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.
These foolish things
Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong Lyrics
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Oh! Will you never set me free?
The ties that bound us
Are still around us
There's no escape that I can see
And still those little things remain
That bring me happiness or pain
An airline ticket to romantic places
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you
A tinkling piano in the next apartment
Those stumbling words that told you what my heart meant
A fair ground's painted swings
These foolish things remind me of you
You came you saw you conquer'd me
When you did that to me
I knew somehow this had to be
The winds of March that make my heart a dancer
A telephone that rings but who's to answer?
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you
First daffodils and long excited cables
And candle lights on little corner tables
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you
The park at evening when the bell has sounded
The "Ile de France" with all the gulls around it
The beauty that is Spring's
These foolish things remind me of you
How strange how sweet to find you still
These things are dear to me
They seem to bring you near to me
The sigh of midnight trains in empty stations
Silk stockings thrown aside dance invitations
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you
Gardenia perfume ling'ring on a pillow
Wild strawb'ries only seven francs a kilo
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you
The smile of Garbo and the scent of roses
The waiters whistling as the last bar closes
The song that Crosby sings
These foolish things remind me of you
How strange how sweet to find you still
These things are dear to me
They seem to bring you near to me
The scent of smould'ring leaves, the wail of steamers
Two lovers on the street who walk like dreamers
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you
These lyrics are a reflection on the memories that remain after a relationship has ended. The singer is still bound by the ties of the past, unable to escape the little things that bring happiness or pain. The memories range from the mundane to the romantic; traces of lipstick on a cigarette, an airline ticket to romantic places, a tinkling piano in the next apartment, stumbling words that told the truth of the heart, the beauty of spring and the scent of smouldering leaves. Each of these things reminds the singer of the person they love and can't forget.
The singer is haunted by the ghost of their past lover, who seems to cling to every corner of their life. As the memories continue to flood back, the singer wonders if they will ever be free from the hold that their past love has over them. Despite the pain and heartache, there's a strange sweetness in remembering the one they loved, and that's what keeps them hanging on.
Overall, the lyrics present a poignant picture of love, loss, and the power of memories to hold us captive.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh! Will you never let me be?
You are still on my mind and I wish I could escape these thoughts
Oh! Will you never set me free?
Despite my attempts to forget you, my thoughts keep coming back to you
The ties that bound us
Our past relationship and memories are still holding me back from moving on
Are still around us
The memories and reminders of our past are still present in my life
There's no escape that I can see
I can't seem to find a way to move on from you and our past together
And still those little things remain
The small details and memories of our relationship persist in my mind
That bring me happiness or pain
These memories can bring me both joy and heartache
A cigarette that bears a lipstick's traces
Even something as simple as a cigarette with your lipstick on it can remind me of you
An airline ticket to romantic places
Tickets to places we traveled together or planned to go can bring back memories of our love
And still my heart has wings
Despite the pain, my heart still desires the happiness we shared together
These foolish things remind me of you
All of these reminders and memories may seem foolish, but they still make me think of you
A tinkling piano in the next apartment
The sound of a piano nearby can bring back memories of us listening to music together
Those stumbling words that told you what my heart meant
The awkward and heartfelt things I said to you when I was in love with you
A fair ground's painted swings
The memory of us having fun at the carnival can make me miss you
You came you saw you conquer'd me
You entered my life and won my heart over completely
When you did that to me
I knew then that I was in love with you and couldn't escape those feelings
I knew somehow this had to be
It was fate for us to fall in love and be together
The winds of March that make my heart a dancer
The feeling of new beginnings and love in the air reminds me of you
A telephone that rings but who's to answer?
I still long to hear your voice on the other end of the phone
The beauty that is Spring's
The renewal of nature and new beginnings remind me of our past love
How strange how sweet to find you still
It's unusual but lovely to still feel connected to you despite our separation
These things are dear to me
These memories and reminders of our love are important and cherished by me
They seem to bring you near to me
These details and memories make me feel closer to you, even when we're apart
The sigh of midnight trains in empty stations
The sound of trains in the night reminds me of times when we were apart, yearning for each other
Silk stockings thrown aside dance invitations
The sight of stockings reminiscent of a passionate night together
Gardenia perfume lin'ging on a pillow
The scent of your perfume hanging in the air after a night spent together
Wild strawb'ries only seven francs a kilo
A simple pleasure we shared together, that now reminds me of you
The smile of Garbo and the scent of roses
Even a beautiful actress's smile and the fragrance of roses can make me think of you
The waiters whistling as the last bar closes
The memory of nights spent together, enjoying each other's company, surrounded by people enjoying themselves
The song that Crosby sings
The sound of a specific song that reminds me of us, and how it made me feel in your arms
The scent of smould'ring leaves, the wail of steamers
The feeling of autumn and the sound of steamboats, reminding me of the happy days we spent together before our separation
Two lovers on the street who walk like dreamers
The sight of other lovers enjoying each other's company reminds me of us, and how happy we were together
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
Even though you are gone, the memory of you still hangs on to me and my thoughts
These foolish things remind me of you
All of these small reminders and details may seem foolish, but they still bring back memories of our love
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Harry Link, Holt Marvell, Jack Strachey
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind