Perdido
Ella Fitzgerald/Duke Ellington & His Orchestra Lyrics
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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
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
The song "Perdido" was composed by Duke Ellington, Juan Tizol, and Ervin Drake in 1941. The word "Perdido" is Spanish and means "lost" in English. The lyrics of the song talk about a lost heart and how the singer is searching for it in Torito, a town in Mexico. The song also mentions a Bolero, a slow-tempo dance originating from Spain, that was being played when the singer lost their heart.
The lyrics of the song describe the intense feeling of losing something as valuable as one's heart. The singer is desperately searching for it, realizing that they can't live without it. The words "High, was the sun when I held him close/Low, was the moon when we said, 'Adios'" further enhance the sense of longing and despair. Interestingly, the song mentions Torito, which is a small town in Mexico, and it's unclear if the town has any real significance in the song's narrative or serves merely as a poetic tool.
Line by Line Meaning
Perdido
I am lost
I look for my heart
I am searching for my lost love
It's perdido
My heart is lost
I lost it way down in Torito
I lost my heart in Torito, a place synonymous with love and celebration
The day the fiesta started
I lost my heart during a celebration or party
Bolero,
A dance or a type of music, which signifies the passion and romance of the love between two people
I sway that they play the Bolero
The Bolero music makes me sway or dance in a romantic, sensual way
I kissed me the listing sombrero
I kissed the hat (sombrero) of the one I love as a token of my love and affection
And that's when my heart departed
My heart left me when I kissed the hat of my love
High, was the sun when I held him close
I was once happy and holding my love close to me, the sun shining bright as a symbol of happiness
Low, was the moon when we said, "Adios"
But when we said goodbye, the moon was low, thus symbolizing the end of happiness
Perdido
I am lost without my love
My heart ever since is Perdido
Since I lost my heart, I have been lost too
I know I must go to Torito
I believe that I will find my lost love if I go to Torito
To find what I lost Perdido
I am searching for what I lost - my love, who is represented by the town of Torito
Goodnight perdido
It's time to say goodnight to my lost love and that part of my life
I lost perdido
I lost my love, and I am looking to find it, but it is gone forever
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JUAN TIZOL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind