I Concentrate on You
Dinah Washington & Hal Mooney And His Orchestra Lyrics

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Whenever skies look gray to me
And trouble begins to brew,
Whenever the Winter winds become too strong,
I concentrate on you.

When fortune cries "Nay! Nay!" to me
And people declare "You're through!",
Whenever the blues become my only song,

I concentrate on you.

On your smile so sweet, so tender,
When at first your kiss I decline.
On the light in your eyes when I surrender,
And once again our arms intertwine

And so, when wise men say to me
That love's young dream never comes true,

To prove that even wise men can be wrong,
I concentrate on you.

Overall Meaning

In "I Concentrate on You," Dinah Washington demonstrates the powerful and transformative nature of love. The lyrics suggest that when life is tough and gray, focusing on the object of one's love can provide comfort and strength. She centers on this love as a source of light that can cut through the darkness and help her push through the challenges that life presents her with. When her fortune turns for the worse, and people turn their backs on her, she turns to her lover for support. The song describes a profound connection between two people, with a focus on the smile, kiss, and embrace of the lover. Washington suggests that love can be so powerful that it can even prove the wise men wrong.

The song is an ode to love and its ability to bring happiness, even when everything else around us is falling apart. By focusing on the one we love, we can feel surrounded by their warmth and affection, which can provide the strength to keep going. The lyrics describe how this love can warm the heart, provide hope, and make even the toughest situations bearable. Through the song, Dinah Washington captures the essence of the transformative power of love.

Line by Line Meaning

Whenever skies look gray to me
When life seems gloomy and full of despair

And trouble begins to brew,
And difficult situations arise

Whenever the Winter winds become too strong,
When life gets too tough to face alone

I concentrate on you.
I focus on the person I love to help me through it.

When fortune cries "Nay! Nay!" to me
When luck seems to be against me

And people declare "You're through!",
When others believe I am defeated

Whenever the blues become my only song,
When feelings of sadness become overwhelming

I concentrate on you.
I think of the person I love to feel better.

On your smile so sweet, so tender,
Your loving, caring smile that brings me joy.

When at first your kiss I decline.
Even though I may try to resist at first, I eventually give in to your love.

On the light in your eyes when I surrender,
The happiness and acceptance that I see in your eyes when I finally give in to love.

And once again our arms intertwine
We embrace and hold each other.

And so, when wise men say to me
When people who are supposed to have knowledge say to me

That love's young dream never comes true,
That the idea of finding true love is just a dream and not a reality

To prove that even wise men can be wrong,
To show that even knowledgeable people can be mistaken

I concentrate on you.
I focus on the person I love to take away the doubts and the sadness.

Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, O/B/O DistroKid, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Cole Porter

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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