This Song Is You
Jerome Kern Lyrics
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A beautiful theme of every dream I ever knew
Down deep in my heart I hear it play
I feel it start, then melt away
I hear music when I touch your hand
A beautiful melody from some enchanted land
Down deep in my heart, I hear it say
I alone have heard this lovely strain
I alone have heard this glad refrain
Must it be forever inside of me
Why can't I let it go
Why can't I let you know
Why can't I let you know the song my heart would sing?
What beautiful rhapsody
Of love and youth and spring
The music is sweet
The words are true
The song is you
In Jerome Kern's song "This Song is You," the lyrics explore the powerful impact that the voice, touch, and mere presence of another person can have on us. The song opens with the lines "I hear music when I look at you, A beautiful theme of every dream I ever knew." Here, the singer is suggesting that the person they are looking at represents all of their dreams and hopes, symbolized by the beautiful theme playing in their mind. When the singer touches the person, they hear a "beautiful melody from some enchanted land." The music is not just in their mind, but it is real and palpable.
The second half of the song is more reflective. The singer acknowledges that they alone have heard this lovely strain, and wonders why they can't let the person know about the song their heart wants to sing. The "beautiful rhapsody of love and youth and spring" is the feeling of being alive and in love, and it is inspired by the person standing in front of the singer. The song ends with the repeated refrain that "the song is you," emphasizing the connection between the person and the music. Overall, the song captures the way that love can inspire us and fill us with a sense of beauty and wonder.
Line by Line Meaning
I hear music when I look at you,
The writer feels happy when he looks at his sweetheart, and sees the beautiful vision of music
A beautiful theme of every
Dream I ever knew.
The writer relates his beautiful dream to an equally beautiful musical theme.
Down deep in my heart I hear it play.
The writer's dream is very strong in his heart and soul, and he hears music while it plays.
I feel it start, then melt away.
The feeling is that music starts but then disappears quietly, before becoming too much for the writer/melodious dreams
I hear music when I touch your hand,
The writer feels happy when he touches his sweetheart's hand, and hears the beautiful music start again.
A beautiful melody
From some enchanted land.
The writer relates the beautiful music to a place that is surrounded by magic and enchantment.
Down deep in my heart, I hear it say,
Is this the day?
The feeling is that the writer's heart seriously wants to know if the day he's been waiting for (rejoicing with his sweetheart) has come finally..
I alone have heard this lovely strain,
Only the writer has heard the beautiful music that he associates with his sweetheart.
I alone have heard this glad refrain,
The writer believes that he is the only one who has ever heard this beautiful melody before
Must it be forever inside of me,
The writer struggles with the thought that such beautiful music will reside only within him and not be heard by anyone else.
Why can't I let it go,
Although he deeply desires to share the melody with the world, he doesn't know why he's not able to do so.
Why can't I let you know,
The writer is confused why he's not able to tell anyone about the music he's heard -- is it his shyness or fear?
Why can't I let you know the song
My heart would sing?
The writer strongly desires to share the beautiful music in his heart that his sweetheart has made him listen to, with her.
That beautiful rhapsody
Of love and youth and spring,
The writer interprets this harmonious melody as one that celebrates love and the charm of spring season
The music is sweet,
The words are true
The writer describes how sweet the music is and how truthful the words are
The song is you.
Music is a metaphor for the writer's love and affection for his sweetheart, and the song is seen as the woman herself.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jerome Kern, Oscar II Hammerstein
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Abbie Cawood
This is so stunning!!! Long shot but do you know where I could find the sheet music for this?
Catherine Nicole
I hear music when I look at you,
A beautiful theme of every
Dream I ever knew.
Down deep in my heart I hear it play.
I feel it start, then melt away.
I hear music when I touch your hand,
A beautiful melody
From some enchanted land.
Down deep in my heart, I hear it say,
Is this the day?
I alone have heard this lovely strain,
I alone have heard this glad refrain:
Must it be forever inside of me,
Why can't I let it go,
Why can't I let you know,
Why can't I let you know the song
My heart would sing?
That beautiful rhapsody
Of love and youth and spring,
The music is sweet,
The words are true
The song is you.
Tenthgate
genuine, love it