Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
Elliot Lawrence And His Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You've got me in between the devil and the deep blue sea
I forgive you, 'cause I can't forget you
You've got me in between the devil and the deep blue sea
[Repeat: x2]
I ought to cross you off my list
But when you come a-knocking at my door
And I come running back for more
I should hate you, but I guess I love you
You've got me in between the devil and the deep blue sea
You've got me in between the devil and the deep blue sea
The devil and the deep blue sea
The lyrics of Elliot Lawrence And His Orchestra's song Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea speak of a person's inner conflict of being in love with someone they shouldn't be. The first line itself captures this conflict with the singer saying, "I don't want you, but I'd hate to lose you." They acknowledge that this person has put them in a difficult situation between the devil and the deep blue sea, where there is no easy way out. The devil represents the person they are in love with, while the deep blue sea represents the consequences of being with them.
The second verse sees the singer forgiving the person they love, even though they cannot forget them. They realize that they are caught in between the devil and the deep blue sea, and there is no easy way out. The chorus repeats this dilemma, with the singer acknowledging that they should hate this person but instead, they love them. They are stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea, with no clear way forward.
Overall, the lyrics of this song express the emotional turmoil one goes through when they fall in love with someone who is not the right fit for them. It's a timeless theme that still resonates with many people today.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't want you, but I'd hate to lose you
Although I don't desire to be with you anymore, losing you would still be painful for me
You've got me in between the devil and the deep blue sea
You've put me in a difficult situation where I have to choose between two equally unpleasant options
I forgive you, 'cause I can't forget you
I let go of your wrongdoing because I'm unable to erase the memories of you from my mind
I ought to cross you off my list
I should remove you from my life and move on
But when you come a-knocking at my door
But every time you come back into my life
Fate seems to give my heart a twist
It seems like destiny is playing with my emotions
And I come running back for more
And I find myself returning to you despite it all
I should hate you, but I guess I love you
Even though I should dislike you, I think I still have feelings for you
You've got me in between the devil and the deep blue sea
You've put me in a difficult situation where I have to choose between two equally unpleasant options
The devil and the deep blue sea
Referring to the two unpleasant options one has to choose from, where neither is desirable
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management, S.A. MUSIC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, MUSIC.INFO FINLAND OY, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind