Stone learned music at an early age and became an accomplished pianist. In the 1920s, he worked with many important dance bands. Some arrangements attributed to Stone can be heard on particular records by the Savoy Orpheans (1927) and Ray Starita and his Ambassador's Band (1928).
During 1927–1931, Stone's arrangements for the Bert Ambrose Orchestra made it virtually the best in Europe. The HMV discs are today sought after as much for those arrangements as for the superb instrumentalists or vocals.
Stone continued to work with other bands like Jack Hylton's and Jack Payne's BBC Dance Orchestra, and he also took several top musicians into the studio to make a few recordings that were issued on the Duophone label as 'Lewis Stone and his Orchestra'.
Riptide
Lew Stone Lyrics
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When silver moonlight beams
And then a new love beckoned me
Wrecking the ship of my dreams
Riptide caught in a riptide, torn between two loves
The old and the new
Riptide lost in a riptide
My heart is tossed on a sea of emotion
One love offers romance
The other devotion
A new love is calling
The old love is pleading
I'm caught in a riptide what shall I do?
Riptide caught in a riptide, torn between two loves
The old and the new
Riptide lost in a riptide
Where will it take me what shall I do?
My heart is tossed on a sea of emotion
One love offers romance
The other devotion
A new love is calling
The old love is pleading
I'm caught in a riptide what shall I do?
The Lew Stone Band's song "Riptide" revolves around the theme of being caught in-between two loves, and the turmoil that it brings to the singer's life. In the first stanza, the lyrics depict the singer’s life as calm until a new love beckons him. This new love seems to have caused havoc in his life as it tore his ship of dreams into pieces, and soon he is caught in a riptide of emotions.
The chorus captures the essence of the song as the singer is continually caught in a riptide, unsure of where it will take him or what he should do. The singer's heart is utterly conflicted as one love offers him romance, while the other promises devotion. He is standing between two worlds, one in which he knows where he belongs and another, completely new and unknown. The old love seems to be pleading, while the new one calls out to him, and he is trapped in a dilemma that keeps tugging him back and forth.
In conclusion, the song "Riptide" is a personal and emotional depiction of a person caught in indecisiveness between two loves. The lyrics capture the mental battle of choosing between two worlds, both of which hold immense importance for the singer.
Line by Line Meaning
Live was as calm as a summer sea
Life was smooth and peaceful, just like the calm ocean during summer nights.
When silver moonlight beams
Under the magical light of the bright silver full moon.
And then a new love beckoned me
But then a new love came into my life and caught my attention.
Wrecking the ship of my dreams
And this love broke my heart and ruined my plans for the future.
Riptide caught in a riptide, torn between two loves
I am caught in a tough situation, unable to decide between two people I love.
The old and the new
One is my long-term lover, the other is my new obsession.
Riptide lost in a riptide
I am lost and confused in this emotional dilemma.
Where will it take me what shall I do?
I have no idea where this will lead me or what actions should I take.
My heart is tossed on a sea of emotion
My heart is restless, stormy, and unable to find peace or stability.
One love offers romance
One of my lovers offers me adventure and passion.
The other devotion
The other one gives me comfort, security, and loyalty.
A new love is calling
The new love is seductive and tempting, drawing me towards it.
The old love is pleading
The old love is begging me to stay and work things out.
I'm caught in a riptide what shall I do?
I am stuck, uncertain about how to handle this difficult situation.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: GUS KAHN, WALTER DONALDSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind