Imagination
Keely Smith with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra Lyrics


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Imagination is funny, it makes a cloudy day sunny
Makes a bee think of honey just as I think of you
Imagination is crazy, you whole perspective gets hazy
Starts you asking a daisy what to do, what to do

Have you ever felt a gentle touch and then a kiss and then, and then
Find it's only your imagination again, oh well
Imagination is silly, you go around willy-nilly
For example I go around wanting you
And yet I can't imagine that you want me too

Imagination is silly, you go around willy-nilly




For example I go around wanting you
And yet I can't imagine that you want me too

Overall Meaning

In this song, Keely Smith with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra are exploring the idea of imagination and its power to transform even the most mundane things in life into something special. The lyrics highlight that imagination can turn a cloudy day sunny and make a bee think of honey, similar to how the singer thinks of their lover, who is constantly on their mind. However, the use of imagination can also make one's perspective hazy and lead to indecisiveness, as seen in the lines "Starts you asking a daisy what to do, what to do."


The song also touches on the idea that imagination can deceive, as seen in the lines "Have you ever felt a gentle touch and then a kiss and then, and then find it's only your imagination again, oh well." The singer acknowledges that the power of imagination can lead to disappointment and the realization that what they imagined was not actually reality.


Ultimately, the song emphasizes the silliness of imagination, as it can lead one to go around "willy-nilly" and imagine things that may not be true, such as the possibility of their desired lover reciprocating their feelings. It's a reminder of the power of imagination but also its limitations.


Line by Line Meaning

Imagination is funny, it makes a cloudy day sunny
Imagination can help us see the positive in a negative situation.


Makes a bee think of honey just as I think of you
Imagination can create associations between different things - in this case, the singer thinks of their loved one as often as a bee thinks of honey.


Imagination is crazy, you whole perspective gets hazy
Imagination can alter our perceptions of reality.


Starts you asking a daisy what to do, what to do
Imagination can leave us unsure of what to do or how to proceed, like asking advice from a flower.


Have you ever felt a gentle touch and then a kiss and then, and then Find it's only your imagination again, oh well
Imagination can create vivid sensory experiences that feel just as real as physical ones, but can also leave us disappointed when we realize they aren't real.


Imagination is silly, you go around willy-nilly
Imagination can make us act in irrational or goofy ways, driven by our fantasies.


For example I go around wanting you
The singer's imagination creates a desire for their loved one that may be unrequited in the real world.


And yet I can't imagine that you want me too
The artist's imagination can't create the outcome they truly desire - a mutual love between themselves and their loved one.




Lyrics © Freibank Musikverlags und vermarktungs GmbH, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Johnny Burke, Jimmy Van Heusen

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

James McInnis

Flawless. (Well, except for the crackle of the record, but that's kinda nice.)

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