Mammina was born i… Read Full Bio ↴Jenna Mammina is a jazz and pop singer from Michigan.
Mammina was born in St. Joseph, Michigan, and began singing in church from the age of five and performing in school musicals. In her teens, Mammina learned to play piano and guitar, performing with local bands. She attended Central Michigan University, Michigan State University, and Laney College in Oakland, before settling in San Francisco.
After session work with The Spinners and Narada Michael Walden, Mammina has gone on to record five albums, all released on her own label, Mamma Grace. Mammina, who performs as many as 250 times a year, has performed with Bobby McFerrin, Bobby Watson, Nancy King, Andy Narell, and Steve Coleman. Derk Robertson, writing for the San Francisco Chronicle, picked her debut album, Under the Influence, as number nine in his top albums of 1999. Her second album, Meant to Be, was nominated for a California Music Award in the Outstanding Jazz Album category.
Mammina is also a music educator, presenting workshops titled "Scat for Cats" and "So You Want to Be a Rock and Roll Star'" in schools and universities.
Mammina combines folk music, pop, and jazz, often performing with guitarist Andre Bush. She covers a wide range of music, including songs ranging from Abbey Lincoln (her idol) to Elvis Costello, U2, and Tom Waits, as well as original compositions. Her voice has been described as "sweet and flexible", "whisper-like" with "air-brushed phrasings and silky nuance", and less flatteringly, as "tiny, thinnish, high-pitched".
Them There Eyes
Jenna Mammina Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Life was a beautiful song
Didn't have a care nor worry
Then you had to come along
I fell in love with you first time
I looked into them there eyes
You've got a certain lil' cute way of flirtin'
With them there eyes
No stallin'
I'm fallin'
Going in a big way for sweet little you
My heart is jumpin'
You sure started somethin'
With them there eyes
You'd better watch them if you're wise
They sparkle, they bubble
They're gonna get you in a whole lot of trouble
You're overworkin' 'em
There's danger lurkin' in
Them there eyes
Maybe you think I'm just flirtin'
Maybe you think I'm all lies
Just because I get romantic when I gaze in
Them there eyes
I fell in love with you first time
I looked into them there eyes
You've got a certain lil' cute way of flirtin'
With them there eyes
They make me feel happy, they make me blue
No stallin'
I'm fallin'
Going in a big way for sweet little you
My heart is jumpin'
You sure started somethin'
With them there eyes
You'd better watch them if you're wise
They sparkle
They bubble
They're gonna get you in a whole lot of trouble
You're overworkin' 'em
There's danger lurkin' in
Them there eyes
The opening lines of Jenna Mammina's song "Them There Eyes" describe a state of carefree contentment that is disrupted by the arrival of a new love interest. The singer falls in love with this person almost immediately upon meeting them, as evidenced by the repetition of the phrase "I fell in love with you first time" throughout the song. The object of the singer's affection is described as having a certain "lil' cute way of flirtin'" with their eyes, which has a powerful effect on the singer's emotions. The eyes in question are portrayed as both delightful and dangerous, capable of making the singer feel both happy and blue.
The repeated warnings to "watch them if you're wise" and the references to danger lurking in "Them There Eyes" suggest that the singer is aware of the potential risks involved in pursuing this love interest. However, their feelings for the person are so strong that they cannot resist falling "in a big way for sweet little you". The song ends on an ambiguous note, with the singer acknowledging that their romanticism might be mistaken for insincerity, but reiterating their love for the person and the power that their eyes hold.
Overall, "Them There Eyes" is a song about the thrill and uncertainty of falling in love, and the way that someone's gaze can have an almost hypnotic effect on the person looking back at them. The repeated references to the danger and unpredictability associated with the object of the singer's affection add a sense of tension and drama to the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
I was just minding my business
I was content and not looking for love.
Life was a beautiful song
Life was good and enjoyable.
Didn't have a care nor worry
I had no problems or concerns.
Then you had to come along
You entered my life unexpectedly.
I fell in love with you first time
I fell in love with you immediately.
I looked into them there eyes
Your eyes held the key to my heart.
You've got a certain lil' cute way of flirtin'
You have a charming way of showing interest in me.
With them there eyes
Through your eyes.
They make me feel happy, they make me blue
Your eyes can make me feel both joy and sadness.
No stallin'
I'm not hesitant or delaying my feelings for you.
I'm fallin'
I'm falling in love with you.
Going in a big way for sweet little you
I'm falling for you in a big, passionate way.
My heart is jumpin'
My heart is filled with excitement and joy at the thought of you.
You sure started somethin'
You sparked something special in me.
You'd better watch them if you're wise
Be careful with your eyes and don't lead me on if you're not interested.
They sparkle, they bubble
Your eyes glitter and overflow with energy and emotion.
They're gonna get you in a whole lot of trouble
Your eyes may lead you into dangerous or risky situations.
You're overworkin' 'em
Your eyes are working too hard to charm and attract me.
There's danger lurkin' in
There is a risk in pursuing this attraction.
Maybe you think I'm just flirtin'
You may believe that my interest in you is just playful flirting.
Maybe you think I'm all lies
You may think that I am not being truthful about my feelings for you.
Just because I get romantic when I gaze in
My romantic feelings for you are amplified when I look into your eyes.
Lyrics © DistroKid, Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network
Written by: Maceo Pinkard, Doris Tauber, William Tracy
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind