In the mid-1970s, Venuti performed and recorded, again in the limelight: good examples of his latter-day recordings are the Chiaroscuro CD's Joe Venuti and Zoot Sims (CR(D) 142) and Joe & Zoot & More (CR(D)126). He died in Seattle, Washington.
Venuti was also a legendary practical joker.
Autumn Leaves
Joe Venuti Lyrics
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The autumn leaves of red and gold
I see your lips, the summer kisses
The sun-burned hands I used to hold
Since you went away the days grow long
And soon I'll hear old winter's song
But I miss you most of all my darling
C'est une chanson, qui nous ressemble
Toi tu m'aimais et je t'aimais
Nous vivions tous deux ensemble
Toi qui m'aimais moi qui t'aimais
Mais la vie separe ceux qui s'aiment
Tout doucement sans faire de bruit
Et la mer efface sur le sable les pas des amants desunis
The song Autumn Leaves, originally composed by Joseph Kosma, with lyrics by Jacques Prevert, has been recorded and covered by numerous artists, including Joe Venuti in 1930. The lyrics are a nostalgic reflection on lost love and the inevitable passage of time. The falling leaves symbolize the transience of life, and the singer recalls the happy summer memories with their lover, whose presence is now gone. As the seasons change and winter approaches, the longing for the lost love becomes more acute, and the unnamed "darling" is missed the most during the autumn season.
The second stanza is in French and adds a new layer of meaning to the song. The French lyrics translate to "It is a song that resembles us / You loved me and I loved you / We lived together, both of us / You who loved me, me who loved you / But life separates those who love each other / Gently, without making a sound / And the sea erases on the sand the footsteps of the separated lovers." The addition of the French lyrics adds an international flair to the song, but also deepens the melancholic theme of lost love, as well as the bittersweet memories of what once was.
Overall, Autumn Leaves is a poignant reminder of the fleeting nature of life and love, and how the beauty of change makes loss all the more painful.
Line by Line Meaning
The falling leaves drift by the window
The leaves are calmly being carried by the wind as they make their way past the window
The autumn leaves of red and gold
The leaves of autumn come in vibrant shades of red and gold
I see your lips, the summer kisses
I vividly recall the kisses we shared during summer
The sun-burned hands I used to hold
I reminisce about holding your hands that got sun-kissed during summer
Since you went away the days grow long
Ever since you left, the days seem to drag on and feel longer
And soon I'll hear old winter's song
Winter is approaching and I'll soon hear its melancholic tune
But I miss you most of all my darling
Out of everything, I miss you the most, my love
When autumn leaves start to fall
I miss you especially during autumn when the leaves start to fall
C'est une chanson, qui nous ressemble
This is a song that resembles us
Toi tu m'aimais et je t'aimais
You loved me and I loved you
Nous vivions tous deux ensemble
We used to live together
Toi qui m'aimais moi qui t'aimais
You, who loved me and I, who loved you
Mais la vie separe ceux qui s'aiment
But life separates those who love each other
Tout doucement sans faire de bruit
Gently and without making any noise
Et la mer efface sur le sable les pas des amants desunis
And the sea washes the footprints of separated lovers away on the sand
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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