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 Guess I'll Have To Change My Plan
Jackie Gleason Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I should have realized there'd be another man,
I overlooked that point completely,
Until the big affair began,
Before I knew where I was at,
I found myself upon the shelf, and that was that,
I tried to reach the moon but when I got there,
My feet are back upon the ground,
I've lost the one girl (man) I found,
I guess I'll have to change my plan,
I should have realized there'd be another man,
Why did I buy those blue pajamas,
Before the big affair began,
My boiling point is much to low
For me to try to be a fly Lothario,
I think I'll crawl right back and into my shell,
Dwelling in my personal hell,
I'll have to change my plan around,
I've lost the one girl (man) I found.
In "I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plan," Jackie Gleason sings about the realization of losing someone to another person. The lyrics describe a man who has been swept off his feet by a woman, only to find himself alone after the affair. He realizes that he had not considered the possibility of competition and had been foolish to do so. The lyrics express regret and bitterness, as the singer accepts his loss and resigns himself to moving on.
The line "Before I knew where I was at, I found myself upon the shelf, and that was that" suggests that the singer had been discarded like an item in a store, replaced by someone else who was more desirable. He had failed to achieve his goals and had fallen short of his aspirations, represented in the line "I tried to reach the moon, but when I got there, all that I could get was the air."
The lyric "Why did I buy those blue pajamas, before the big affair began" hints at a sense of self-doubt and regret for the choices made leading up to the affair. It suggests that the singer may have been trying too hard or overthinking things, and ultimately lost the woman to someone else. The line "My boiling point is much too low, for me to try to be a fly Lothario" implies that the singer does not have the confidence or charisma of a successful Lothario and is instead feeling low and defeated.
Line by Line Meaning
I guess I'll have to change my plan,
My original plan to pursue this person is no longer feasible or appropriate.
I should have realized there'd be another man,
It was foolish of me to assume that this person was not already involved with someone else.
I overlooked that point completely,
I failed to consider the fact that the person I am interested in is not single.
Until the big affair began,
It was not until things became serious between the other person and their partner that I realized my mistake.
Before I knew where I was at,
I found myself in a state of confusion and uncertainty about my situation.
I found myself upon the shelf, and that was that,
I was left feeling lonely and undesirable because I had been rejected by the person I was interested in.
I tried to reach the moon but when I got there,
I set my sights too high and unrealistic, and was ultimately disappointed with the outcome.
All that I could get was the air,
I was left with nothing but empty hopes and dreams from my failed pursuit.
My feet are back upon the ground,
I have regained my sense of reality and accepted the situation as it is.
I've lost the one girl (man) I found,
I have lost the person I thought was the love of my life.
Why did I buy those blue pajamas,
I am reflecting on my foolish actions and decisions leading up to this point.
My boiling point is much to low
I realize that I am not cut out for the dating game and its potential heartbreak.
For me to try to be a fly Lothario,
I am not capable of being a suave and charismatic seducer of the opposite sex.
I think I'll crawl right back and into my shell,
I plan to withdraw from the dating scene and focus on my own personal growth and development.
Dwelling in my personal hell,
I am dealing with the emotional pain and turmoil of rejection and heartbreak.
I'll have to change my plan around,
I need to come up with a new approach to my life and relationships in order to move forward.
I've lost the one girl (man) I found.
I am grieving the loss of the person who I thought was my soulmate.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Arthur Schwartz, Howard Dietz
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind