Duke Ellington and his Orchestra is perhaps the greatest of all Jazz bands.… Read Full Bio ↴Duke Ellington and his Orchestra is perhaps the greatest of all Jazz bands. The group stayed together for over fifty years and recorded and wrote some of America's greatest music. The band started in New York City under name of the Washingtonians in 1923, they then briefly became known as Duke Ellington and his Kentucky Club Orchestra, then as Duke Ellington and his Cotton Club Orchestra from 1927 to 1930. It was through weekly radio broadcasts from the Cotton Club that the orchestra gained nationwide exposure and became famous. After 1931 the band was billed as Duke Ellington and his Orchestra.

My Little Brown Book
Duke Ellington & His Orchestra Lyrics

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My little brown book
With the silver binding
How it keeps reminding me
Of a memory
That's haunting me.
In some quiet nook
I go thru its pages
And peruse this ageless tale

Of a love that failed
To ever become true.
On this page is the date
Of that fateful night at eight
When I found you were no longer in love.
After that there's nothing more
Just a dark and futile door
That shuts out the stars above.
In my little book
I inscribed your heart vow
But since we're apart now
This and that last sweet kiss

Is all that's left of you
Is all that's left of you.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Duke Ellington's My Little Brown Book encapsulate the sorrow and despair of a failed love that still lingers as a haunting memory. The little brown book has a silver binding that acts as a constant reminder of the love that once was. The singer goes through its pages and relives every moment of that love that ultimately failed to become true. The lyrics hold the message of the power of painful memories that have a weakening effect on one's soul.

The date page of the fateful night when the love died is described in the lyrics, and after that, there is just an empty dark path that closes itself from the inviting and shining stars above. The little book holds the heart vow inscribed by the loved one, but since they are apart, all that remains are memories of the last kiss they shared. The song's slow and melancholic pace complements the sad and nostalgic lyrics perfectly.

Line by Line Meaning

My little brown book
A personal record or journal that holds importance and significance to the author.

With the silver binding
The book is visually appealing, possibly to hide the painful memories it contains.

How it keeps reminding me
The book acts as a constant reminder of what was lost and what could have been.

Of a memory
The book holds memories that the author is unwilling or unable to forget.

That's haunting me.
The memories are painful and continue to trouble the author.

In some quiet nook
The author seeks a private and secluded place to reflect on the book's contents.

I go thru its pages
The author carefully examines the details of the book's contents.

And peruse this ageless tale
The author studies a timeless story of love and loss that resonates across generations.

Of a love that failed
The book holds the story of a relationship that did not work out as planned.

To ever become true.
The love between the author and their partner was never fulfilled or realized.

On this page is the date
The book contains a specific memory and date of a significant event that changed the course of the relationship.

Of that fateful night at eight
The night referred to is a critical moment that caused the relationship to end forever.

When I found you were no longer in love.
The author was hurt when they discovered their partner no longer loved them.

After that there's nothing more
The relationship ended abruptly and there were no more significant memories or events recorded in the book.

Just a dark and futile door
The book represents the end of an era in the author's life and the beginning of a period of sadness and despair.

That shuts out the stars above.
The author feels isolated and alone, as if they are cut off from the rest of the world.

In my little book
The author treasures the book as a symbol of their past and a reminder of what could have been.

I inscribed your heart vow
The author wrote down their partner's promise to love them forever in the book as a testament to their commitment to each other.

But since we're apart now
The author and their partner are no longer together and their love was not enough to keep them united.

This and that last sweet kiss
The only remaining memories of the relationship are the final moments they shared together.

Is all that's left of you
The author's former partner is gone, and all they have left are memories and the book as a symbol of their past together.

Is all that's left of you.
The author has nothing left of their past love except for the memories held within the book.

Contributed by Kaelyn C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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