My Little Brown Book
Ellington Duke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With the silver binding
How it keeps reminding me
Of a memory
That's haunting me.
In some quiet nook
I go thru its pages
And peruse this ageless tale
To ever become true.
On this page is the date
Of that fateful night at eight
When I found you were no longer in love.
After that there's nothing more
Just a dark and futile door
That shuts out the stars above.
In my little book
I inscribed your heart vow
But since we're apart now
This and that last sweet kiss
Is all that's left of you
Is all that's left of you.
The lyrics of Duke Ellington's song "My Little Brown Book" are a poignant reflection on lost love and the memories that linger on. The "little brown book with the silver binding" serves as a reminder of a past relationship that failed to withstand the test of time. The singer spends time poring over its pages, reliving the moments of their time together and perhaps trying to make sense of why things went wrong. The memory of this love haunts the singer, as it is a reminder of something that was once so beautiful and full of promise, but ultimately came to nothing.
As the singer flips through the pages of the little brown book, they come across a particular entry that marks the moment when they discovered that their partner was no longer in love with them. This event serves as a kind of turning point in the relationship, as everything that comes after is tinged with the knowledge that it was doomed to fail. The final lines of the song are a sad acknowledgment that all that is left of this once-great love are a few fading memories - a heart vow inscribed in the book, a last sweet kiss - and that ultimately, time and distance have taken their toll, leaving little more than a bittersweet ache behind.
Line by Line Meaning
My little brown book
Referring to a physical memento of a past relationship.
With the silver binding
Describing a specific feature of the book as it looks now.
How it keeps reminding me
The book serves as a trigger for memories of the past relationship.
Of a memory
A nostalgic thought of something that happened in the past.
That's haunting me.
The memory has an unwelcome, ghostly quality, perhaps causing pain or regret.
In some quiet nook
The singer is alone when they look at the book.
I go thru its pages
The singer is physically reviewing the contents of the book.
And peruse this ageless tale
The book contains a story that remains relevant and impactful over time.
Of a love that failed
The story in the book is about a romantic relationship that did not succeed.
To ever become true.
The relationship did not come to fruition in the way the artist had hoped.
On this page is the date
The book contains specific details about the relationship.
Of that fateful night at eight
The event being referred to occurred at a specific time and place.
When I found you were no longer in love.
The turning point in the relationship - the moment when the singer realized it was over.
After that there's nothing more
The book contains no further information about what happened in the relationship.
Just a dark and futile door
The book provides no closure; the relationship has ended in a negative, unsatisfying way.
That shuts out the stars above.
The darkness of the door symbolizes the absence of hope or optimism for the future.
In my little book
The artist has a personal, emotional connection to the book and its contents.
I inscribed your heart vow
The book contains a promise or declaration of love from the ex-partner.
But since we're apart now
The singer and ex-partner are no longer together.
This and that last sweet kiss
The only things left of the ex-partner, besides the book, are memories of physical intimacy.
Is all that's left of you
The artist has very little left to remind them of their past relationship or ex-partner except for these tangible and intangible memories.
Contributed by Kaelyn C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@zelmatoro9135
my husband and i use to slooow dance to this after a hectic day - kids, work, etc... beautiful foreplay - miss him so much! rip lover
@chill9101
How beautiful... ♡ Rev. 21:4 ♡
@tjosephkozlowski
That really hit me deep. Thank you for sharing such a tender memory.
@artivism4068
I shed a tear for your lost loved one just now, listening to this in my loneliness, wondering if ill ever meet someone wholl share their life with me.
@jlbribeiro
What a wonderful memory to hold of a lover... That you may hold him and be held by him in your memory forever, as vividly as you can remember those sweet moments. Thank you so much for sharing.
@tthalley3642
what a beautiful memory thank you for sharing............rest his soul
@252Ron
This song literally is uplifting! Rest in peace Coltrane! Rest in peace Duke! 🎷 🎹
@elvinz2
Another requiem for survival in hard times. Such artistry.
@shyg4525
Truly
@maxxhippolyte79
Truly truly