April In Paris
Ella Fitzgerald & Billie Holiday Lyrics
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Chestnuts in blossom
Holiday tables under the trees
April in Paris
This is a feeling
No one can ever reprise
I never knew the charm of spring
I never knew my heart could sing
Never missed a warm embrace
'Til April in Paris
Whom can I run to?
What have you done to my heart?
I never knew the charm of spring
Never met it face to face
I never knew my heart could sing
Never missed a warm embrace
'Til April in Paris
Whom can I run to?
What did you mean to?
What have you done to my heart?
The lyrics to Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday's "April in Paris" paint a vivid picture of the magic and romance of springtime in the French capital. The song begins by describing the beauty of the city in April, with blossoming chestnut trees and people gathered around tables under the sun. The chorus then expresses the profound and indescribable feeling that comes with being in Paris during this time, emphasizing its uniqueness and eternal quality.
The verses of the song are almost like a personal testimony, with the singer reflecting on how she had never truly appreciated the charms of spring or the joy of being loved until she experienced them in Paris. The repeated refrain of "Whom can I run to?/What have you done to my heart?" perhaps implies that the city and the memories it creates have left the singer feeling somewhat lost or disoriented. Overall, the song conveys a sense of wonder, awe, and nostalgia for a time and place that seemed to have changed the singer's life forever.
Line by Line Meaning
April in Paris
The month of April in the beautiful city of Paris during springtime.
Chestnuts in blossom
The chestnut trees in full bloom, a sign of the arrival of spring in Paris.
Holiday tables under the trees
People enjoying festive meals under the trees during this beautiful season.
April in Paris
The month of April in the beautiful city of Paris during springtime.
This is a feeling
A special feeling that can't be replicated or described fully in words.
No one can ever reprise
This unique and special feeling can never be exactly re-experienced.
I never knew the charm of spring
Before experiencing spring in Paris, I didn't truly understand its beauty.
Never met it face to face
I had never experienced spring in person before this moment.
I never knew my heart could sing
I had never felt such pure happiness and joy before.
Never missed a warm embrace
I had never felt the loneliness of missing someone I love before this moment.
'Til April in Paris
It wasn't until experiencing the beauty of Paris in springtime that I truly understood the meaning of it all.
Whom can I run to?
Who can I turn to for help dealing with the overwhelming emotions I feel?
What have you done to my heart?
How has this experience touched me so deeply and affected me emotionally?
What did you mean to?
What was the intention behind this powerful experience?
What have you done to my heart?
How has this experience left such a profound impact on me and my emotions?
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: E. Y. Harburg, Vernon Duke
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@118Psalm
I'm plenty old enough to have listened
to this recording many times and have done so. Tonight I listened
with greater attention than ever before. The nuances in the singing
and playing are special and probably can't be repeated by any other
performers. It is a masterpiece of jazz music by Ella and Louis. I
have heard this song performed in many different ways over the years.
Some seem to think it needs to be loud and not so slow to be
appreciated, and to keep everyone from dozing off maybe. But, if you
can hear more than just the melody and the words, you'll hear two
artists more than performing. They are living and breathing music.
That's what I call art.
@felixj8190
I never knew the charm of spring
I never met it face to face
I never knew my heart could sing
I never missed a warm embrace
Till April in Paris, chestnuts in blossom
Holiday tables under the trees
April in Paris, this is a feeling
That no one can ever reprise
I never knew the charm of spring
I never met it face to face
I never knew my heart could sing
I never missed a warm embrace
Till April in Paris
Whom can I run to
What have you done to my heart
@Wolfhoundersful
I never knew the charm of spring
Never met it face to face
I never new my heart could sing
Never missed a warm embrace
April in Paris, chestnuts in blossom
Holiday tables under the trees
April in Paris, this is a feeling
No one can ever reprise
I never knew the charm of spring
Never met it face to face
I never new my heart could sing
Never missed a warm embrace
Till April in Paris
Whom can I run to
What have you done to my heart
What have you done to my heart
@tabithademero9088
Sometimes I wish I lived when jazz was on every bar live
@SuperBC10
Sometimes? Me all of the time ❤
@jazzheadjan6176
If only we could. This song is a song to fall in love to.
@11111Serenity
My GOD YES! Me too ❤
@carlsonmatthewt
No merde Sherlock.
@lauriebaker4489
You didn't always get Ella at those bars, but yeah, it was great!
@LordoftheFleet
Yes, it's sheer magic. Although we are so lucky to have this marvellous recording of Ella and Louis singing this magnificent, nostalgic and masterly crafted melody, let us not forget the composer of the song; Vladimir Aleksandrovich Dukelsky. Vladimir was born in 1903 into a "West Russian" (Belarusian) noble family in the village of Parfyanovka. At the age of eleven, Vladimir Dukelsky was admitted to the Kiev Conservatory, where he studied composition with Reinhold Glière and musical theory with Boleslav Yavorsky. In 1919, his family escaped from the civil war in Russia, and they eventually obtained American visas and sailed on the SS King Alexander to New York. In 1922 in New York, George Gershwin befriended the young immigrant and suggested that Dukelsky Americanize his surname. Thus, Vladimir Dukelsky became Vernon Duke. Besides "April in Paris" Vernon Duke also wrote "Autumn in New York", "I Can't Get Started", "Taking a Chance on Love" and many other, now famous, songs. He also wrote three symphonies, a violin concerto, a cello concerto, a piano concerto, ballet music and piano music.
@hatbpto5180
Thank you!
@LauraMorland
Wow, merci, thank you for this fascinating history.
@jmac3106
Fascinating. Thank you.