing looks identical to what you wore during our previous interaction

The smile you are smiling you were smiling then
Your smile now is the same one that you had in our previous meeting

But I can't remember where or when
Despite these visual and emotional similarities, I am still unable to pinpoint the exact moment we first met

Some things that happened for the first time
Certain experiences that were novel and unique at first

Seem to be happening again
Are occurring again in a way that feels familiar

And so it seems that we have met before
Based on these similarities, it appears that we have previously encountered each other

And laughed before, and loved before
In addition to the previous similarities, there is a sense of having shared happy moments and romantic feelings in the past

But who knows where or when
Despite all of these connections, the details of our supposed past meeting remain a mystery

Lyrics © Kanjian Music, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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