Gleason could not read or write music in a conventional sense; he was said to have conceived melodies in his head and described them vocally to staff help. He did likewise with the well-remembered themes of both The Jackie Gleason Show ("Melancholy Serenade") and The Honeymooners ("You're My Greatest Love"). There has been some controversy over the years as to how much credit Gleason should have received for the finished products; it has been written that beyond the possible conceptualizing of many of the songs, Gleason had no direct involvement such as conducting in the making of these recordings. However, his main musical companion, cornetist and trumpeter Bobby Hackett once said: "Jackie knows a lot more about music than people give him credit for. I have seen him conduct a sixty-piece orchestra and detect one discordant note in the brass section. He would immediately stop the music and locate the wrong note. It always amazed the professional musicians how a guy who technically did not know one note from another could do that. And he was never wrong."
Born February 26, 1916 in Brooklyn, New York, United States. He died on June 24, 1987
Alice Blue Gown
Jackie Gleason Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh, the daintiest thing, it was sweet Alice blue
With little forget-me-nots placed here and there
When I had it on, I walked on the air
And it wore, and it wore, and it wore
'Til it went, and it wasn't no more
In my sweet little Alice blue gown
I was both proud and shy, as I felt every eye
And in every shop window I primped passing by
Then in manner of fashion, I'd frown
And the world seemed to smile all around
'Til it wilted, I wore it, I'll always adore it
My sweet little Alice blue gown
The little silk worms that made silk for that gown
Just made that much silk and then crawled in the ground
For there never was anything like it before
And I don't dare to hope there will be any more
But it's gone, 'cause it just had to be
Still it wears in my memory
In my sweet little Alice blue gown
When I first wandered down into town
I was both proud and so shy, as I felt every eye
And in every shop window I primped passing by
Then in manner of fashion, I'd frown
And the world seemed to smile all around
So it wouldn't be proper if made of silk were another
My sweet little Alice blue gown
The song "Alice Blue Gown" by Jackie Gleason is a wistful and nostalgic tribute to a beautiful dress that was once worn by the singer. The dress in question is described as being a delicate shade of blue, adorned with little forget-me-nots scattered throughout. The singer recalls wearing the gown and feeling as though she was "walking on air," so thrilled and proud was she to be wearing such a lovely piece of clothing. However, over time, the dress became worn and eventually disintegrated, leaving only the memory of its beauty and charm.
In the second verse, the singer continues to reflect on her experiences wearing the Alice blue gown. She remembers feeling shy and nervous at first, but eventually growing accustomed to the attention she received while wearing it. She describes how she would admire herself in shop windows as she walked by, feeling proud and fashionable. However, despite her love for the dress, she acknowledges that it was a rare and precious thing, made from silk that was painstakingly woven by special little silk worms. The song ends with the singer acknowledging that the dress is gone forever, but declaring that it will always hold a special place in her heart.
Overall, "Alice Blue Gown" is a wistful meditation on the power of clothing to create confidence, beauty, and self-worth. The singer's nostalgia for the dress reveals a deep attachment to the emotional experiences it represented, as well as a recognition of the fragility and impermanence of material things.
Line by Line Meaning
I once had a gown, it was almost new
I owned a gown that was in great condition
Oh, the daintiest thing, it was sweet Alice blue
The gown was delicate and had a soft blue color
With little forget-me-nots placed here and there
Small flowers were embroidered onto the gown
When I had it on, I walked on the air
I felt happy and confident when wearing it
And it wore, and it wore, and it wore
I wore the gown frequently
'Til it went, and it wasn't no more
The gown eventually became too worn out to wear
In my sweet little Alice blue gown
Referring to the same gown mentioned earlier
When I first wandered down into town
The first time I wore the gown out in public
I was both proud and shy, as I felt every eye
I was happy to wear the gown but also self-conscious
And in every shop window I primped passing by
I admired myself in store windows as I walked by
Then in manner of fashion, I'd frown
I pretended to look unimpressed with the gown to seem fashionable
And the world seemed to smile all around
People seemed impressed with the gown and showed it in various ways
'Til it wilted, I wore it, I'll always adore it
I continued to wear the gown until it became too worn out, but I still love it
The little silk worms that made silk for that gown
The animals that produced the silk used to make the gown
Just made that much silk and then crawled in the ground
The animals died after producing the amount of silk needed for the gown
For there never was anything like it before
The gown was unique and special
And I don't dare to hope there will be any more
I don't expect to find another gown like it
But it's gone, 'cause it just had to be
The gown is no longer available because it became too worn out
Still it wears in my memory
I still remember the gown and cherish the memories associated with it
So it wouldn't be proper if made of silk were another
No other gown made of silk could be as special as the Alice blue gown
My sweet little Alice blue gown
A term of endearment for the cherished gown
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Harry Tierney, Joseph Mc Carthy
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind