Careless
Dick Jurgens/Eddie Howard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That's why we answered loves call
Now that you've got what you wanted
You don't seem to want it at all
Careless
Now that you've got me loving you
You're careless
You break up appointments and think you are smart
If you're not careful you'll break my heart
Careless
Now that my bridges all are burned
You're careless
Careless in things where I'm concerned
Are you just careless, as you seem to be
Or do you just care less for me?
The lyrics of Dick Jurgens's song "Careless" talk about a love that once was desired and pursued but has now become neglected and careless. The song is addressed to someone who was looking for love, and now that they have found it, they seem to have stopped caring about it. The lyrics express the frustration and pain of the person who is still in love with their careless partner.
The first stanza highlights the irony of the situation. The person who wanted love in the first place is now the one who seems to care less about it. The second stanza employs wordplay, using the same word "careless" in different contexts to convey the message that the person's careless behavior is leading to a potential heartbreak. The last stanza poses a question, asking if the person is really careless or if they care less for their partner.
The song's lyrics are simple but convey a powerful message that many people can relate to. The tune is upbeat, but the lyrics are bittersweet, which makes for a melancholic listening experience. Dick Jurgens's orchestra arrangement, as well as the melancholy singing style of Harry James, both contribute to the poignancy of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Love was the thing that you wanted
You desired love at the start of our relationship
That's why we answered loves call
That's why we pursued a romantic relationship
Now that you've got what you wanted
Now that you've achieved your goal of being in a romantic relationship
You don't seem to want it at all
You no longer seem interested in maintaining our relationship
Careless
You no longer care about our relationship
Now that you've got me loving you
Now that I'm emotionally invested in our relationship
You're careless
You're reckless with my feelings and our relationship
Careless in everything you do
You're not giving our relationship the attention and care it deserves
You break up appointments and think you are smart
You cancel plans without thinking about how it affects me
If you're not careful you'll break my heart
Your careless behavior could lead to the end of our relationship
Now that my bridges all are burned
Now that the damage to our relationship is irreversible
You're careless
You don't seem to care about the negative effects of your actions on our relationship
Careless in things where I'm concerned
You're not considering my feelings or needs in our relationship
Are you just careless, as you seem to be
I wonder if your actions are intentional, or if you're just thoughtless
Or do you just care less for me?
Maybe you simply don't value our relationship as much as you used to
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: HOWARD, JURGENS, LEW QUADLING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@paprikash1877
a fantastic song. My fathers favorite singer and song !!!!!
@620film
I've always liked the trumpet solo at the end!
@tiancrissmoreno6923
Notable❤
@arlenestacko3647
My mom use to listen to his band in the 40s.
@Trombonology
This side is one of those that has a time capsule quality about it, so representative it is of its time. Eddy's straightforward and sincere reading of the sentimental lyrics made this one the best treatment of this tune when it was new. His '46 interpretation, under his own name, is even better.
@benzo4029
Such a lovely romantic tune to recall the 40's by! I first heard it played by George Wright on a theatre organ, and how he would build up those lush chords was amazing. I bet this Jurgen's version earned a million nickels dropped into those Wurlitzer jukeboxes back in the day!
@deannalynnkennedy754
One of my grandpas favorite songs
@Bigbadwhitecracker
I think this was the song that introduced me to Eddy Howard on a "music of your life" station in Fort Lauderdale some 40 years ago.
@tvank9703
This is the song I learned from Delano Calif radio station KCHJ in 1967, but that was Howard's later Mercury recording.
@davechristian5060
What's the definition of (sic)?