Born Margaretha Keller, she studied dance from the age of 8 followed by acting classes. Her début was in "Pavillon" in Vienna. She also appeared on Stage with Marlene Dietrich in "Broadway", in which she sang and danced. A recording contract with Ultraphon in 1929 her singing took her from Vienna to Prague and Berlin, where she had a big success with Peter Igelhoff and Peter Kreuder. For over 45 years, through a life of triumphs and tragedies, her voice a legend-in radio shows, films, revues, concerts and musicals, but above all her records circled the globe. First called 'The Great Lady Of Chanson' in her native Vienna, it followed her to London and America.
Career
Her lieder voice carried the charm of the Parisian women but never lost the heart of the girl from Vienna. Greta's singing in what some call "a style reminiscent of Marlene Dietrich" comes from the fact she was the model for how Marlene Dietrich developed her own voice. Greta Keller made recordings throughout the world and from the earliest days of "schellack" to the dawn of CDs. She spent many years in the United States, notably in hotel club rooms at the Waldorf and (later) the Stanhope in New York, where her show always included "My Way", composed by Paul Anka, and a number of Noel Coward numbers. A 'singer's singer', Keller often drew other performers to the room, including the Nordstrom Sisters, Beverly Sills and Hildegarde. Other regulars would book the same table most nights that she was performing which included photographer Edgar de Evia. Favorites of the Stanhope crowd were the songs of Cole Porter and Noel Coward, for their sexual innuendo and double entendres. These included "Miss Otis Regrets" and "I'm the Other Woman in His Life" by her close friend Elisse Boyd. She regularly returned to Vienna. The poet and singer Rod McKuen was introduced by her to an audience in Vienna. McKuen, in turn ,hosted a concert presenting her at Lincoln Center in the 1970s, and wrote the lyric "If You Go Away" to Jacques Brel's "Ne Me Quitte Pas", which she always sang.
Greta's greatest strength was in her adaptability. Each song, took the caress in her voice in a unique way. Her repertoire included songs from the 1930s through the war years as well as popular songs of the day. A few years before her death, her voice appeared in the Academy Award-winning movie, Cabaret (1972), for which she sang the song, "Heirat" (Married). The last years of her life, from 1973 to her death in November 1977 Greta lived, worked, and traveled with the last great love of her life, Wolfgang Nebmaier, who now lives in Southern Oregon.
Filmography
• Mann, der seinen Mörder sucht, Der (1931) (uncredited) .... Singer... aka Jim, der Mann mit der Narbe (Germany)... aka Looking for His Murderer
• Lied vom Leben, Das (1931) .... Singer... aka Song of Life (USA: informal literal English title)
• Melodie der Liebe (1932) .... Singer... aka Right to Happiness (USA)
• Abenteurer von Paris, Der (1936) .... Cabaret Singer... aka The Paris Adventure (USA)
• Reunion in France (1942) (uncredited) .... Baroness von Steinkamp... aka Mademoiselle France (UK)... aka Reunion
• Herz spielt falsch, Ein (1953) .... Chansonniere/Cabaret Singer ... aka A Heart's Foul Play (International: English title)
• Blaue Stunde (1967) .... Singer
• Cabaret (1972) her voice was heard on a record as the singer of: "Heirat"
These Foolish Things
Greta Keller Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh! Will you never set me free?
The ties that bound us
Are still around us
There's no escape that I can see
And still those little things remain
That bring me happiness or pain
An airline ticket to romantic places
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you
A tinkling piano in the next apartment
Those stumbling words that told you what my heart meant
A fair ground's painted swings
These foolish things remind me of you
You came you saw you conquer'd me
When you did that to me
I knew somehow this had to be
The winds of March that make my heart a dancer
A telephone that rings but who's to answer?
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you
First daffodils and long excited cables
And candle lights on little corner tables
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you
The park at evening when the bell has sounded
The "Ile de France" with all the gulls around it
The beauty that is Spring's
These foolish things remind me of you
How strange how sweet to find you still
These things are dear to me
They seem to bring you near to me
The sigh of midnight trains in empty stations
Silk stockings thrown aside dance invitations
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you
Gardenia perfume ling'ring on a pillow
Wild strawb'ries only seven francs a kilo
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you
The smile of Garbo and the scent of roses
The waiters whistling as the last bar closes
The song that Crosby sings
These foolish things remind me of you
How strange how sweet to find you still
These things are dear to me
They seem to bring you near to me
The scent of smould'ring leaves, the wail of steamers
Two lovers on the street who walk like dreamers
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you
The song "These Foolish Things" by Greta Keller is a sentimental tune that explores the idea of love lost and the memories and sentiments that remain. The lyrics begin with the questions of whether or not the singer will ever be free from the memories of a past love. The ties that bound the two together are still present, and the singer cannot escape their feelings. These small memories or “foolish things,” like lipstick on a cigarette, tickets from trips, and music or songs that remind them of their lost love still have the power to stir up emotions and feelings. Despite the pain and heartache associated with these memories, they still provide a sense of pure, lost happiness that can never truly be recaptured.
The second verse goes on to elaborate on the different kinds of memories that the singer is inundated with. The sound of a piano playing in the neighboring apartment, the words that were spoken in the throes of passion, the beacon of hope the past love represented in the winds of March, and the precious little moments that occurred under candlelight all combine to spell out a picture of a love that is long gone but never forgotten. The third verse goes on to further elucidate on this idea of memories, and how the memories associated with the lost love seem to magically bring the past relationship to life. The sound of midnight trains reminds them of the moments they shared in empty station platforms, and the scent of certain perfumes or the sight of certain flowers brings up memories of moments long since passed. Each of these memories serve as a reminder of the lost love, and how events and passive associations still have an impact on the singer’s emotional state.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh! Will you never let me be?
