I May Be Wrong
Doris Day & Harry James Lyrics


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I may be wrong but I think you're wonderful
I may be wrong but I think you're swell
I like your style say, I think it's marvellous
I'm always wrong so how can I tell
Deuces to me are all aces
Life is to me just a bore
Faces are all open spaces
You might be John Barrymore
You came along say I think you're wonderful
I think you're grand but I may be wrong

I may be wrong but I think you're wonderful
I may be wrong but I think you're swell
I like your style say, I really think it's marvellous
I'm always wrong so how can I tell
Deuces to me are all aces
Life is to me just a bore
Faces are all open spaces
You might be John Barrymore
You came along say I think you're wonderful
I think you're grand but I may be wrong

You said that Edison would never make that light
You laughed at Mr. Franklin with his key and kite




The point of the song is I'm always wrong
But with you baby I'm oh so right.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Doris Day's song "I May Be Wrong" express a sense of confusion and uncertainty mixed with admiration for someone who could be perceived as extraordinary. The repetition of "I may be wrong" throughout the song emphasizes the singer's self-doubt and lack of confidence. The lines "Deuces to me are all aces/Life is to me just a bore/Faces are all open spaces" suggest a lack of enthusiasm for life's experiences and an inability to see the good in things. However, the singer sees something special in the person they are addressing, as shown in the lines "You might be John Barrymore/You came along say I think you're wonderful/I think you're grand but I may be wrong."


The last verse of the song brings a twist to its meaning. The reference to Thomas Edison and Benjamin Franklin highlights the irony of the singer always being wrong, as they are talking about geniuses who were initially mocked for their ideas. This leads to the conclusion that, despite their self-doubt, the singer is confident that they are right about their feelings for the person they are addressing.


Overall, the lyrics to "I May Be Wrong" express ambiguity, uncertainty, and admiration all at once, making for a complex and intriguing sentiment.


Line by Line Meaning

I may be wrong but I think you're wonderful
I acknowledge that I might not always be accurate in my judgments, but my current assessment of you is that you're amazing.


I may be wrong but I think you're swell
It's possible that my opinion is misguided, but I'm of the belief that you're excellent.


I like your style say, I really think it's marvellous
Your mode of behavior and presentation is incredibly impressive and pleasing to me.


I'm always wrong so how can I tell
I tend to err frequently, so it's conceivable that my view may be incorrect.


Deuces to me are all aces
I'm so frequently mistaken that what I might believe to be unimportant cards are actually valuable.


Life is to me just a bore
I find existence to be tedious, monotonous and unstimulating.


Faces are all open spaces
Facial expressions to me are indistinguishable and lack significance.


You might be John Barrymore
It's plausible that you're a personage like John Barrymore.


You came along say I think you're wonderful
Since you entered my life, I've been fascinated by your charms.


I think you're grand but I may be wrong
I hold a high opinion of you, but it's important to keep in mind that I can still be mistaken.


You said that Edison would never make that light
You held the viewpoint that Edison wouldn't be able to invent the lightbulb.


You laughed at Mr. Franklin with his key and kite
You made fun of Mr. Franklin's experiment where he flew a kite to prove that lightning was electricity.


The point of the song is I'm always wrong
The purpose of this song is to emphasize that I'm frequently incorrect in my conclusions.


But with you baby I'm oh so right.
However, with you, my judgment and instincts are correct.




Lyrics © Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: RUSKIN HARRY, HENRY SULLIVAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

C Porter

It's about what I would expect from Harry James, a middle-of-the-road treatment, but still clear that everybody was having fun while recording it.

James Irwin

Yes, I was surprised ‘cause when I played this for the first time (when I recorded it here) I really liked the sound of it!

Arthur Mitchell

Another oldie updated to mid-century!

James Irwin

Yeah and what a great rendition!

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