Alfie
Getz Stan Lyrics

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I tell myself what's done is done
I tell myself don't be a fool
Play the field, have a lot of fun
It's easy when you play it cool
I tell myself don't be a chump
Who cares, let him stay away
That's when the phone rings, and I jump
And as I grab the phone I pray

Let it please be him
Oh, dear God, it must be him
It must be him or I shall die
I shall die

After a while, I'm myself again
I pick the pieces off the floor
I put my heart on the shelf again
He'll never hurt me anymore
I'm not a puppet on a string
I'll find somebody new someday
That's when the phone begins to ring
And once again I start to pray

Let it please be him
Oh, dear God, it must be him
It must be him or I shall die
I shall die
Oh, hello, hello
My dear God, it must be him
But it's not him, and then I die
Again I die

Oh, hello, hello
My dear God, it must be him

But it's not him, and then I die
Again I die, I shall die

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Stan Getz's song "Alfie" tell the story of a person trying to convince themselves to move on from a past relationship and play the field. However, when the phone rings, they desperately hope it is their ex. This internal struggle demonstrates the difficulty in getting over someone and the power they still hold over you, even when you know it's better to let them go.

The repeated pleas to God to let the phone call be from their ex show just how emotionally invested the singer still is in the relationship. They acknowledge that they should move on and find someone new but can't help hoping for a second chance with their ex. The line "I'm not a puppet on a string" demonstrates the awareness of their own agency and determination to move on from the past, but they still cling to the hope of a reconciliation.

Overall, the song conveys the universal struggle of moving on from a relationship and the conflicting emotions that come with it.

Line by Line Meaning

I tell myself what's done is done
I convince myself that past events are unchangeable

I tell myself don't be a fool
I remind myself not to act foolishly

Play the field, have a lot of fun
Have fun looking for love

It's easy when you play it cool
Remaining composed makes life simpler

I tell myself don't be a chump
I remind myself to not be foolish

Who cares, let him stay away
Doesn't matter if he returns or not

That's when the phone rings, and I jump
Upon hearing the phone ring, I get excited

And as I grab the phone I pray
As I answer the phone, I hope it's him

Let it please be him
I hope the person on the phone is him

Oh, dear God, it must be him
I desperately desire to talk to him