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
I Cover the Waterfront
Jackie Gleason Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm watching the sea,,
Will the one I love,
Be coming back to me?
I cover the waterfront,
In search of my love,
And I'm covered by,
Here am I,
Patiently waiting,
Hoping and longing,
Oh! How I yearn!
Where are you?
Are you forgetting?
Do you remember?
Will you return?
I cover the waterfront,
I'm watching the sea,
For the one I love,
Must come back to me.
Here am I,
Patiently waiting,
Hoping and longing,
Oh! How I yearn!
Where are you?
Are you forgetting?
Do you remember?
Will you return?
I cover the waterfront,
I'm watching the sea,
For the one I love,
Must come back to me.
In Jackie Gleason's song "I Cover the Waterfront," the singer portrays a sense of longing and hope as he stands by the waterfront, watching the sea, and waiting for the one he loves to return. The lyrics depict his patience in waiting for his lover to come back to him, and his unwavering dedication to their relationship.
Throughout the song, the singer describes the somber setting around him as he watches the sea, covered by a starless sky. Despite the bleak surroundings, he remains hopeful that his lover will return to him, and he continues to wait with patience and longing.
The lyrics also convey a sense of uncertainty and anxiety, as the singer wonders if his lover has forgotten about him or if they will remember each other and be reunited once again.
Overall, "I Cover the Waterfront" is a touching and emotional song about love, loss, and the powerful connection between two people who are separated by distance.
Line by Line Meaning
I cover the waterfront,
I am searching the coastline for my love.
I'm watching the sea,
I am keeping vigilant over the ocean for any signs of my love's return.
Will the one I love,
I am uncertain if the person I love will come back to me.
Be coming back to me?
I am waiting with bated breath for my love's return.
In search of my love,
I am combing the coastline in hopes of finding my love.
And I'm covered by,
The empty sky overhead reflects my feelings of heartbreak and abandonment.
A starless sky above.
The dark and starless sky represents my desolation and loneliness.
Here am I,
I am here, in the same place, waiting for my love's return.
Patiently waiting,
I am waiting with steadfastness, despite the uncertainty and the pain.
Hoping and longing,
I am feeling hope and desire for my love to come back to me.
Oh! How I yearn!
I am consumed with longing and longing for my love to return.
Where are you?
I am asking out loud, where is the person I love?
Are you forgetting?
I am questioning whether my love still remembers me.
Do you remember?
I am hoping that my love still holds me in their heart and mind.
Will you return?
I am positing this question to my love, wondering if they will ever come back to me.
For the one I love,
I am dedicating my search and my waiting to one person only.
Must come back to me.
I believe deep down that my love will return to me, no matter how long it takes.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: EDWARD HEYMAN, JOHN W. GREEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind