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.
Where Or When
Joe Venuti Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We looked at each other in the same way then
But I can't remember where or when
The clothes you're wearing are the clothes you wore
The smile you are smiling you were smiling then
But I can't remember where or when
Seem to be happening again
And so it seems that we have met before
And laughed before, and loved before
But who knows where or when
The lyrics of Joe Venuti's song Where Or When describe the feelings of two people who seem to recognize each other from a past encounter but are unable to remember when and where it happened exactly. Through the first verse, the singers mention how they look at each other in the same way as before, a detail that makes them believe that they met before. However, they struggle to pinpoint the exact moment of their previous encounter, as they cannot remember where or when it happened. The second verse deepens the mystery as the clothes and smile of the person in front of them seem familiar, but again they cannot remember the circumstances in which they saw them wearing that outfit or with that smile.
The chorus of the song further brings out the idea of déjà vu as the repeated encounters lead the singers to believe that they have met before, laughed before, and loved before. However, like before, they cannot seem to pinpoint the exact moment and place of their past encounters.
Overall, the song talks about the powerful feeling of encountering someone who seems familiar and the difficulty of recognizing those past encounters without putting a specific time or place to them. The evocative lyrics touch upon profound and universal themes like the nature of memory and the recurrence of experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
It seems we stood and talked like this before
It seems that we are having a déjà vu moment standing here with the same conversation happening again
We looked at each other in the same way then
We exchange glances just like we did in the past, with familiarity
But I can't remember where or when
I cannot recall the exact time and place where we shared that moment of familiarity
The clothes you're wearing are the clothes you wore
You seem to be wearing the same clothes that you wore during our last encounter
The smile you are smiling you were smiling then
You appear to have the same charming smile that you had before
But I can't remember where or when
Even though I feel like I remember you, I still can't clearly remember where I met you and at what time
Some things that happened for the first time
Some events that occurred as unique experiences in the past now seem to be repeating themselves
Seem to be happening again
These unique experiences that I thought I would never encounter again are being felt as if they are happening for the first time
And so it seems that we have met before
The possibility of us having experienced this moment before is becoming more convincing
And laughed before, and loved before
It feels like we have shared many moments of joy and love in the past
But who knows where or when
Since I cannot pinpoint the exact details of our past encounters, it remains a mystery when and where those moments happened
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LORENZ HART, RICHARD RODGERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@thegreatdominion949
I wouldn't say Joe Venuti was unrivalled as a Jazz violinist. Stephane Grappelli gave him a pretty good run for his money.
@marcusumbris
This is a treasure.
@jazzguy1927
Thanks for your comment and for watching. When Beta video tape machines first came out in 1979 or 1980 I bought a Sony Betamax machine and some blank tapes. I then taped every jazz program on TV that I could find including this one. Even taped Eubie Blake on the Dinah Shore show and a jazz TV show called Jump For Jazz hosted by Joe Williams and programs on Ragtime narrated by Maurice Perres. I was lucky I taped these shows because they might have not been saved and would have been lost.
@marcusumbris
@Jazzguy1927 On a Beta vcr! As a jazz fan starting exactly then, I'm grateful for your foresight. At 65 I remember those days well. Technology can't outrace us lol. Thanks so much for sharing.
@jazzguy1927
@Bill McAlpine - yes, I saved my money and bought the Sony Beta video tape machine right after it came out. I bought the Sony video tape and taped every jazz program on TV I could find. I have been told I have the only videos of some of these shows.
@marcusumbris
@Jazzguy1927 God bless you sir:)
@jazzguy1927
@Bill McAlpine - I wanted to tape and preserve as much of this as I possibly could because I was afraid it would be lost by entertainment companies not recognizing its value.
@andrewbarrett1537
I love the long extended “show band” ending his puts on this. It suits his personality so well.
@jazzguy1927
I am glad you enjoyed the video and thanks for your observation. I bought one of the first Sony Betamax video tape recorders and recorded every jazz show I could find on TV.
@superjerry21
I love Great Joe. I’ll be like him