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
When a Man Loves a Woman
Jackie Gleason Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To take or leave according to his whim
Love, to a woman means her very heart
She only wants to live her life for him.
Maybe he's not much,
Just another man doing what he can
But what does she care
She'll just string along all through thick and thin
Till his ship comes in
It's always that way
When a woman loves a man
She'll be the first one to praise him when he's going strong
The last one to blame him when everything's wrong
It's such a one sided game that they play
But women are funny that way.
Tell her she's a fool,
She'll say yes I know but I love him so
And that's how it goes
When a woman loves a man
She'll be the first one to praise him when he's going strong
The last one to blame him when everything's wrong
It's such a one sided game that they play
But women are funny that way.
Tell her she's a fool,
She'll say yes I know but I love him so
And that's how it goes
When a woman loves a man
The song presents a clear contrast between how men and women perceive love. Love, for a man, is simply a matter of choice; something he can take or leave as per his convenience. Whereas for women, it's a feeling so deep that it becomes the core of their existence.
The first verse of the song goes on to emphasize that women are willing to go through anything to ensure the survival of their love for men. They will hold on through the thick and thin of their partners' lives, waiting for their reward to arrive eventually, and they will do this only because of the intensity of their love for them. The second verse illustrates the nature of the relationship between women and their men in greater detail. Women will always be the first ones to celebrate their men's accomplishments and the last to judge them for their failures.
The lyrics also acknowledge the fact that women's love for men can be one-sided and irrational. When people try to point out the flaws in their men or tell them that they are being foolish, women will merely say "yes, I know, but I love him so," because the love they have for their men transcends rationality and logic. It's a deep and powerful emotion that is not easily surpassed. Therefore, the song When a Woman Loves a Man is all about the enduring power of love in a woman's life.
Line by Line Meaning
Love, to a man, is just a thing apart
A man sees love as something separate from himself, not necessarily essential. It is an option that he can choose to accept or reject.
To take or leave according to his whim
A man can decide to be in love or not to be in love based on his fancy. He has complete control over his emotions.
Love, to a woman means her very heart
For a woman, love is an integral part of her life. She invests her heart and soul into it and cannot see herself living without it.
She only wants to live her life for him.
A woman's ultimate desire is to lead a life filled with love, and to love and be loved in return by the man of her dreams.
Maybe he's not much,
It is possible that the man a woman loves may not possess many of the qualities that most people deem important.
Just another man doing what he can
The man may not have any special talents, but he works hard and does the best he can in life, which is enough for the woman who loves him.
But what does she care
The woman does not care about the man's shortcomings or lack of success. To her, he is perfect just the way he is.
When a woman loves a man.
The love a woman feels for her man is unconditional, and nothing can change or diminish it.
She'll just string along all through thick and thin
A woman will support her man through good times and bad, standing steadfastly by his side, no matter what.
Till his ship comes in
She is willing to wait patiently for him to succeed and achieve his goals, no matter how long it takes.
It's always that way
This is the nature of a woman's love for a man. It is unchanging and constant, no matter what the circumstances may be.
She'll be the first one to praise him when he's going strong
A woman will be the first person to acknowledge her man's successes and will be filled with pride at his achievements.
The last one to blame him when everything's wrong
Even when things go wrong, a woman will not blame her man. She understands that everyone makes mistakes and will stand by him through thick and thin.
It's such a one sided game that they play
Love is a game that is not always played on a level playing field. Women invest more in relationships than men do, sacrificing their own wants and desires for the sake of love.
But women are funny that way.
This is just how women are wired, and there is nothing anyone can do to change it.
Tell her she's a fool,
Even when others point out the woman's foolishness for loving someone who may not be deserving of it, she will still cling to her love.
She'll say yes I know but I love him so
The woman knows her own heart and understands the complexities of her love for the man, no matter what others may think.
And that's how it goes
This is just the way that love works, and there is no changing it.
When a woman loves a man
The love a woman feels for a man is complex, unchanging, and powerful, and nothing can come between her and her love.
Lyrics Š BMG Rights Management
Written by: BERNARD D. HANIGHEN, GORDON JENKINS, JOHNNY MERCER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Hunter Cooley
This is one of the very few reasons why the internet is great. To just get to see this in 2023, and to pick it up and laugh at it and it feel so contemporary. To see the world through Carson really was something to have.
John Teehan
Greatest show
David Rockey
Yeah. !!
Mtn man
@r Ma Yeah, if they broadcast good shows like they did in the 50's & 60's.
Kingpin TBM
@Cowboytwinkie False.
JLBis hated by 99% of YT only Julian and Rhea like
Few reasons is right , very few reasons ,itâs totally destroyed society and the family unit
Vince
Im 65 and have wonderful memories of watching the Jackie Gleason Show with my Father in the mood 60s. Dad was a WW2 combat vet and rarely laughed but Jackie brought him to tears of joy. Im forever in debt Jackie. How sweet it was.
Southern Cross
I'm 67 and same here.
jec1ny
Gleason was pure class. And he was always impeccably dressed.
ralph holiman
I'm 65 years old, and young people today just can't imagine what a big part of our lives Jackie Gleason was when we were growing up. And I still love him in Smokey and the Bandit the most!