Will you ever give me my freedom?
Oh! Will you never set me free?
Will you ever release me?
The ties that bound us
Are still around us
There's no escape that I can see
We are still connected and I can't break free from them.
And still those little things remain
That bring me happiness or pain
The memories of the past and the things associated with them remain with me, both happy and sad.
A cigarette that bears a lipstick's traces
An airline ticket to romantic places
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you
Remnants of our past love, such as a lipstick trace on a cigarette or a ticket to a romantic destination, still fill me with emotion.
A tinkling piano in the next apartment
Those stumbling words that told you what my heart meant
A fair ground's painted swings
These foolish things remind me of you
Everyday things that remind me of our past love, such as a nearby piano or a painted swing, bring back memories of you.
You came you saw you conquer'd me
When you did that to me
I knew somehow this had to be
When you won my heart, I knew it was meant to be.
The winds of March that make my heart a dancer
A telephone that rings but who's to answer?
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
The spring breeze fills me with happiness but the sound of a ringing phone without you to answer reminds me of your absence.
First daffodils and long excited cables
And candle lights on little corner tables
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you
Even joyous moments, like the arrival of spring and romantic candles, remind me of you.
The park at evening when the bell has sounded
The "Ile de France" with all the gulls around it
The beauty that is Spring's
These foolish things remind me of you
The sights of an evening in the park or the birds around the "Ile de France" ship in spring time trigger memories of our past love.
The sigh of midnight trains in empty stations
Silk stockings thrown aside dance invitations
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
Lonely train stations and discarded silk stockings remind me of you and our past.
Gardenia perfume ling'ring on a pillow
Wild strawb'ries only seven francs a kilo
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you
The scent of gardenia on my pillow or purchasing strawberries remind me of loving moments we shared.
The smile of Garbo and the scent of roses
The waiters whistling as the last bar closes
The song that Crosby sings
These foolish things remind me of you
The smile of Garbo or scent of roses, along with the sound of a closing bar or a song by Crosby, remind me of loving memories with you.
The scent of smould'ring leaves, the wail of steamers
Two lovers on the street who walk like dreamers
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
The smell of burning leaves and the sound of steamers, along with two lovers in the street, remind me of our past love, still clinging onto me.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Harry Link, Holt Marvell, Jack Strachey
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Scott La Roque
Oh! Will you never let me be?
Oh! Will you never set me free?
The ties that bound us
Are still around us
There's no escape that I can see
And still those little things remain
That bring me happiness or pain
A cigarette that bears a lipstick's traces
An airline ticket to romantic places
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you
A tinkling piano in the next apartment
Those stumbling words that told you what my heart meant
A fair ground's painted swings
These foolish things remind me of you
You came you saw you conquer'd me
When you did that to me
I knew somehow this had to be
The winds of March that make my heart a dancer
A telephone that rings but who's to answer?
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you
First daffodils and long excited cables
And candle lights on little corner tables
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you
The park at evening when the bell has sounded
The "Ile de France" with all the gulls around it
The beauty that is Spring's
These foolish things remind me of you
How strange how sweet to find you still
These things are dear to me
They seem to bring you near to me
The sigh of midnight trains in empty stations
Silk stockings thrown aside dance invitations
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you
Gardenia perfume ling'ring on a pillow
Wild strawb'ries only seven francs a kilo
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you
The smile of Garbo and the scent of roses
The waiters whistling as the last bar closes
The song that Crosby sings
These foolish things remind me of you
How strange how sweet to find you still
These things are dear to me
They seem to bring you near to me
The scent of smould'ring leaves, the wail of steamers
Two lovers on the street who walk like dreamers
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you
Anthony Frew
One of the greatest songs ever penned - this may be the definitive version
electrola89
absolut grandiose Interpretation! Greta Keller war wirklich eine der ganz Großen dieser Zeit!
Hugh Earl
Her diction is perfect unlike many of the so-called screaming pop singers of today.
Obdúlio Rincón
Yes, i agree. pop singers in general scream!
Scott La Roque
Oh! Will you never let me be?
Oh! Will you never set me free?
The ties that bound us
Are still around us
There's no escape that I can see
And still those little things remain
That bring me happiness or pain
A cigarette that bears a lipstick's traces
An airline ticket to romantic places
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you
A tinkling piano in the next apartment
Those stumbling words that told you what my heart meant
A fair ground's painted swings
These foolish things remind me of you
You came you saw you conquer'd me
When you did that to me
I knew somehow this had to be
The winds of March that make my heart a dancer
A telephone that rings but who's to answer?
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you
First daffodils and long excited cables
And candle lights on little corner tables
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you
The park at evening when the bell has sounded
The "Ile de France" with all the gulls around it
The beauty that is Spring's
These foolish things remind me of you
How strange how sweet to find you still
These things are dear to me
They seem to bring you near to me
The sigh of midnight trains in empty stations
Silk stockings thrown aside dance invitations
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you
Gardenia perfume ling'ring on a pillow
Wild strawb'ries only seven francs a kilo
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you
The smile of Garbo and the scent of roses
The waiters whistling as the last bar closes
The song that Crosby sings
These foolish things remind me of you
How strange how sweet to find you still
These things are dear to me
They seem to bring you near to me
The scent of smould'ring leaves, the wail of steamers
Two lovers on the street who walk like dreamers
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you
franzitaduz
Wonderful. I wish the current crop sang English as well as the style the way Greta caresses! A real artist.
FHI Prince Peter
This for me is the definitive version.
Bobby Roy
Simply Beautiful!
Abbe Buck Hann
Singing it as written. Beautiful.
saxondog2001
This song devastates me .. this version particularly. Thanks so much!