Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
Kern Harbach Lyrics


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They asked me how I knew
My true love was true
Oh, I of course replied
Something here inside cannot be denied

They said someday you'll find
All who love are blind
Oh, when your heart's on fire
You must realize
Smoke gets in your eyes

So I chaffed them and I gaily laughed
To think they could doubt my love
Yet today my love has flown away
I am without my love

Now laughing friends deride
Tears I can not hide
Oh, so I smile and say
When a lovely flame dies




Smoke gets in your eyes
Smoke gets in your eyes

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of the song 'Smoke Gets In Your Eyes' by Kern Harbach talk about the power of love, how it can make one feel the depth of their emotions, and how it brings joy but also the inevitable pain that comes along with it. The song opens with the singer being asked how he knows his love is true, to which he responds that he can feel it deep inside, and he cannot deny it. The next verses suggest that his friends warn him that love can blind someone, and when they are deeply engulfed in it, they often overlook the flaws that could lead to heartbreak.


However, in the second half of the song, he realized that his friends were right; his love has flown away, and he is now without his love. The people who once chaffed him about his love now mock him that he was blinded by love, and his eyes are now filled with smoke, which could be metaphorically interpreted as tears of sorrow or his inability to see the truth. The lyrics' melancholic tone effectively convey the bitterness of love's aftermath as the singer tries to hide his tears behind a smile.


Overall, 'Smoke Gets In Your Eyes' is a poignant rendition of the complicated nature of love and its consequences. The lyrics capture the idea that love is a two-edged sword that can bring happiness and pain at the same time, and when love dies, tears and sadness fill the void.


Line by Line Meaning

They asked me how I knew
Someone inquired how I was certain


My true love was true
That my partner loved me sincerely


Oh, I of course replied
I answered them without worry


Something here inside cannot be denied
My instincts tell me that my love is real


They said someday you'll find
People told me that eventually I'd see


All who love are blind
That individuals in love sometimes overlook faults


Oh, when your heart's on fire
When you express passionate emotions


You must realize
Know that


Smoke gets in your eyes
Hazy judgment clouds one's reasoning


So I chaffed them and I gaily laughed
I teased them and giggled lightly


To think they could doubt my love
Because I couldn't believe they distrust my devotion


Yet today my love has flown away
Nevertheless, my lover has departed


I am without my love
I am alone without them


Now laughing friends deride
Currently, cheerful companions mock


Tears I can not hide
I'm incapable of masking my feelings of sadness


Oh, so I smile and say
So I grin and remark


When a lovely flame dies
When the passion subsides


Smoke gets in your eyes
Judgment is obscured




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Otto Harbach, Jerome Kern

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@mariadavis8745

Smooth like silk and with feeling. I enjoyed listening. Thank you.

@nyambuche

Simply BEAUTIFUL AND AMAZING! Love your tone sir!

@carolinehowell5203

Lovely rendition of a beautiful tune.
I can almost forget that in my youth it was used in an advertisement for Esso Blue Paraffin. Seems like yesterday. Thanks for the memory.

@mikkiflutesaou

Absolutely beautiful ! Such a lovely tone and beautiful phrasing ! I'm ordering the score ... 😊 Bravo to both musicians !

@annagadd9761

Still my favourite piece 2 grades later! Beautiful!

@joannaay5328

Very good performance!

@joannestyles7161

Absolutely beautiful

@julietlushington7872

My daughter is playing this such an inspiration 👌

@chantel5245

so well played and so beautiful!!!! great job!

@romansax355

So beautiful 😊

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