From March 13 to April 9, 1940 Sinatra sang with the Tommy Dorsey Band at the New York Paramount, the venue in which he, as a solo singer, caused pandemonium during the coming years. On record, Sinatra cut 29 singles with Dorsey during 1941 and was named Male Vocalist of the Year by Billboard that May. His departure from the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra was announced on stage at the Circle Theatre in Indianapolis on August 28, 1942
Night And Day
Frank Sinatra & Tommy Dorsey Lyrics
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But a cloud drifted over it's face
You kissed me and went on your way
The height we called it a day
I heard the song of the spheres
Like a minor lament In my ears
I hadn't the heart left to pray
Soft through the the dark
A hoot of an owl in the sky
Sad though his song
No sadder was he than I
The moon went down stars were gone
But the sun didn't rise with the dawn
There wasn't a thing left to say
The night we called it a day
"The Night We Called It a Day" is a melancholic ballad that tells a story of a break-up between two lovers. The song speaks of the pain, the emptiness, and the despair that come with parting ways. The first stanza describes the moment when the couple decides to end things. Even though the night is calm and the moon is out, a cloud covers it, signifying the sudden gloominess of the situation. The last kiss is shared, and the couple goes their separate ways. The title phrase "the night we called it a day" implies that this is not just a temporary separation but rather the end of the relationship.
The second stanza describes the singer's emotional state after the break-up. The song of the spheres, a metaphor for the music of the universe, sounds like a "minor lament" in his ears, reflecting his sadness and despair. He can’t find the heart to pray, indicating he has lost faith in love or is too heartbroken to even think of praying.
In the third stanza, we find the singer feeling lonely as he reminisces about the night of the break-up. He hears an owl hoot, which signifies sadness and loneliness. There's a sense of poetic justice here as the owl's lament conveys a similar feeling of sadness and loss that the singer is feeling. In the final stanza, the sun doesn't rise with the dawn, again signifying that the end of the relationship has left him in darkness. The singer seems to have no words left to say, and there's a sense of finality in the decision to break up.
Line by Line Meaning
There was a moon out in space
The night started out peacefully with a clear moonlit sky
But a cloud drifted over it's face
Suddenly, a change occurred and everything began to seem darker and uncertain
You kissed me and went on your way
You left me behind without so much as a glance back, in a manner which hinted we might never see each other again
The height we called it a day
That was the moment our relationship ended abruptly and finally
I heard the song of the spheres
The universe played music that mirrored my despair and heartbreak
Like a minor lament In my ears
The music was melancholy and mournful, echoing my saddened and broken spirit
I hadn't the heart left to pray
My sadness was so profound that I couldn't bring myself to pray or hope for healing
The night we called it a day
It was a dark and painful evening when our relationship ended suddenly and irrevocably
Soft through the the dark
In the silence that followed, the darkness that crept in was barely perceptible
A hoot of an owl in the sky
The only sound was the mournful hoot of an owl, its call a reflection of my heartbreak
Sad though his song
The owl's cry was sorrowful, as though sharing in my sense of despair and loss
No sadder was he than I
The owl's sadness was equal to or even surpassed my own feelings of hopelessness
The moon went down stars were gone
Everything got worse and more hopeless, with the sky growing so dark that even the stars were hidden from view
But the sun didn't rise with the dawn
The next morning brought no relief or hope, with the sun failing to rise and bringing no light to the darkness of my inner world
There wasn't a thing left to say
At that point, nothing more could be said or done to reverse the situation, and everything was lost
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION
Written by: Matt Dennis, Tom Adair
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Netzahualcóyotl Soria
Me encanta esta versión.
James McEwan
This is Sinatra's first recording after leaving Tommy Dorsey recorded in 1943 arranged by Axel Stordahl
Paul Ostroff
Best recorded version ever.TY mr for posting.
Rubyreddy
Frankie sure could croon when he still had his tenor.
Marina Garcia Solorzano
the best feeling inside a man, is not money, youth or health; is a thing that makes you smile with no reason, give applause without merit or embrace people as reflection of a tenderness burning inside! they called it love I call it completeness! there is no other perfect state but this!
Michel Polizzi
Are we sure this is Tommy Dorsey and not Axel Stordahl??
Taylor Verrall
Axel Stordahl's version was far more upbeat and rucous.