Solitude
Duke Ellington & His Orchestra Lyrics


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In my solitude
You haunt me
With dreadful ease
Of days gone by

In my solitude
You taunt me
With memories
That never die

I sit in my chair
And filled with despair
There's no one could be so sad
With gloom everywhere
I sit and I stare
I know that I'll soon go mad

In my solitude
I'm afraid
Dear Lord above
Send back my love
I sit in my chair

Filled with despair
There's no one, no one
No onecould be so sad
With gloom everywhere
I sit and I stare
I know that I'll soon go mad

In my solitude
I'm afraid




Dear Lord above
Send back my love

Overall Meaning

Duke Ellington & His Orchestra's song "Solitude" is a powerful and emotional exploration of loneliness and heartache. The lyrics touch upon the nostalgia and memories that come with solitude, and the constant reminder of a past love that never fully dissipates. The opening lines set the tone for the rest of the song, as Ellington sings, "In my solitude, you haunt me with dreadful ease of days gone by." The use of the word "dreadful" emphasizes the weight of the emotions Ellington is conveying - this pain, although familiar, is still heavy and difficult to bear.


The song continues with Ellington describing the despair that comes with being alone, as he sits in his chair "filled with despair." He notes that "there's no one could be so sad with gloom everywhere," which further emphasizes the deep isolation that he is feeling. In the final stanza, Ellington pleads "Dear Lord above, send back my love," offering a glimmer of hope that perhaps his solitude will come to an end.


Overall, "Solitude" is a beautifully written and performed piece that offers a poignant exploration of the depths of loneliness and heartache.


Line by Line Meaning

In my solitude
In my loneliness and quietness


You haunt me
You constantly linger in my thoughts


With dreadful ease
Effortlessly causing me trouble and sorrow


Of days gone by
Reminding me of the past


You taunt me
You tease me with painful recollections


With memories
With thoughts of times past


That never die
That don't fade away with time


I sit in my chair
I remain seated, motionless


And filled with despair
Overwhelmed with hopelessness


There's no one could be so sad
No one could feel as dejected as I do


With gloom everywhere
All around me is darkness and sadness


I sit and I stare
I gaze ahead, lost in thought


I know that I'll soon go mad
I'm aware that I'm losing my mind


In my solitude
In my loneliness and quietness


I'm afraid
I'm scared and anxious


Dear Lord above
Omnipotent deity


Send back my love
Please restore my beloved




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Duke Ellington, Eddie DeLange, Irving Mills

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@sensey07

Wow - the orchestra from back in the 1930s was incredibly smooth and lyrical.  Can only imagine how good this might sound with today's technology ... the older I get, the more I appreciate the timelessness of the Duke's work - probably America's greatest composer.

@oldflute

Certainly our greatest composer in the Jazz-Pop category, head and shoulders above the rest. His insistence on expressive playing by his members, especially evident here, was another great asset.

@PianoMeSasha

it could sound worse...

@ThierryLhote

It's just Duke Eliington and his orchestra.
The best you can get.

@marvsaas2943

Download a good Format or Vinyl it will sound much better than mostly everything today

@davidscardino5962

The greatest creative artist our country has ever produced... IMHO

@johnwhitehead3360

TIMELESS MASTERPIECE - THANK YOU

@numismaticstacker

Great taste in classic music!

@Trombonology

One of the most expressive recordings ever, I think.  Flawless!

@swingman5635

I thought the '41 version was the last word for this tune. This one beats it,hands down!

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