Louis Armstrong (1901 - 1971) was a trumpet player, singer, and bandleader, and is widely regarded as one of the most influential artists in the history of jazz.
The Tender Trap
Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong Lyrics
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And suddenly you're sighing sighs
You're thinking nothing's wrong
You string along, boy, then snap
Those eyes, those sighs, they're part of the tender trap
You're hand-in-hand beneath the trees
You're acting kind of smart until your heart just goes wap
Those trees, that breeze, they're part of the tender trap
Some starry night when her kisses make you tingle
Shell hold you tight, and you'll hate yourself for being single
And all at once it seems so nice
The folks are throwing shoes and rice
You hurry to a spot that's just a dot on the map
You're hooked, you're cooked, you're caught in the tender trap
Some starry night when her kisses make you tingle
Shell hold you tight, and youll hate yourself for being single
And all at once it seems so nice
The folks are throwing shoes and rice
You hurry to a spot thats just a dot on the map
And then you wonder how it all came about
Its too late now; there's no gettin' out
You fell in love, and love is the tender trap
The Tender Trap, originally written by Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen, is a classic song that explores the idea of falling in love unexpectedly. The first verse talks about how a person can be walking along, thinking everything is fine until they see someone with laughing eyes. Suddenly, the person is sighing and feels as though they are in a "tender trap." The second verse talks about the stages of falling in love: holding hands, hearing music in the breeze, and acting "kind of smart" until the heart takes over. The chorus emphasizes how falling in love is like being "hooked, cooked, caught" in a trap. The song ends with the realization that falling in love is inevitable and that "love is the tender trap."
Line by Line Meaning
You see a pair of laughing eyes
You catch sight of someone with a happy gaze
And suddenly you're sighing sighs
Then, out of nowhere, you've begun to breathe long, deep breaths.
You're thinking nothing's wrong
You don't notice anything wrong
You string along, boy, then snap
You toy with them and then break their heart
Those eyes, those sighs, they're part of the tender trap
These seemingly happy moments are part of a trap created by love
You're hand-in-hand beneath the trees
You are walking with your hands together below the trees
And soon there's music in the breeze
Afterwards, the wind begins to make a musical noise
You're acting kind of smart until your heart just goes wap
At first you were acting intelligent, but soon your heart pounds fast
Those trees, that breeze, they're part of the tender trap
These small moments under the trees and with the wind are part of the trap created by love
Some starry night when her kisses make you tingle
One of those evenings where each kiss makes you shiver
She'll hold you tight, and you'll hate yourself for being single
They'll embrace you and you'll feel remorse for not dating earlier
And all at once it seems so nice
All of a sudden everything seems good
The folks are throwing shoes and rice
People in the background are throwing things in celebration
You hurry to a spot that's just a dot on the map
You travel rapidly to an area that is insignificant on a map
You're hooked, you're cooked, you're caught in the tender trap
You're trapped, snagged, and caught by the intimate emotions of love
Some starry night when her kisses make you tingle
One of those evenings where each kiss makes you shiver
She'll hold you tight, and you'll hate yourself for being single
They'll embrace you and you'll feel remorse for not dating earlier
And all at once it seems so nice
All of a sudden everything seems good
The folks are throwing shoes and rice
People in the background are throwing things in celebration
You hurry to a spot that's just a dot on the map
You travel rapidly to an area that is insignificant on a map
And then you wonder how it all came about
Then you start to think about how it all started, how you got here
It's too late now; there's no gettin' out
Unfortunately, there's no way out, it's too late
You fell in love, and love is the tender trap
You've fallen in love, and love is the trap that has ensnared you
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Jimmy Van Heusen, Sammy Cahn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind