Karrin Allyson is a Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist on Concord Records.
<… Read Full Bio ↴Karrin Allyson is a Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist on Concord Records.

Allyson projects an instantly recognizable tonal personality, illuminating hidden layers of emotion within songs that are drawn from a vast well of styles and genres—from the blues, contemporary pop, and the Great American Songbook, to the bossa nova, chanson, and the more specialized jazz and bebop repertoire.

What really separates Allyson from her peers is her ability to communicate oceanic emotions with minimal artifice. “The idea of craft permeates her music,” wrote Richard Cook, author of the Penguin Guide to Jazz Records in a 2004 performance review that admirably encapsulates Allyson’s qualities.

“One of the most appealing things about her singing is its lack of mannerism. There are no dopey melismas, nothing of that afflicted gospel soul feel that a lot of younger singers depend on. She doesn’t try anything foolishly acrobatic. Yet in her way, she’s an ambitious and adventurous performer. She sometimes puts in a scat chorus which is done almost diffidently, without showoff contours. She’ll take over a familiar lyric and make it sound fresh by use of quiet touches—sitting back on certain beats, turning away from a big line and highlighting a different one.”

Angel Eyes
Karrin Allyson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I Try to think that love's not around
But it's uncomfortably near
My old heart ain't gaining no ground
Because my angel eyes ain't here

Angel eyes, that old Devil sent
They glow unbearably bright
Need I say that my love's mispent

Mispent with angel eyes tonight

So drink up all you people
Order anything you see
Have fun you happy people
The laughs and the jokes on me

Pardon me but I got to run
The fact's uncommonly clear
Got to find who's now number one
And why my angel eyes ain't here
Oh, where is my angel eyes

Excuse me while I disappear
Angel eyes, angel eyes.

Overall Meaning

In Karrin Allyson's song Angel Eyes, the singer is trying to convince themselves that they have moved on from love, but it is still close to their heart. Despite their efforts, they can't seem to move forward because their lover, their "angel eyes," isn't with them. This phrase is used to describe their lover's eyes, which have a hypnotic and captivating presence, almost like they have a spell over the singer. However, the singer acknowledges that this love is mispent; they know this person is not the right one for them.

Towards the end of the song, the singer realizes they must face the reality that someone else has become their lover's priority, and they must come to terms with why their angel eyes are not with them. The singer uses the phrase "excuse me while I disappear," possibly indicating that they are going to withdraw from society and deal with their emotions in solitude.

Overall, the song explores the emotions of heartbreak and the inability to move on from a past love. The singer's contemplative lyrics are set to a slow and melancholic melody, perfectly capturing the feeling of heartache.

Line by Line Meaning

I Try to think that love's not around
I try to pretend that love doesn't exist

But it's uncomfortably near
But deep down I know that it's close by and unavoidable

My old heart ain't gaining no ground
My heart isn't making any progress in moving on

Because my angel eyes ain't here
Because the person I love and long for, with their beautiful eyes, isn't present in my life

Angel eyes, that old Devil sent
Angel eyes, which are both beautiful and dangerous

They glow unbearably bright
Their radiance is too intense to handle

Need I say that my love's mispent
It's clear that my love is being wasted

Mispent with angel eyes tonight
I'm wasting my love on this person with angelic eyes right now

So drink up all you people
Drink and have fun, everyone

Order anything you see
Order whatever you want to drink or eat

Have fun you happy people
Have a great time, you joyous folks