Nancy
Frank Sinatra Lyrics


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If I don't see her each day I miss her
Gee, what a thrill each time I kiss her
Believe me I've got a case
On Nancy with the laughin' face
She takes the winter and makes it summer
Summer could take some lessons from her
Picture a tomboy in lace
That's Nancy with the laughin' face
Have you ever heard mission bells ringin'?
Well, she'll give you the very same glow
When she speaks you would think it was singin'
Just hear her say "hello"
I swear to goodness you can't resist her
Sorry for you, she has no sister
No angel could replace
Nancy with the laughin' face

Keep Betty Grable, Lamour, and Turner
She makes my heart a charcoal burner




No angel could replace
My Nancy with the laughin' face

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Nancy (With the Laughing Face)" express sentimentality and devotion towards the singer's romantic interest, the titular Nancy. The song speaks of how the singer feels incomplete without Nancy and how every time he kisses her is a thrill. The singer has a crush on Nancy and outlines how she has the power to turn winter into summer and how she can give the same feeling as the mission bells of a church.


Sinatra uses the phrase "Nancy with the laughing face" as a metaphor for the lightheartedness and joy that Nancy brings into his life. The last line of the song, "No angel could replace/ Nancy with the laughing face," communicates the exceptional and unparalleled qualities of the singer's beloved. The lyrics of the song wonderfully illustrate the feelings of a person in love and the longing and admiration that accompany such sentiments.


Line by Line Meaning

If I don't see her each day I miss her
The person misses Nancy very much and feels incomplete without seeing her daily.


Gee, what a thrill each time I kiss her
The person feels thrilled every time he kisses Nancy.


Believe me I've got a case
The person is deeply in love with Nancy.


On Nancy with the laughin' face
The person is talking about Nancy, who has an infectious, beautiful laugh.


She takes the winter and makes it summer
Nancy's company has the power to make even the coldest and dreariest of seasons feel warm and delightful.


Summer could take some lessons from her
Nancy is so beautiful and happy that summer could learn from her to be even more wonderful.


Picture a tomboy in lace
The person is describing Nancy as someone who is strong and lively, yet still girly and beautiful.


That's Nancy with the laughin' face
The person is confirming that Nancy, with her infectious laughter, is indeed the one he is talking about.


Have you ever heard mission bells ringin'?
The person is asking if the listener has ever heard the beautiful sound of the bells ringing in a mission.


Well, she'll give you the very same glow
Nancy's presence is so beautiful that it gives the person the same feeling of awe and wonder as hearing the mission bells.


When she speaks you would think it was singin'
The person is saying that Nancy's voice is so sweet and pleasant that it sounds like she is singing.


Just hear her say "hello"
The person is inviting the listener to just listen to Nancy say hello and hear how beautiful her voice is.


I swear to goodness you can't resist her
The person is confident that no one can resist Nancy's beautiful and charming personality.


Sorry for you, she has no sister
The person is saying that he feels sorry for anyone who cannot experience the joy and beauty of being in Nancy's company, as she does not have a sister who is like her.


Keep Betty Grable, Lamour, and Turner
The person is saying that even if he had the opportunity to date famous and beautiful actresses like Betty Grable, Dorothy Lamour, or Lana Turner, he would still choose to be with Nancy.


She makes my heart a charcoal burner
The person is saying that he loves Nancy so much that his heart burns with passion for her, like a piece of charcoal burning in a fire.


No angel could replace
The person is saying that Nancy is so special and perfect, that even an angel could not replace her.


My Nancy with the laughin' face
The person is expressing his love for Nancy, the girl with the infectious laughter.




Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JIMMY VAN HEUSEN, PHIL SILVERS

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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