How Long Has This Been Going On?
Horace Silver Quintet Lyrics
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I was kissed by my sisters, my cousins, and my aunties.
Sad to tell, it was hell, an inferno worse than Dante's.
So my dear I swore,
"Never, never more !"
On my list, I insisted that kissing must be crossed out.
Now, I find I was blind, and oh my! How I lost out!
I could cry salty tears,
Where have I been all these years?
Little wow, tell me now,
How long has this been going on?
There were chills up my spine,
And some thrills I can't define.
Listen, sweet, I repeat,
How long has this been going on?
Oh, I feel that I could melt,
Into Heaven I'm hurled!
I know how Columbus felt,
Finding another world.
Kiss me once, then once more.
What a dunce I was before.
What a break! For Heaven's sake!
How long has this been going on?
Dear, when in your arms I creep,
That divine rendezvous,
Don't wake me, if I'm asleep,
Let me dream that it's true!
Kiss me twice, then once more.
That makes thrice, let's make it four!
What a break! For Heaven's sake!
How long has this been going on?
How long has this, been going on?
The lyrics of Horace Silver's song, "How Long Has This Been Going On?" is about the singer's realization of the joy and passion that comes with kissing, and how it had been absent from their life for too long. The song starts with the perspective of the singer as a child, who is repulsed by the kisses they receive from family members. The experience left such an impression on the singer that, as an adult, they made a list insisting that kissing was forbidden. But over time, the singer realized they had missed out on something special and "lost out." The singer then asks their partner how long they have been missing out on the joy of kissing.
The lyrics highlight the intense emotions that come with kissing, using phrases like "chills up my spine" and "thrills I can't define." The singer is so enamored with kissing that they say "I could cry salty tears" and feel like they are "melt[ing]" into heaven. In the middle of the song, the singer gets lost in their passion and asks their partner to kiss them multiple times. They conclude the song by asking how long they have been missing out on this incredible experience.
Overall, the lyrics of "How Long Has This Been Going On?" captures the excitement and intensity of romantic love, particularly within the context of kissing. It highlights the idea that sometimes we may think we know what we want, but by shutting ourselves off to certain experiences, we may be missing out on something truly special.
Line by Line Meaning
As a tot, when I trotted in little velvet panties,
As a little child, when I walked around in soft velvet underwear,
I was kissed by my sisters, my cousins, and my aunties.
My female family members would shower me with kisses and affection.
Sad to tell, it was hell, an inferno worse than Dante's.
Sadly, these kisses were unwelcome and uncomfortable, akin to a terrible hellish experience.
So my dear I swore,
As a result, I made a solemn promise,
"Never, never more !"
"Never, absolutely never again!"
On my list, I insisted that kissing must be crossed out.
I vowed to remove kissing from my life completely.
Now, I find I was blind, and oh my! How I lost out!
However, I have come to realize that I was mistaken and am now filled with regret for missing out on the wonderful world of kissing.
I could cry salty tears,
I feel so strongly about this that I could weep salty tears,
Where have I been all these years?
Wondering why I waited so long to open myself up to this new experience after so many years.
Little wow, tell me now,
I am so in awe of this experience, someone please tell me,
How long has this been going on?
How long has this wonderful thing been happening without me knowing it?
There were chills up my spine,
Kissing is such a powerful experience that it gives me chills down my back,
And some thrills I can't define.
It even provides me with inexplicable sensations that I can't put into words.
Listen, sweet, I repeat,
I want everyone to hear me, my love,
How long has this been going on?
How long have we been experiencing this profound connection?
Oh, I feel that I could melt,
My feelings are so intense that I feel like I could dissolve,
Into Heaven I'm hurled!
And be transported straight to paradise!
I know how Columbus felt,
This new discovery fills me with a sense of adventure and innovation, like how Columbus must have felt when he discovered the New World.
Finding another world.
This experience opened me up to a whole new world of feeling and sensation.
Kiss me once, then once more.
Please give me another kiss, and then one more just to be sure.
What a dunce I was before.
I can't believe how foolish I was to have shunned this incredible experience in the past.
What a break! For Heaven's sake!
What a wonderful chance I now have, for the love of everything that is holy!
Dear, when in your arms I creep,
My darling, when I am snuggled up in your embrace,
That divine rendezvous,
This amazing meeting of our souls,
Don't wake me, if I'm asleep,
Please let me be lost in my dreams, even if I fall asleep,
Let me dream that it's true!
So that I can indulge in the incredible reality that is our togetherness.
Kiss me twice, then once more.
Please give me two more kisses now, and then one more on top of that.
That makes thrice, let's make it four!
That's a total of three kisses. Let's make it four, just to really be sure we both enjoy it!
How long has this been going on?
Again, I can't help but wonder how long we have been missing out on this amazing thing.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ira Gershwin, George Gershwin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind