Lorelei
Ella Fitzgerald/Nelson Riddle's Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There once lived a lovely charmer
Swimming in the Rhine
Her figure was divine
She had a yen for all the sailors
Fishermen and gobs and whalers
She had a most immoral eye
She created quite a stir
And I want to be like her
I want to be like that gal on the river
Who sang her song to the ships passing by
She had the goods and how she could deliver
The Lorelei
She used to love in a strange kind of fashion
With lots of hey-ho-de-ho-hi-de-hi
And I can guarantee I'm full of passion
Like the Lorelei
I'm treacherous, yeah, yeah
Oh, I just can't hold myself in check
I'm lecherous, yeah, yeah
I want to bite my initials on a sailor's neck
Each affair has a kick and a wallop
For what they crave I can always supply
I want to be just like that other trollop
The Lorelei
I want to be just like that other trollop
The Lorelei
The song "Lorelei" tells the story of a seductive woman from the Rhine river, named after a rock on the river where sailors would frequently crash their boats after being mesmerized by her beauty and song. The lyrics describe her as having a "most immoral eye," and being irresistible to sailors, fishermen, and whalers alike. The singer expresses a desire to emulate her, to be like the "gal on the river," who could "deliver" with her charms.
As the singer continues, they describe themselves as "treacherous" and "lecherous," wanting to bite their initials on a sailor's neck. The lyrics suggest that they too have a passion for love and seduction, and want to embody the same alluring power as the infamous Lorelei. The song is up-tempo and jazzy, with a playful tone that matches the singer's desire to be like the seductive Lorelei.
Overall, the song can be seen as a celebration of female sexuality and the power of seduction. The singer expresses a desire to embrace their own sensuality and to be like the legendary figure of Lorelei, who has become a symbol of feminine beauty and allure.
Line by Line Meaning
Back in the days of knights in armor
In a time when knights in armor were prevalent
There once lived a lovely charmer
There was a charming woman
Swimming in the Rhine
Who swam in the Rhine River in Germany
Her figure was divine
She had a beautiful figure
She had a yen for all the sailors
She was attracted to sailors
Fishermen and gobs and whalers
As well as fishermen and whalers
She had a most immoral eye
She was known for being seductive
They called her Lorelei
Her name was Lorelei
She created quite a stir
She caused a lot of commotion
And I want to be like her
The singer wants to be like her
I want to be like that gal on the river
I want to be like that woman who sang on the river
Who sang her song to the ships passing by
She sang her song to passing ships
She had the goods and how she could deliver
She was talented and knew how to perform
The Lorelei
Her name was Lorelei
She used to love in a strange kind of fashion
She loved in an unconventional way
With lots of hey-ho-de-ho-hi-de-hi
With lots of playful sounds
And I can guarantee I'm full of passion
The singer is also full of passion
Like the Lorelei
Like Lorelei was
I'm treacherous, yeah, yeah
The singer is untrustworthy
Oh, I just can't hold myself in check
The singer struggles with self-control
I'm lecherous, yeah, yeah
The singer is lustful
I want to bite my initials on a sailor's neck
The singer wants to mark a sailor as her own
Each affair has a kick and a wallop
Each romantic liaison is exciting and powerful
For what they crave I can always supply
The singer can always fulfill their desires
I want to be just like that other trollop
The singer still wants to be like Lorelei
The Lorelei
Her name was Lorelei
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GEORGE GERSHWIN, IRA GERSHWIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind