The Way You Look Tonight
Jerome Kern Lyrics


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Some day, when I'm awfully low,
When the world is cold,
I will feel a glow just thinking of you
And the way you look tonight.

Yes you're lovely, with your smile so warm
And your cheeks so soft,
There is nothing for me but to love you,
And the way you look tonight.

With each word your tenderness grows,
Tearing my fear apart,
And that laugh that wrinkles your nose,
It touches my foolish heart.

Lovely
Never, ever change.
Keep that breathless charm.
Won't you please arrange it?
'Cause I love you...Just the way you look tonight.





Mm, Mm, Mm, Mm,
Just the way you look tonight.

Overall Meaning

Jerome Kern's classic "The Way You Look Tonight" is a beautiful, timeless love song that has been covered by many artists since its release in 1936. The song is a declaration of love and devotion, promising to always feel warmth and affection towards the object of the singer's affection. The opening lines convey a sense of vulnerability and loneliness, with the singer feeling low and the world appearing cold. However, just the thought of the person they love is enough to bring a sense of happiness and contentment.


The second verse goes on to describe the person the singer loves, praising their warm smile and soft cheeks. The singer declares that they cannot help but love this person, just the way they are. The third verse speaks to the tenderness and kindness the person exudes, which helps to alleviate the singer's fears and anxieties. The image of the person's nose wrinkling when they laugh is both charming and endearing, touching the singer's heart in a way that seems both foolish and wonderful.


The final verse is a plea for the person not to change, to keep their "breathless charm" intact, so that the singer can continue to love them just the way they look that night. The repeated refrain of "Mm, Mm, Mm, Mm," at the end of the song is a sign of the singer's adoration and delight in their loved one.


Overall, "The Way You Look Tonight" is a beautiful and heartfelt romantic song that celebrates the simple, yet profound beauty of being in love.


Line by Line Meaning

Some day, when I'm awfully low
There will be days filled with despair, but one day, for sure, I will recall the memory of how beautiful you looked that particular night.


When the world is cold
When almost everyone around is indifferent and unsympathetic to my feelings,


I will feel a glow just thinking of you
Nothing else will matter and I will be filled with warmth just by having beautiful memories of that special look.


And the way you look tonight
The mere thought of that one particular look will make all my worries and sadness disappear, just like that.


Yes, you're lovely, with your smile so warm
You're incredibly beautiful, and your smile can instantly make anyone feel loved and welcomed,


And your cheeks so soft
There's an incredibly soft and gentle quality to your entire being, which is rare to find in anyone.


There is nothing for me but to love you
The beauty of your being fills me up with so much love and affection that there is nothing else that I can feel towards you.


And the way you look tonight
Once again, it's that special look that has caught my attention and has left me in awe of your elegant beauty.


With each word your tenderness grows
Every time you speak, I can feel that warmth and tenderness growing within my heart.


Tearing my fear apart
It feels like your gentle kindness is enough to destroy any fears and anxieties that I may have been carrying within me.


And that laugh that wrinkles your nose
Even the simple gesture of laughing, which makes the skin around your nose wrinkle up, makes my heart skip a beat.


It touches my foolish heart
Your beauty and elegance shine such a light on the foolish heart of mine that I feel like I'm completely defenseless against your charm.


Lovely
You're not only beautiful but you have a gentle and sweet charm that makes you stand out from everyone else.


Never, ever change
Please don't ever lose that innocence and beauty that you have, which makes my world so much brighter and more beautiful.


Keep that breathless charm
That breathless charm of your being is something that leaves me completely speechless, but always wanting more.


Won't you please arrange it?
I almost feel like life would be incomplete without that special charm of yours, so please never change that.


'Cause I love you...Just the way you look tonight
All the love that I have for you is because of that one particular look that has captured my heart completely.


Mm, Mm, Mm, Mm
There are no words that can completely describe the beauty of that look.


Just the way you look tonight
Everything else fades away in comparison to your elegance and beauty that captured my heart and soul.




Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group, SHAPIRO BERNSTEIN & CO. INC.
Written by: DOROTHY FIELDS, JEROME KERN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

MissWizard

A beautiful song, sung by a legend.

Donde_lieta

I’ve always loved this song— had no idea it was composed by Kern 😍😭🙏🏻
His music has always sung to my soul

Karin Berryman

Dorothy Fields wrote the lyrics first, and gave them to Jerome K. Some time later he called her to come over and hear his composition. Dorothy said she cried when she was out of sight of him. They were both happily married to their own spouses but these two just happened to be a great musical team.

clockguy2

Jerome Kern was an influence to Richard Rodgers.

Johannes Grüschow

Die Musik von Jerome Kern uind Astaire gesungen macht mich 75 Jahre jünger! Fabelhaft!

Meloş

Family trees :"they are rapstars thank you" 😂

Alex

The way she looked that night: 🧼💭

Philz Music

I love the shampoo!

Philz Music

Can someone tells me what movie this is from?

Arnie Oppenheim

Swing Time

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