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
Laura
Jackie Gleason Lyrics
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Of something that never happened, yet you recall it well
You know the feeling of recognizing someone
That you've never met as far as you could tell, well
Laura is the face in the misty light
Footsteps that you hear down the hall
The laugh that floats on a summer night
And you see Laura on the train that is passing through
Those eyes, how familiar they seem
She gave your very first kiss to you
That was Laura but she's only a dream
The lyrics to Jackie Gleason's song "Laura" describe the eerie feeling of something that only exists in one's memory, but feels so real it is as if it actually happened. The first two lines speak to the phenomenon of remembering something only partially, yet that memory is still hauntingly vivid. The second verse describes recognizing a stranger as though you have known them your entire life. The chorus contains the central metaphor of the song, equating Laura to a mysterious, otherworldly presence. She is a face in the misty light, you hear her footsteps without anyone being there, and her laughter seems to float through the air. The final lines are perhaps the most poignant, as Gleason sings about the ghost of Laura appearing on a passing train and the bittersweet memory of a first kiss.
The lyrics of the song are quite abstract and open to interpretation. Some listeners may interpret Laura as a real person who haunts the singer's memories, while others may see her as a symbol for a time and place that is gone forever. Regardless of the interpretation, the song certainly evokes a sense of nostalgia and longing for something that is out of reach.
Line by Line Meaning
You know the feeling of something half remembered
You understand the sensation of partially remembering something that happened in the past.
Of something that never happened, yet you recall it well
Despite the fact that it never occurred, you are still able to remember it effectively.
You know the feeling of recognizing someone
You have experienced identifying someone without having met them before.
That you've never met as far as you could tell, well
To the best of your knowledge, you haven't met that person before.
Laura is the face in the misty light
Laura embodies the image seen in the hazy or unclear light.
Footsteps that you hear down the hall
The sound of footsteps echoes in the hallway.
The laugh that floats on a summer night
A laugh that drifts on an evening during the summer season.
That you can never quite recall
It's never entirely possible to recollect the memory.
And you see Laura on the train that is passing through
You spot Laura on the train that's passing by.
Those eyes, how familiar they seem
Those eyes are familiar, although you can't remember why.
She gave your very first kiss to you
Laura provided you with your initial romantic kiss.
That was Laura but she's only a dream
The woman named Laura was just a figment of your imagination.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: David Raksin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind