Joan Armatrading MBE (born Joan Anita Barbara Armatrading in Basseterre, Sa… Read Full Bio ↴Joan Armatrading MBE (born Joan Anita Barbara Armatrading in Basseterre, Saint Kitts on 9 December 1950) and brought up in Birmingham, England, is a British singer, songwriter, and guitarist.

Armatrading has mixed eclectic musical styles over decades of recording and performing. She has had several British hit singles, the biggest of which were "Love & Affection", "Me Myself I", and "Drop the Pilot". Her music is generally pop, with forays into rock, folk, jazz, and even reggae. Her popularity is primarily as an album artist.

She gained a new audience following her writing and performing "The Flight of the Wild Geese", which was used during the opening and end titles for the 1978 film The Wild Geese.

Armatrading first performed in a concert at Birmingham University for her brother at the age of about 16 (circa 1966). She only knew her own songs, but her brother asked her to perform something that would be familiar to the audience; she chose "The Sound of Silence".[9] She then performed her own songs around the local area with a friend from school, and played bass and rhythm guitar at local clubs.

Cool Blue Stole My Heart
Joan Armatrading Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I swear you were not my ambition
A cooling aid was on my mind
I walked up to the bar and I ordered
Then I took my ice outside

I sat down under the hot sun
I looked around at this new land
And then oh

Cool Blue

Long dark
You stole my heart
I woke up first light next morning
And I took a tram to the Leidse Plein

I hired a bike and I drove around for hours
I was searching for those dark eyes
I made a stop at the Blue Note
I passed up a chance for some good fun

'Cause of you
Cool Blue

Long dark
Who stole my heart

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Joan Armatrading's song Cool Blue Stole My Heart speak of a chance encounter that quickly turns into infatuation. The singer describes how she was not seeking love or a relationship when she met the object of her desire, referred to as "Cool Blue." Instead, she had ordered a cool drink to beat the heat of the day. The vivid imagery of the lyrics transports the listener to a hot and dry location where the singer was seeking relief from the scorching sun.

As the song progresses, it becomes clear that the singer is not just speaking of a physical infatuation - she becomes enamoured by the essence of this person. We are told that Cool Blue’s dark features captured her heart, and that she couldn't resist searching the whole city for them. Even when a chance for fun was presented to her, she passed it up, unable to get her mind off the person who had stolen her heart.

Overall, the lyrics to Cool Blue Stole My Heart might be interpreted as capturing the excitement and newfound sense of meaning that can come with discovering a connection with someone unexpected.

Line by Line Meaning

I swear you were not my ambition
You were not someone I had intended to meet or become involved with

A cooling aid was on my mind
I was simply looking for a refreshing drink

I walked up to the bar and I ordered
I approached the bar and requested a drink

Then I took my ice outside
I left the bar and carried my drink outside

I sat down under the hot sun
I found a place to sit in the sun

I looked around at this new land
I took in my surroundings in this unfamiliar place

And then oh
Suddenly

Cool Blue
A man named Cool Blue caught my attention

Long dark
Cool Blue had long, dark features

You stole my heart
I was immediately enamored with Cool Blue

I woke up first light next morning
The next morning, I awoke at sunrise