Am I Blue
Hoagy Carmichael Lyrics


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I'm just a man, a lonely man
Waiting on the weary shore
I'm just a man who's only human
One you should feel sorry for

It was a morning, long before dawn
Without a warning I found she was gone
How could she do it, why should she do it
She never done it before

Am I blue, am I blue
Ain't these tears in these eyes telling you
How can you ask me am I blue
Why, wouldn't you be too
If each plan with your woman
Done fell through

There was a time
When I was her only one
But now I'm the sad and lonely one, lonely
Was I gay, until today




Now she's gone, and we're through
Am I blue

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Hoagy Carmichael's song Am I Blue depict a man who has been abandoned by his lover and is struggling to come to terms with his new reality. The opening lines establish the man's isolation and his resignation to his fate. He describes himself as a "lonely man", waiting for something or someone that may never come. He emphasizes his humanity in a plea for sympathy from his audience. The second stanza reveals the suddenness of his lover's departure and his confusion at her actions. He questions why she would leave him and why she has done it now, without warning. This sense of betrayal is enhanced by the line "she never done it before", which makes it clear that he had thought their relationship was secure.


The chorus of the song consists of the repetition of the title question, "Am I blue?" The man is using the color blue as a symbol for his emotions, which are undeniably sad and lonely. He points to his tears as evidence of his distress and asks how anyone could ask him if he is blue when it is so obvious. He even turns the question back on the listener, asking if they wouldn't be blue in his situation. He then describes his relationship with his former lover, noting that there was a time when he was her only love. However, now that she has left him, he has been left alone and unhappy. The final chorus ends with the poignant line "now she's gone, and we're through", summarizing the sense of loss that permeates the entire song.


Line by Line Meaning

I'm just a man, a lonely man
I am a human being, a solitary person


Waiting on the weary shore
Standing on the tiring coast


I'm just a man who's only human
I am simply a person, nothing more or less


One you should feel sorry for
You ought to pity me


It was a morning, long before dawn
It was the early hours of the day when the sun had not yet risen


Without a warning I found she was gone
Suddenly, she was no longer there


How could she do it, why should she do it
How was it possible for her to leave me, and what reason was there for her departure


She never done it before
She had never acted that way previously


Am I blue, am I blue
Am I sad, do I feel depressed


Ain't these tears in these eyes telling you
Are these tears not indicating to you


How can you ask me am I blue
How could you possibly question if I feel unhappy


Why, wouldn't you be too
Wouldn't you feel the same way in my place


If each plan with your woman
If each arrangement with your female partner


Done fell through
Falls apart


There was a time
In the past


When I was her only one
When I was the only person in her life


But now I'm the sad and lonely one, lonely
But now I am unhappy and abandoned


Was I gay, until today
Was I happy and carefree, up until now


Now she's gone, and we're through
Now she has departed, and our relationship is finished


Am I blue
Do I feel miserable




Lyrics ยฉ Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GRANT CLARKE, HARRY AKST

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@rameuplatonov6221

I'm just a man, a lonely man
Waiting on the weary shore
I'm just a man who's only human
One you should feel sorry for

It was a morning, long before dawn
Without a warning I found she was gone
How could she do it, why should she do it
She never done it before

Am I blue, am I blue
Ain't these tears in these eyes telling you
How can you ask me am I blue
Why, wouldn't you be too
If each plan with your woman
Done fell through

There was a time
When I was her only one
But now I'm the sad and lonely one, lonely
Was I gay, until today
Now she's gone, and we're through
Am I blue



All comments from YouTube:

@brdwybownd

Hey! That's my Grandfather seated with her. Character actor, Walter Sande. Pretty nice. I was just looking for upbeat versions of Am I Blue. And this 1944 version popped up. Nice to see you again Grandpa!๐Ÿ˜€

@mrVilasko

Can you please tell me why the girl's voice sounds like a man's? Is it due to the antiquity of the film, or is it overdubbed?

@brdwybownd

Since it's an old film. There may be an issue there. However, Lauren Bacall, the actress has a very, very low voice. To your point...could be over dubbed as well. Not sure, Lauren Bacall could sing. Again, I was not there..๐Ÿ‘ @@mrVilasko

@fritzholz

He does a great job in that little role -- looks like a boor, but not too much of a boor. Love the way he looks his glass over after he finishes his drink.

@peterlorrefanpage

@@mrVilasko The actress is Lauren Bacall. In her autobiographies, she says how she deliberately cultivated a lower voice.

@exmeasententia5528

Bacall was 19 years old at the time this film was made and this is her film debut. Think about that -- a teenaged novice pulls off a performance for the ages. That's talent.

@josephholland1427

You don't see that kind of talent from teenagers anymore.

@naveensarawagi7442

Bacall had oodles of talent .. Something like what daisy edgar jones has today. But the films r totally different now

@mariedewitt5033

Voice wasn't her strong suit

@exmeasententia5528

@@mariedewitt5033 If You mean singing -- I agree. But her speaking voice was part of her greatness.

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