It Was a Very Good Year
Frank Sinatra Lyrics


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When I was seventeen, it was a very good year
It was a very good year for small town girls
And soft summer nights
We'd hide from the lights
On the village green
When I was seventeen

When I was twenty-one, it was a very good year
It was a very good year for city girls
Who lived up the stairs
With all that perfumed hair
And it came undone
When I was twenty-one

When I was thirty-five, it was a very good year
It was a very good year for blue-blooded girls
Of independent means
We'd ride in limousines
Their chauffeurs would drive
When I was thirty-five

But now the days are short, I'm in the autumn of my years
And I think of my life as vintage wine
From fine old kegs
From the brim to the dregs




It poured sweet and clear
It was a very good year

Overall Meaning

Frank Sinatra's "It Was a Very Good Year" is a nostalgic and melancholic reflection on life and the passage of time. The song is divided into three distinct verses, each reflecting a different stage of the singer's life. The first verse, when the singer was seventeen, reminisces about small town life, and the simple pleasures of youth such as soft summer nights and hiding on the village green. The second verse, when the singer was twenty-one, moves to the city and focuses on the allure and excitement of young women. The third verse, when the singer was thirty-five, represents a peak in life, with the description of wealthy and socialite women who ride in limousines with chauffeurs.


The chorus then contrasts these earlier years with the singer's current life in the autumn of his years. He speaks of his past with a sense of reverence and wistfulness, describing it as vintage wine from fine old kegs, poured sweet and clear. The final line of the chorus, "It was a very good year," is repeated, emphasizing the endearing memory of life's earlier stages.


The song uses a powerful metaphor of wine to represent the beauty and complexity of life. The lyrics suggest that each season of life is like a different kind of wine, with its unique color, flavor, fragrance, and aging process. The metaphor reinforces the idea that life is precious, and we need to savor each moment, as we ripen and mellow over time, just like wine.


Overall, "It Was a Very Good Year" is a poignant and introspective song that captures the universal nostalgia and longing for the past that we all experience.


Line by Line Meaning

When I was seventeen, it was a very good year
At seventeen, life was simpler and filled with fun and excitement, making it a memorable year


It was a very good year for small town girls
The small town life was rife with opportunity for fun and adventure


And soft summer nights
Summer nights provided the perfect backdrop for making life-long memories


We'd hide from the lights
Avoiding the spotlight was a way to enjoy the freedom of youth without worrying about being judged


On the village green
Sitting on the village green was an escape from everyday life


When I was twenty-one, it was a very good year
At twenty-one, life was full of opportunity and adventure


It was a very good year for city girls
City girls were the epitome of sophistication and glamour


Who lived up the stairs
Women who lived above the main floor of their building were considered elite in society


With all that perfumed hair
Perfumed hair added to the allure and grace of the women back then


And it came undone
Despite the great times, some things were bound to go wrong at times


When I was thirty-five, it was a very good year
At thirty-five, life was more settled and comfortable, with greater financial mobility and social standing


It was a very good year for blue-blooded girls
Women of privilege were made to feel special and doted on in those times


Of independent means
Having personal wealth and status was something today's generation can rarely comprehend


We'd ride in limousines
Luxury limousines were the transportation mode of the wealthy and privileged in olden times


Their chauffeurs would drive
People of status and power had their own drivers assigned to run errands and drive


But now the days are short, I'm in the autumn of my years
As age progresses, life becomes more fleeting and limited with less to look forward to


And I think of my life as vintage wine
As life progresses, we can cherish our memories and liken them to fine old wine


From fine old kegs
Our life is made up of innumerable experiences unique to every keg of wine, every barrel of liquor, a new chapter and new memories


From the brim to the dregs
Our life can be likened to a full glass of wine; overflowing with memories of all sorts that we share with those who listen


It poured sweet and clear
Life experiences may have been sweet, sour, bitter, or salty, but in retrospect they were clear, coherent and part of our fondest memories


It was a very good year
Life overall was a joyful, memorable ride, full of good times, no matter the ups and downs




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Ervin Drake

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Mike


on The Lady Is A Champ

eight

She gets too hungry for dinner at eight
She can't eat late and stay up all night, because unlike society types, she has to get up in the morning.

She likes the theatre and never comes late
She cares more about seeing the play than being seen making an entrance.

She never bothers with people she'd hate
Her friends are friends, not social trophies.

Doesn't like crap games with barons or earls
While barrns and earls probably don't play craps, she associates with friends, not people to be seen with.

Won't go to Harlem in ermine and pearls
She doesn't "slum", the practice of the rich in the 30's, when the song was written, of touring poor neighborhoods dressed in rich clothes to "tut, tut" about the deplorable conditions, and congratulate each other for "caring about the poor"

Won't dish the dirt with the rest of the girls
Doesn't trade gossip for acceptance among an in-crowd


She likes the free, fresh wind in her hair
She cares more about how her hair feels than conforming with current hair fashions

Hates California, it's cold and it's damp
Since most of California is noticeably warmer and / or drier than New York, where the play the song was written for is set, this is probably a facetious excuse to like what she likes.


And she won't go to Harlem in Lincoln's or Ford's
Another reference to slumming, but facetious, since Lincolns and Fords were middle-class, not luxury brands when the lyric was written

Anonymous


on Try a Little Tenderness

Here are the correct lyrics

Try A Little Tenderness - Frank Sinatra - Lyrics

Oh she may be weary
Women do get wearied
Wearing that same old shabby dress
And when she’s weary
You try a little tenderness

You know she’s waiting
Just anticipating things she’ll may never possess
While she is without them
Try just a little bit of tenderness

It’s not just sentimental
She has her grieve and her care
And the words that soft and gentle
Makes it easier to bear
You wont regret it
Women don't forget it
Love is their whole happiness
And it’s all so easy
Try a little tenderness

Musical Interlude

And, it’s all so easy
Try a little tenderness

Daniel


on The Way You Look Tonight

I met Frank Jr. in Las Vegas, a real gentleman. RIP you both.

Giorgi Khutashvili


on Theme from New York, New York

)))

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