April In Paris
Doris Day with Paul Weston & His Orchestra Lyrics


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I never knew the charm of spring
I never met it face to face
I never knew my heart could sing
I never missed a warm embrace

Till April in Paris, chestnuts in blossom
Holiday tables under the trees
April in Paris, this is a feeling
That no one can ever reprise

I never knew the charm of spring
I never met it face to face
I never knew my heart could sing
I never missed a warm embrace
Till April in Paris




Whom can I run to
What have you done to my heart

Overall Meaning

Dear Doris Day,


The opening lines of the song convey a sense of the singer's naivety and innocence. He has never experienced the charm of spring before, nor has he ever met it face to face. The shift to the idea of the heart singing implies a newfound joy that he has never experienced before. The mention of a "warm embrace" signifies a sense of longing for companionship and love, which he has never felt.


However, all of that changed until he experienced April in Paris. The imagery of chestnuts in blossom and holiday tables under the trees creates a vivid picture of the beauty of springtime in Paris. The feeling is so unique that it cannot be replicated, and it is something that will stay with him forever. This contrast between never experiencing something and then finding it in Paris indicates that the city has a unique charm and can bring out the best in people.


The final lines are a plea to the person who has caused this change in him. He wonders whom he can run to now that his heart has been stirred and asks what they have done to his heart. This adds an element of mystery, as we don't know who this person is or the extent of their influence on the singer, but it shows the transformative power of Paris in the springtime.


Line by Line Meaning

I never knew the charm of spring
Until experiencing April in Paris, the beauty of spring was unfamiliar to me


I never met it face to face
Prior to this moment in Paris, I had never truly encountered the season of spring


I never knew my heart could sing
My heart had previously never experienced such joyful emotion as it has now in Paris


I never missed a warm embrace
I had never felt the absence of an embracing warmth until now


Till April in Paris, chestnuts in blossom
It wasn't until my time in Paris during April, when the chestnut trees were in full bloom


Holiday tables under the trees
That I savored the pleasure of dining outside surrounded by trees in full blossom


April in Paris, this is a feeling
April in Paris brings a sensation unique to anything else


That no one can ever reprise
This one-of-a-kind feeling cannot be replicated by anyone else


Till April in Paris
This sentiment of wonder and whimsy was not present prior to my time in Paris during April


Whom can I run to
I am overwhelmed by this new emotion and do not know who I can turn to


What have you done to my heart
This newfound feeling has left me in utter awe and amazement, and I am not sure how to handle it




Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, Universal Music Publishing Group, Tratore
Written by: E. Y. Harburg, Vernon Duke

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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