If I Were a Bell
Dinah Washington & Hal Mooney And His Orchestra Lyrics

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Ask me how do I feel
Ask me now that we're cosy and clingin'
Well, sir, all I can say
Is if I were a bell, I'd be ringin'
From the moment we kissed tonight
That's the way I've just gotta behave
Boy, if I were a lamp, I'd light
Or if I were a banner, I'd wave

Ask me how do I feel
Little me with my quiet upbringing
Well, sir, all I can say
Is if I were a gate, I'd be swinging
And if I were a watch
I'd start popping my springs
Or if I were a bell
I'd go ding dong, ding dong ding

Yes, I knew my morale would crack
From the wonderful way that you looked
Boy, if I were a duck, I'd quack
Or if I were a goose, I'd be cooked

Ask me how do I feel
Ask me now that we're fondly caressing
Well, if I were a salad
I know I'd be splashing my dressing
Or if I were a season, I'd surely be spring
Or if I were a gate, I would swing
Have a fling almost any old thing
Or if I were a bell

I'd go ding dong, ding dong
Ding dong, ding dong, ding dong, ding, ding dong

Overall Meaning

Dinah Washington's "If I Were a Bell" is a song filled with flirtatious innuendos. The lyrics revolve around a woman describing her feelings and reactions to the man she is with. She cannot stop thinking about him and compares herself to various objects, stating what she would do if she were one of them.

The opening lines, "Ask me how do I feel / Ask me now that we're cosy and clingin'", establish the mood of the song, which is one of comfort and intimacy. The woman admits that if she were a bell, she would be ringing out of sheer joy and excitement over the newfound relationship. This metaphorical expression is used to convey how much she is pleased and how much she wants to spread the word about it. The woman further describes her state of euphoria and the passion of the heart in the following lines, "That's the way I've just gotta behave / Boy, if I were a lamp, I'd light / Or if I were a banner, I'd wave."

In the rest of the song, the woman continues to express her feelings using various metaphors. She talks about being a watch, a duck, a salad, and even a gate. All of the objects she mentions have connotations of movement, change or excitement, which convey how she feels in the moment. Overall, the song shows how falling in love can make someone feel alive, vibrant and full of energy.

Line by Line Meaning

Ask me how do I feel
Enquire about my emotions

Ask me now that we're cosy and clingin'
Ask me now that we are intimately close

Well, sir, all I can say
Honestly, there's only one response

Is if I were a bell, I'd be ringin'
I'm so ecstatic - I'd be a constantly ringing bell

From the moment we kissed tonight
Since we locked lips earlier

That's the way I've just gotta behave
I can't help but act this giddy way

Boy, if I were a lamp, I'd light
I'd be radiating joy, like a bright lamp

Or if I were a banner, I'd wave
I'd be vigorously celebratory

Little me with my quiet upbringing
I, a humble person with a reserved background

Is if I were a gate, I'd be swinging
I'd be so animated and lively, like a swinging gate

And if I were a watch
Even if I were just a timepiece