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.

You Keep Coming Back Like A Song
Jo Stafford Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You keep coming back like a song,
A song that keeps saying "Remember".
The sweet used-to-be that was once you and me
Keeps coming back like an old melody.
The perfume of roses in May returns to my room in December.
From out of the past, where forgotten things belong,
You keep coming back like a song.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Jo Stafford's song "You Keep Coming Back Like a Song" paint a picture of a person who can't move on from a past love. The song compares those memories to an old melody or a sweet song that keeps playing on repeat. The character keeps holding onto the good times they had in the past and how things used to be between them and their lover. The song evokes powerful emotions and nostalgia by bringing up the "perfume of roses in May" which represents the sweetness and beauty of the past relationship, contrasting it sharply to the current time which is symbolized by "December".

The overall theme of the song is about the struggle of falling out of love and moving on. The person is wrapped up in the memories of the relationship, and despite not wanting them back, they are experiencing a constant sense of longing which the lyrics describe as "coming back like a song". The song beautifully portrays a sense of denial, hopefulness, and resignation towards love.

Line by Line Meaning

You keep coming back like a song,
You keep coming back to me, just like how a song keeps repeating itself in my head.

A song that keeps saying "Remember".
This song is a reminder of our past, and every time I hear it, I am reminded of you.

The sweet used-to-be that was once you and me
This song brings back memories of when we used to be together, back when things were sweet between us.

Keeps coming back like an old melody.
Our old moments and memories keep returning to me, just like the way a familiar melody does.

The perfume of roses in May returns to my room in December.
Just like how the fragrance of roses from May can linger into December, the memories of our past still remain with me.

You Keep Coming Back Like A SongJo Stafford Lyrics

You Keep Coming Back Like A Song
Jo Stafford Lyrics