Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
Dinah Washington & Hal Mooney And His Orchestra Lyrics

The lyrics of Dinah Washington's song "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" are about the pain of losing a love that was once true. The opening lines, "They ask me how I knew / My true love was true / I, I of course replied / Something here inside cannot be denied, oh no" captures the essence of being completely sure and confident of one's love for someone. The singer is so convinced of her love that she cannot deny the feelings inside her heart. However, as the song progresses, the mood changes and we hear the singer admitting that her love has flown away, leaving her with tears she cannot hide.

The second verse of the song talks about how people warned the singer that love is blind and that someday she will realize that all who are in love are blind. But the singer was confident in her love and "chaffed them and gaily laughed." However, as things fell apart, "laughing friends deride, tears I cannot hide." She puts up a brave face and says, "When a love flame dies, smoke gets in your eyes." This line is particularly significant as it describes how the fire of passion turns to smoke when the love is gone, impairing the vision and causing tears to flow.

Overall, the song is about the pain of losing someone you love, and not being able to control the emotions that come with it. The lyrics are simple yet convey a depth of emotions that can be felt by anyone who has experienced heartbreak.