Perdido
Duke Ellington & His Famous Orchestra Lyrics

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Perdido,
I look for my heart
It's perdido
I lost it way down in Torito
The day the fiesta started
Bolero,

I sway that they play the Bolero

I kissed me the listing sombrero
And that's when my heart departed
High, was the sun when I held him close
Low, was the moon when we said, "Adios"

Perdido
My heart ever since is Perdido
I know I must go to Torito
To find what I lost Perdido

High, was the sun when I held him close
Low, was the moon when we said, "Adios"
Perdido

Goodnight perdido
I lost perdido

Overall Meaning

The song “Perdido” by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra is about a lost heart. The singer, who is searching for her heart, realizes that she lost it in Torito during a Fiesta. She remembers that she swayed to the Bolero and had kissed a sombrero while her heart departed. She recalls the sun being high when she embraced her lover, and the moon being low when they parted. The loss of her heart has left her feeling lost and desperate to find it again. She concludes that she must go back to Torito to find what she lost.

The lyrics of “Perdido” convey the idea of losing one's heart or love. The singer searching for her lost heart, which adds a layer of symbolism. Additionally, the imagery of the Bolero and the sombrero enhances the Latin American flavor of the song. The use of metaphors such as the sun being high and the moon being low also contribute to the romantic and tragic mood of the song.

Line by Line Meaning

Perdido,
Lost, searching for something.

I look for my heart
I am searching for my lost love.

It's perdido
My love is lost.

I lost it way down in Torito
I lost my love in Torito.

The day the fiesta started
It was during a festival that my love was lost.

Bolero,
A type of music and dance.

I sway that they play the Bolero
I am moved by the Bolero music that is being played.

I kissed me the listing sombrero
I kissed the hat of the person I loved.

And that's when my heart departed
That is the moment when I lost my love.

High, was the sun when I held him close
We were in the throes of passion during that hot summer day.

Low, was the moon when we said, "Adios"
We said goodbye during the low light of the moon.

Perdido
Lost love.

My heart ever since is Perdido
My heart has been lost ever since.

I know I must go to Torito
I am determined to find my lost love in Torito.

To find what I lost Perdido
To find my lost love, Perdido.

Goodnight perdido
Goodnight to my lost love, Perdido.

I lost perdido
I lost my love, Perdido.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOSIAS DE LA CRUZ, MARCOS EFRAIN MASIS, JUAN LUIS MORERA LUNA, ERNESTO FIDEL PADILLA, LLANDEL VEGUILLA MALAVE, JOHN STEVE CORREA

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