Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
Ella Fitzgerald Benny Carter and his Orchestra Lyrics

The song "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea" by Ella Fitzgerald and Benny Carter and his Orchestra explores the complex emotions of a person torn between their desire to move on from a past relationship and their inability to let go of the person they love. The lyrics express the singer's feelings of being caught between two opposing forces, the devil and the deep blue sea, which serve as metaphors for the difficult choices she faces.

The line "I don't want you, but I'd hate to lose you" reveals the singer's struggle - on one hand she does not want to be with this person, but on the other hand, she cannot bear the thought of losing them completely. The line "I ought to cross you off my list, but when you come a-knocking at my door, fate seems to give my heart a twist" shows how the singer is pulled in two different directions. She knows she should move on and forget about this person but every time they come back into her life she cannot help herself and she ends up in the same place she started.

Overall, the song expresses the deeply conflicting emotions that accompany a difficult breakup, and the struggle to reconcile our desires with our fears.