Too Romantic
Frank Sinatra with Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra Lyrics
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Moonlight and stars can make such a fool of me.
You know you're much too near, and I am too romantic,
Wouldn't I be a sight on a bended knee.
I'm startled when you whisper, I'll run if you should sigh,
I must be so careful, or I'll kiss my heart goodbye.
You shouldn't let me dream 'cause I'm too romantic,
Don't make me fall unless it could all come true.
In this song, Frank Sinatra confesses that he is a hopeless romantic who is easily swept away by the romantic notions of beautiful nights under the moon and stars. He is fearful of nighttime because it can make him act foolishly and he does not want to expose himself to the object of his affection, for fear of being rejected. He knows that he is too close to this person and imagines himself proposing marriage on bended knee, despite the fact that they may not reciprocate his feelings. The singer admits that even the smallest gestures or sounds from his love interest can startle him, making him run away or making him fall in love even more deeply. He concludes the song by pleading with his love interest not to encourage him to dream if there is no chance of those dreams ever coming true.
The song "Too Romantic" was written by Johnny Burke and James Van Heusen and released in 1958 as part of Frank Sinatra's album "Come Fly With Me". The song was one of the few tracks that Frank Sinatra recorded, but did not release as a single. Interestingly, the song was actually a re-recording. Sinatra had previously recorded it in 1940, but chose to re-record it because he felt that it had been rushed and that he could do it better justice with a more mature voice.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm so afraid of night 'cause I'm too romantic.
I fear the night because I am overly sentimental and easily swayed by the romantic ambiance it brings.
Moonlight and stars can make such a fool of me.
The beauty of the moon and stars can cause me to act foolishly in the name of romance.
You know you're much too near, and I am too romantic,
Your close proximity combined with my overly sentimental nature makes for a potentially overwhelming romantic situation.
Wouldn't I be a sight on a bended knee.
I would make a spectacle of myself if I were to get down on one knee in a romantic gesture.
I'm startled when you whisper, I'll run if you should sigh,
Your whispering startles me and a simple sigh from you may cause me to flee due to my highly sensitive nature.
I must be so careful, or I'll kiss my heart goodbye.
I need to exercise caution, lest I risk falling in love and potentially getting hurt.
You shouldn't let me dream 'cause I'm too romantic,
You should not encourage me to indulge in fantasies of romance because of how easily I can be swept away by them.
Don't make me fall unless it could all come true.
Do not make me fall in love unless there is a real possibility of it being reciprocated and leading to a fulfilling relationship.
Writer(s): Johnny Burke, James Monaco
Contributed by Molly H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.