I'm Beginning to See the Light
Ella & Basie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I never wink back at fireflies
But now that the stars are in your eyes
I'm beginning to see the light
I never went in for afterglow
Or candlelight on the mistletoe
But now when you turn the lamp down low
Used to ramble through the park
Shadowboxing in the dark
Then you came and caused a spark
That's a four-alarm fire now
I never made love by lantern-shine
I never saw rainbows in my wine
But now that your lips are burning mine
I'm beginning to see the light
The above lyrics from Ella Fitzgerald and Count Basie's song "I'm Beginning to See the Light" express the singer's newfound appreciation for romantic moments and experiences, including moonlit skies, fireflies, afterglow, candlelight, and love itself. The repetition of the phrase "I'm beginning to see the light" emphasizes the singer's realization that they had not fully embraced or understood these things before, but that their perspective has changed with the presence of the person they are singing to.
In the first stanza, the singer describes how they had previously not found much value in the beauty of nature, only to finally appreciate it as reflected in the eyes of their love interest. The second stanza reveals a similar theme, as the singer explains their former lack of interest in romance and ambiance, only to have a newfound appreciation for these things once again upon meeting their partner.
The third stanza further demonstrates the power of the singer's love interest by describing how they have transformed the singer's life - from aimless wandering to a fiery passion. The final stanza parallels the first two, highlighting the singer's newfound ability to see beautiful things in life, including rainbows and lanterns, now that their lips are intertwined with their loved one's.
Overall, the lyrics describe the power of love to transform the way we see and experience the world, making even the most mundane things become beautiful and meaningful when shared with someone we care about deeply.
Line by Line Meaning
I never cared much for moonlit skies
I never found beauty in the night sky until I saw the stars in your eyes.
I never wink back at fireflies
I never paid attention to the small things in life, like fireflies, until you opened my eyes.
But now that the stars are in your eyes
Now that I see the beauty in you, I see it reflected back in the stars that shine in your eyes.
I'm beginning to see the light
You've brought joy and happiness into my life that I never knew before.
I never went in for afterglow
I never appreciated the beauty of a sunset until you showed me how to appreciate it.
Or candlelight on the mistletoe
I never thought much of romantic gestures like candlelight and mistletoe until you showed me how special they could be.
But now when you turn the lamp down low
Now, when we're together and the lights are low, I feel a special connection with you that I never thought possible.
Used to ramble through the park
I used to go through life without a clear purpose or direction, just wandering aimlessly in the park.
Shadowboxing in the dark
I was fighting with myself and my own inner demons without really knowing what I was fighting for.
Then you came and caused a spark
You came into my life and ignited a spark inside me that I didn't even know was there.
That's a four-alarm fire now
That spark has grown into a blazing fire, filling me with love and passion that I never thought possible.
I never made love by lantern-shine
I never experienced the romance and intimacy of making love by lantern light, but with you I am now experiencing new things.
I never saw rainbows in my wine
My life was once colorless, but now I see beauty and magic in everything, even in a simple glass of wine.
But now that your lips are burning mine
Now that we're together and kissing, I feel a passion and a fire inside that I never thought possible.
I'm beginning to see the light
Your love has opened my eyes to a whole new world of beauty, joy, and passion that I never knew existed before.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Edward Kennedy Ellington, Don George, Harry James, Johnny Hodges
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@alyssamatz499
I never cared much for moonlit skies
I never wink back at fireflies
But now that the stars are in your eyes
I'm beginning to see the light
I never went in for afterglow
Or candlelight on the mistletoe
But now when you turn the lamp down low
I'm beginning to see the light
Used to ramble through the park
Shadowboxing in the dark
Then you came and caused a spark
That's a four-alarm fire now
I never made love by lantern-shine
I never saw rainbows in my wine
But now that your lips are burning mine
I'm beginning to see the light
@JamesLearyjamlear1
Recorded from July 16 to July 17, 1963, at A & R Studios, NYC
Ella Fitzgerald - vocals
The Count Basie Orchestra
Count Basie - piano
Sonny Cohn - trumpet
Al Aarons
Joe Newman
Don Rader
Eric Dixon - flute, tenor saxophone
Frank Foster - flute, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone
Frank Wess
Charlie Fowlkes - baritone saxophone
Freddie Green - guitar
Benny Powell - trombone
Urbie Green
Henry Coker
Grover Mitchell
Flip Ricard - trombone, trumpet
Marshal Royal - clarinet, alto saxophone
Buddy Catlett - double bass
Sonny Payne - drums
Quincy Jones - arranger
Val Valentin - recording engineer
Jay Thompson - cover photo
@robertgalbreath6239
Talk about easy, laid back jazz...Basie is so smooth...it's like he offers a comfy chair to Ella and she sits and relaxes and croons.
@GabyErnstOficial
Robert Galbreath wow yess !!!!
@vachtangov
Totally!!
@wordninja2494
Ella fan for over 40 years
@irenekent4335
love this song wonderful memories from the 40tys
@alyssamatz499
I never cared much for moonlit skies
I never wink back at fireflies
But now that the stars are in your eyes
I'm beginning to see the light
I never went in for afterglow
Or candlelight on the mistletoe
But now when you turn the lamp down low
I'm beginning to see the light
Used to ramble through the park
Shadowboxing in the dark
Then you came and caused a spark
That's a four-alarm fire now
I never made love by lantern-shine
I never saw rainbows in my wine
But now that your lips are burning mine
I'm beginning to see the light
@pevensielavere22
"I never wink back at fireflies." Haha! I love the lyrics to this song! Ella sounds lovely as always.
@JamesLearyjamlear1
Recorded from July 16 to July 17, 1963, at A & R Studios, NYC
Ella Fitzgerald - vocals
The Count Basie Orchestra
Count Basie - piano
Sonny Cohn - trumpet
Al Aarons
Joe Newman
Don Rader
Eric Dixon - flute, tenor saxophone
Frank Foster - flute, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone
Frank Wess
Charlie Fowlkes - baritone saxophone
Freddie Green - guitar
Benny Powell - trombone
Urbie Green
Henry Coker
Grover Mitchell
Flip Ricard - trombone, trumpet
Marshal Royal - clarinet, alto saxophone
Buddy Catlett - double bass
Sonny Payne - drums
Quincy Jones - arranger
Val Valentin - recording engineer
Jay Thompson - cover photo
@christianlacheze3323
WoW WoW WoW
@NewYorkJazzharmonic
Great arrangement by Quincy Jones, but no one has mentioned that the song was written by the great Duke Ellington. Ella previously had recorded it with him with a different arrangement.