Jo Stafford (born Jo Elizabeth Stafford, 12 November 1917, in Coalinga, Cal… Read Full Bio ↴Jo Stafford (born Jo Elizabeth Stafford, 12 November 1917, in Coalinga, California and died July 16, 2008 at Century City, California) was an American jazz and big band singer whose career spanned the late 1930s through the early 1960s. She was known especially as a fond favorite of name bandleaders during World War II and in the years immediately after. Stafford was greatly admired for the purity of her voice and was considered one of the most versatile vocalists of the era. Even now, hers are widely held as the supreme versions of jazz standards "It Could Happen to You" and "Blue Moon." She sang with male partners on occasion, including Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby. She was also considered a pioneer of modern musical parody, having won a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album in 1961 (with husband Paul Weston) for their album Jonathan and Darlene Edwards in Paris.

Out of This World
Jo Stafford Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You're clear out of this world.
When I'm looking at you
I hear out of this world
The music that no mortal ever knew.

You're right out of a book,
A fairy tale I read when I was so high.
No armored knight out of a book

Was more enchanted by a Lore-Lei than I,

After waiting so long for the right time,
After reaching so long for a star,
All at once, from the long and lonely night time
And despite time, here you are.

I'd cry out of this world
If you said you were through.

So let me fly out of this world
And spend the next eternity or two with you.

Overall Meaning

Jo Stafford's "Out of This World" is a love song about meeting someone who seems too wonderful to be real. The lyrics suggest that the subject of the song is "clear out of this world" and "right out of a book," like a fairy tale figure come to life. The singer is enchanted by this person and feels transported to another realm when they're together. The music of their love is "out of this world," as if it belongs to a higher plane of existence.

The song expresses a sense of longing and disbelief that this perfect person could exist. The singer has been waiting for them for a long time and feels like they've finally found the one they were meant to be with. The thought of losing this person is devastating, and the singer would be "out of this world" with grief if they were to leave. But if they could be together forever, the singer would gladly fly away from this world and spend eternity with them.

Overall, "Out of This World" is a romantic and dreamy love song that explores the idea of finding a love that seems too good to be true. The lyrics are full of wonder and enchantment, expressing the feeling of being transported to another realm when in the presence of true love.

Line by Line Meaning

You're clear out of this world.
You are extraordinary and unique beyond what's imaginable.

When I'm looking at you
Whenever I gaze upon you.

I hear out of this world
I sense an incredible otherworldliness.

The music that no mortal ever knew.
The melody that no human being could ever hear.

You're right out of a book,
You resemble a character from an extraordinary story.

A fairy tale I read when I was so high.
A folktale I read when I was a child.

No armored knight out of a book
No mighty warrior from any fiction.

Was more enchanted by a Lore-Lei than I,
Was more spellbound by a mystical enchantress like I am.

After waiting so long for the right time,
Having waited so long for the ideal moment,

After reaching so long for a star,
Having struggled to attain a star for so long,

All at once, from the long and lonely nighttime
All of a sudden, during a prolonged and solitary time,

And despite time, here you are.
And yet, you are here with me.

I'd cry out of this world
I would be so overwhelmed and emotional,

If you said you were through.
If you told me that you were finished.

So let me fly out of this world
Hence, permit me to depart this earth permanently,

And spend the next eternity or two with you.
So that I may spend countless millenniums alongside you.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: HAROLD ARLEN, JOHNNY MERCER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS

Genre not found

Artist not found

Album not found

Search results not found

Song not found

Comments from YouTube:

T D

2y↑1

What an incredible rendition. Andre Kostelanetz's instrumental in his early 50s "That Old Black Magic" album is equally haunting. The whole album is superb, like anything Kostelanetz of that era.

Aaron Alter

2y↑1

I wanted to hear the original recording after growing up with the very different Coltrane version.

david dye

5y↑6

Jo Stafford's limpid monotone voice ideally suited to this song, and with discreet backing by the Weston Orchestra she interpreted it in the way that best conveys it "other-worldly" essence..