They Can't Take That Away from Me
Fred Astaire / Ginger Rogers Lyrics


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Our romance won't end on a sorrowful note
Though by tomorrow you're gone
The song is ended, but as the songwriter wrote
The melody lingers on
They may take you from me, I'll miss your fond caress
But though they take you from me, I'll still possess

The way you wear your hat
The way you sip your tea
The memory of all that
No, no, they can't take that away from me

The way your smile just beams
The way you sing off key
The way you haunt my dreams
No, no, they can't take that away from me

We may never, never meet again
On the bumpy road to love
But, I'll always, always keep the memory of

The way you hold your knife
The way we danced till three
The way you changed my life




No, no, they can't take that away from me
No, they can't take that away from me

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "They Can't Take That Away From Me" by Fred Astaire describe the melancholic feeling of losing someone, but also the power of memories to keep their presence close to us. The first verse sets the tone for the rest of the song, as Fred sings about a romance that is about to end. However, he remains optimistic about the future, reassuring his lover that their story won't have a sorrowful ending, and that even though they won't be together anymore, the melody of their love will linger on.


The second verse begins with an acknowledgement of loss, as Fred admits that he will miss his lover's touch, but quickly shifts to a celebration of all the little things that make their relationship special. The way she wears her hat, sips her tea, or even sings off-key - these are the memories that will stay with him, even if she is no longer by his side. The third verse becomes bittersweet, as Fred contemplates the possibility of never seeing his lover again on the "bumpy road to love." But even if they part ways forever, he knows that he will always keep the memory of the way she held her knife or the way they danced until three in his heart.


"They Can't Take That Away From Me" is a song that deals with loss and separation, but ultimately celebrates the power of memory and the resilience of love. Fred's smooth and soulful delivery perfectly captures the emotions of the song, making it a classic that continues to resonate with listeners.


Line by Line Meaning

Our romance won't end on a sorrowful note
Despite the fact that we are parting, our romance will not have a sad ending


Though by tomorrow you're gone
Even though you will be gone tomorrow


The song is ended, but as the songwriter wrote
The song may have ended, but the memories of it remains just as the songwriter wrote


The melody lingers on
The sweet melody stays in my mind


They may take you from me, I'll miss your fond caress
Even if they take you away from me, I will miss your tender touch


But though they take you from me, I'll still possess
Even though they take you away, I will still have the memories of our love


The way you wear your hat
I love the way you wear your hat


The way you sip your tea
I am fond of the way you sip your tea


The memory of all that
I cherish the memories of it all


No, no, they can't take that away from me
Nobody can take those memories away from me


The way your smile just beams
Your radiant smile is captivating


The way you sing off key
Even when you sing off-tune, it warms my heart


The way you haunt my dreams
You are always present in my dreams


We may never, never meet again
It is possible that we may never meet again


On the bumpy road to love
Our romance has been a difficult journey


But, I'll always, always keep the memory of
Nonetheless, I will always treasure the memories of


The way you hold your knife
I adore the way you hold your knife


The way we danced till three
I love the memories of us dancing till the wee hours of the morning


The way you changed my life
Meeting you has brought a significant change in my life


No, no, they can't take that away from me
Nobody can take those memories away from me




Lyrics © RALEIGH MUSIC PUBLISHING, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ira Gershwin, George Gershwin

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@voicegirl555

I love this song. I love all of George Gershwin's songs. He died 84 years ago today and left a treasure of songs that are still being sung today. Thank you Mr. Gershwin for this song and all the others.

@carlaminafra3503

Eu tambĂ©m! Muito fĂŁ de George Gershwin!❀

@maureen1938

GERSHWIN WAS A GENIUS. I LOVE HIS SONGS ...!!!!

@moanamona

Let’s not forget the lyricist, his brother, Ira Gershwin!

@jeffreysalter3650

Take Fred Astaire and Ginger Rodgers and add a Gershwin tune
and you have a combination which
will never be duplicated. One of life's pleasures.

@thetoastedhippies1997

I agree but I would add that Kern, Porter and Berlin were awfully good, too.

@lanecountybigfooters5716

George Gershwin introduced them, so this song has extra layers of meaning for them both. The only time Fred re-used a song and the only woman he sang it to, twice. Lovely.

@maureen1938

@@thetoastedhippies1997 THEY WERE ALL FABULOUS....SHEER MAGIC....TIMELESS..!!!

@NealKanter

Although Ginger didn't get credit it was her idea to use this Gershwin song cut out from a previous movie.

@dianekennedy8602

I watched this with tears streaming down my face.  I remember my father singing this song to me when I was a little girl; he died 17 years ago today.  They just don't make movies like this anymore.  So touching.

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