Solitude
Ivie Anderson & Duke Ellington Lyrics

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In my solitude
You haunt me
With dreadful ease
Of days gone by

In my solitude
You taunt me
With memories

That never die

I sit in my chair
And filled with despair
There's no one could be so sad
With gloom everywhere
I sit and I stare
I know that I'll soon go mad

In my solitude
I'm afraid
Dear Lord above
Send back my love
I sit in my chair

Filled with despair
There's no one, no one
No onecould be so sad
With gloom everywhere
I sit and I stare
I know that I'll soon go mad

In my solitude
I'm afraid

Dear Lord above
Send back my love

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of Ivie Anderson's song "Solitude" sets the stage for the theme of the song, which is about a person dealing with the devastation of a lost love. The singer of the song is consumed with thoughts of their past relationship, and these memories continue to cause them immense pain, as they cannot move past their heartbreak. The chorus speaks to the hopelessness and despair that the singer feels, as they cannot escape their own thoughts and feelings, and they feel trapped in their solitude. They plead with a higher power to bring their love back to them, as they cannot bear to be alone any longer.

The second verse of the song continues with the theme of hopelessness and despair, describing the singer's physical and mental state. They are filled with despair, and they feel like they are on the brink of madness. The repetition of the line "gloom everywhere" reinforces the idea that there is no escape from the singer's own thoughts and feelings, and they are drowning in their own sorrow. The final plea to the Lord for their lost love to be returned to them is a desperate cry for help, as the singer cannot bear to be alone any longer.

Line by Line Meaning

In my solitude
Alone in my thoughts and feelings

You haunt me
Your presence lingers in my mind

With dreadful ease
Without effort, your memories come flooding back to me

Of days gone by
Of a past that is no longer here

You taunt me
You mock me with unfulfilled desires

With memories
With images of the past

That never die
That remain forever in my mind

I sit in my chair
I remain seated, unable to move

And filled with despair
Overwhelmed with hopelessness

There's no one could be so sad
Nobody could be more miserable than me

With gloom everywhere
Surrounded by darkness and sadness

I sit and I stare
I gaze blankly ahead

I know that I'll soon go mad
I fear I am losing my sanity

In my solitude
Despite being alone, my thoughts consume me

I'm afraid
I am scared of the future

Dear Lord above
To a higher power, I plead for help

Send back my love
Return to me the one that I long for

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: DUKE ELLINGTON, EDDIE LANGE DE, IRVING MILLS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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