Haunted Heart
Jo Stafford with Paul Weston and His Orchestra Lyrics
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There's a ghost of you,
Within' my haunted heart,
Ghost of you, my lost romance,
Lips that laugh, eyes that dance.
Haunted heart, won't let me be,
Dreams repeat a sweet
Dreams are dust, it's you who must
Belong to me,
And thrill my haunted heart,
Be still, my haunted heart.
The hauntingly beautiful lyrics of Haunted Heart sung by Jo Stafford with Paul Weston and His Orchestra reflect the pain and the yearning of someone who is experiencing intense emotions for someone they have lost. The use of the metaphor of a ghost within their heart establishes a haunting and melancholic tone that captures the essence of the emotions the singer is trying to convey. Even though the singer is physically apart from the person they are singing about, they feel as though they are still with them in spirit as a ghost, which highlights the deep emotional connection that still exists between them.
The lyrics play with the idea of a haunting as a never-ending presence, where the memories of the lost love continue to linger and replay in their mind. The repetition of the chorus, 'Haunted heart won't let me be,' emphasizes the singer's pain and the struggle to move on from this lost love. They are caught in a limbo of memories and dreams, which are now just dust, and yet they still cling to the hope of being reunited with their love. The words 'belong to me, and thrill my haunted heart' are an appeal to this lost love to return and fill the emptiness within the singer's heart.
Line by Line Meaning
In the night, though we're apart,
During the night, despite being separated,
There's a ghost of you,
I feel as though a part of you remains with me,
Within' my haunted heart,
Deep in my tormented soul,
Ghost of you, my lost romance,
The memory of our past love still haunts me,
Lips that laugh, eyes that dance.
The joy and happiness we shared together,
Haunted heart, won't let me be,
My heart is troubled, and I can't find peace,
Dreams repeat a sweet
I keep having this pleasant
But lonely song to me,
Yet, it reminds me of our loneliness,
Dreams are dust, it's you who must
But these dreams are just illusions, and reality is that you are the one who should
Belong to me,
Be mine
And thrill my haunted heart,
And fill my tormented soul with joy,
Be still, my haunted heart.
Quiet down, my troubled heart.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ARTHUR SCHWARTZ, HOWARD DIETZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Lou B
One never knows when or what will bring us to that helpless feeling of falling in love. When I heard Haden's inclusion of Jo Stafford's recording and how he carries it through his entire album, I was moved to tears. That has never changed.
Trombonology Erstwhile
This one, it's great to note, has reached a younger audience via bassist Charlie Haden's quartet version, which incorporated some of Jo's vocal. I don't know that I'm entirely enthusiastic about that artistic device, but the good thing in this case is that it brought new interest to Jo's original version. I love the calm in her voice here and that final, quiet "Be still, my haunted heart."
Trombonology Erstwhile
@minus I really appreciate that -- thank you!
Gloria Chinea
Beautiful
AppleCorp3
One of my greatest “discoveries” was Jo Stafford. I wonder what my grandparents would think of me listening to “their” music?
Trombonology Erstwhile
@AppleCorp3 I'll bet they'd be thrilled! ... I know how you feel: Jo became my favourite singer when I discovered her in the '90s.
daniel r weir (dan)
total top notch perfect pitch singing from Jo. as always. my favorite song of hers.
uslines
Jo Stafford and Paul Weston are a perfect pair. Sinatra's best tunes were arranged by Weston.
Tomoko Abe
I love Jo Stafford! I have a few of her 78's.
stloupenbray
I'm not sure why Jo Stafford'z voice is so affecting. She'z quietly somber, I guess, the voice itself is a bit dark, and her interpretations are understated but very persuasive and very musical. She is unlike any other singer of her epoch. I once found myself alone in a hotel room on a somberly dark, gray winter day in Toronto & I turned on the radio to hear Jo Stafford'z voice. I don't remember what she was singing but I found myself crying just a bit.