Gene Harris (September 1, 1933, Benton Harbor, Michigan – January 16, 2000)… Read Full Bio ↴Gene Harris (September 1, 1933, Benton Harbor, Michigan – January 16, 2000) was an American jazz pianist known for his warm sound and blues and gospel infused style. From 1956 to 1970, he played in The Three Sounds trio with bassist Andy Simpkins and drummer Bill Dowdy. He was mostly retired to Boise, Idaho when Ray Brown convinced him to go back on tour in the early 1980s. He played with the Ray Brown Trio and then led his own groups, recording mostly on Concord Records, until his death from kidney failure in 2000. Gene's Ode to Billy Joe is known as a jazz classic.

(2) One of the most accessible of all jazz pianists, Gene Harris' soulful style (influenced by Oscar Peterson and containing the blues-iness of a Junior Mance) was immediately likable and predictably excellent. After playing in an Army band (1951-1954), he formed a trio with bassist Andy Simpkins and drummer Bill Dowdy which was, by 1956, known as the Three Sounds. The group was quite popular, and recorded regularly during 1956-1970 for Blue Note and Verve. Although the personnel changed and the music became more R&B-oriented in the early '70s, Harris retained the Three Sounds name for his later Blue Note sets. He retired to Boise, ID, in 1977, and was largely forgotten when Ray Brown persuaded him to return to the spotlight in the early '80s. Harris worked for a time with the Ray Brown Trio and led his own quartets in the years to follow, recording regularly for Concord and heading the Phillip Morris Superband on a few tours; 1998's Tribute to Count Basie even earned a Grammy nomination. While awaiting a kidney transplant, he died on January 16, 2000, at the age of 66. ~ Scott Yanow, Rovi

You Make Me Feel So Young
Gene Harris Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You make me feel so young
You make me feel as though spring has sprung
And every time I see you grin
I'm such a happy in-div-dual

The moment that you speak
I wanna go play hide and seek
I wanna go and bounce the moon

Just like a toy balloon

You and I are just like a couple of tots
Runnin' across the meadow
Pickin' up lots of forget me nots

You make me feel so young
You make me feel there are
Songs to be sung
Bells to be rung
And a wonderful spring to be sprung
And even when I'm old and gray

I'm gonna feel the way I do today
'Cause you make me feel so young

Overall Meaning

In Gene Harris's song "You Make Me Feel So Young," the singer is expressing the overwhelming happiness and youthful feeling they experience when they are in the presence of their loved one. The lyrics paint a picture of springtime and childlike innocence, using metaphors like "bounce the moon like a toy balloon" and comparing the couple to "a couple of tots." The singer is so filled with joy that they feel like they could sing songs and ring bells forever.

The use of metaphors is a significant aspect of this song's interpretation. The lyrics go beyond the surface-level meaning, allowing listeners to identify with the feeling of being in love and feeling young forever. The line, "even when I'm old and grey, I'm gonna feel the way I do today," emphasizes that love is capable of making us feel young and alive, often disregarding our true age.

The melody complements the song's lyrics, creating a cheerful, bouncy tune that amplifies the feeling of exuberance. The song's arrangement includes horns, piano, and drums, which all add to the upbeat mood, allowing for an overall positive experience.

Line by Line Meaning

You make me feel so young
Being with you makes me feel young and full of life.

You make me feel as though spring has sprung
I feel rejuvenated and full of energy like spring has arrived when I am with you.

And every time I see you grin
Your smile brings me joy and fills me with happiness.

I'm such a happy in-div-dual
You bring so much happiness to my life that I feel like a happy and fulfilled individual.

The moment that you speak
Whenever you talk, I am immediately drawn to you and want to spend time with you.

I wanna go play hide and seek
I feel like a kid again and want to play games with you like hide and seek.

I wanna go and bounce the moon
Your presence makes me feel like anything is possible, even bouncing the moon like a toy balloon.

You and I are just like a couple of tots
We both feel young and carefree when we are together, like we are kids again.

Runnin' across the meadow
We feel free and unburdened like children running through a meadow.

Pickin' up lots of forget me nots
As we run around, we are enjoying the simple things in life like picking flowers together.

You make me feel there are songs to be sung
Being with you inspires me to sing and appreciate the beauty of music.

Bells to be rung
Your presence makes me feel like there is happiness to be shared and celebrated like the sound of ringing bells.

And a wonderful spring to be sprung
I feel like there are wonderful things yet to come when I am with you, like the beginning of a beautiful spring season.

And even when I'm old and gray
No matter how old I get, my love for you will continue to make me feel young.

I'm gonna feel the way I do today
The way you make me feel today is a feeling that will stay with me forever.

'Cause you make me feel so young
It's all because of you and your love that I feel so young and alive.

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOSEF MYROW, MACK GORDON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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