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
Speak Low
Jackie Gleason Lyrics
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Our summer day withers away
Too soon, too soon.
Speak low when you speak, love,
Our moment is swift, like ships adrift,
We're swept apart too soon.
Speak low, darling speak low,
Love is a spark lost in the dark,
I feel wherever I go
That tomorrow is near, tomorrow is here
And always too soon.
Time is so old and love so brief,
Love is pure gold and time a thief.
We're late darling, we're late,
The curtain descends, ev'rything ends
Too soon, too soon,
I wait darling, I wait
Will you speak low to me,
Speak love to me and soon.
The lyrics of Jackie Gleason’s song “Speak Low” are romantic and melancholic, reflecting on life’s fleeting nature and the preciousness of love. The first verse sets the tone for the rest of the song: “Speak low when you speak, love, our summer day withers away too soon, too soon.” The imagery of a summer day withering away too soon is a metaphor for life’s transience. The second verse expands on this metaphor, comparing love and life to ships adrift that are swept apart too soon. The line “Love is a spark lost in the dark, too soon, too soon,” highlights the brevity of love and how it can quickly fade away.
The chorus reinforces the theme of time and how it is both precious and fleeting. “Time is so old and love so brief, love is pure gold and time a thief.” The line “I feel wherever I go that tomorrow is near, tomorrow is here and always too soon” expresses the anxiety of living in a world where time moves too quickly. The final verse acknowledges that everything comes to an end and urges the listener to “speak love” before it’s too late.
Overall, “Speak Low” is a poignant reflection on the beauty and fragility of life, and the importance of cherishing love while it lasts.
Line by Line Meaning
Speak low when you speak, love,
When expressing love, use a calm and discreet tone.
Our summer day withers away
The happiness of our relationship fades away quickly like a summer day.
Too soon, too soon.
Our happy moments are short-lived and end too quickly.
Our moment is swift, like ships adrift,
Our time together is fleeting and we are easily carried away like ships at sea.
We're swept apart too soon.
Our separation comes too soon and we part ways too quickly.
Speak low, darling speak low,
Darling, please use a quiet and understated tone when expressing love.
Love is a spark lost in the dark,
Love is fleeting and can be easily lost and forgotten like a spark in the darkness.
Too soon, too soon,
Love fades away quickly and everything ends too soon.
I feel wherever I go
I have a sense that no matter where I go,
That tomorrow is near, tomorrow is here
The future is right around the corner and it always comes sooner than we expect.
And always too soon.
No matter how much time we have, it always seems to pass too quickly.
Time is so old and love so brief,
Time is a long-standing force that is always present. Love, however, is fleeting and exists for only a short time.
Love is pure gold and time a thief.
Love is valuable and precious like gold, but time steals it away from us quickly.
We're late darling, we're late,
We have little time left, my love, so we must hurry.
The curtain descends, ev'rything ends
The end of our time together is approaching quickly, like a curtain coming down on a show.
Too soon, too soon,
The end is coming too quickly and we aren't ready to say goodbye.
I wait darling, I wait
I am waiting patiently, my love.
Will you speak low to me,
Can you please express your love to me in a quiet and understated manner?
Speak love to me and soon.
Please express your love to me quickly before our time together ends.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Kurt Weill, Ogden Nash
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind