Lush Life
Lisa Ekdahl & Peter Nordahl Trio Lyrics
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Those come-what-may places
Where one relaxes on the axis of the wheel of life
To get the feel of life
From jazz and cocktails
The girls I knew had sad and sullen gray faces
With distingue traces
You could see where they'd been washed away
By too many through the day
Twelve o'clock tales
Then you came along with your siren song
To tempt me to madness
I thought for awhile that your poignant smile
Was tinged with the sadness
Of a great love for me
Ah yes, I was wrong
Again, I was wrong
Life is lonely again
And only last year
Everything seemed so sure
Now life is awful again
A trough full of hearts could only be a bore
A week in Paris could ease the bite of it
All I care is to smile in spite of it
I'll forget you, I will
While yet you are still
Burning inside my brain
Romance is mush
Stifling those who strive
So I'll live a lush life in some small dive
And there I'll be, while I rot with the rest
Of those whose lives are lonely too
The lyrics of "Lush Life" by Lisa Ekdahl & Peter Nordahl Trio explore the themes of loneliness, loss, and despair, and the desire to find some solace in life. The singer reflects on a time when they used to visit places where people would relax and indulge in jazz and cocktails. The women they knew there had seen better days, and their faces were marked with sadness that had been washed away by too many tales told after midnight.
But the singer's life changes when someone new arrives, a person they previously idolized and believed was in love with them. They think this new person will be the saviour for their loneliness, but they are mistaken. The relationship ends, and the singer is once again thrown into despair and sadness. They feel that romance is held mainly for those who are already suffocated with life, so they'd rather live a "lush life" in some dive bar where they can forget their troubles and be with others who share a similar fate.
These lyrics are poignant and thought-provoking, tugging at the heartstrings of anyone who has ever experienced heartbreak or loneliness. They paint a vivid picture of the despair that the singer is going through and the different coping mechanisms they employ to get through it.
Line by Line Meaning
I used to visit all the very gay places
I frequented nightclubs and bars that were lively and full of energy
Those come-what-may places
The kind of places where anything can happen
Where one relaxes on the axis of the wheel of life
Where people go to take a break from the ups and downs of life
To get the feel of life
To experience what life is really like
From jazz and cocktails
Through listening to jazz music and drinking cocktails
The girls I knew had sad and sullen gray faces
The women I used to know looked unhappy and worn out
With distingue traces
Once having a certain elegance or charm, but now faded away
That used to be there
The previous beauty or grace they had
You could see where they'd been washed away
Their happiness or youth had been eroded over time
By too many through the day
Through experiencing too much hardship or struggle throughout their lives
Twelve o'clock tales
Stories of misfortune or despair that are often told in the late hours of the night
Then you came along with your siren song
You appeared with your alluring way of seduction
To tempt me to madness
Driving me to insanity
I thought for awhile that your poignant smile
At first I believed your smile held deep meaning
Was tinged with the sadness
But there was only a faint hint of sorrow
Of a great love for me
And it didn't signify the long-lasting love I had hoped for
Ah yes, I was wrong
I foolishly misread the signals
Again, I was wrong
I made the same mistake once again
Life is lonely again
I am back to my lonely life
And only last year
Just last year
Everything seemed so sure
Everything seemed certain and predictable
Now life is awful again
But now everything has taken a turn for the worse
A trough full of hearts could only be a bore
Even if someone offered me a bunch of hearts (lovers), I still wouldn't find it interesting or exciting
A week in Paris could ease the bite of it
Going to Paris for a week might make the pain more bearable
All I care is to smile in spite of it
All I want is to keep smiling no matter what happens
I'll forget you, I will
I will forget about you
While yet you are still
While you are still on my mind
Burning inside my brain
Causing intense pain in my mind
Romance is mush
Love and sentimentality are overrated
Stifling those who strive
Holding back those who seek more from life
So I'll live a lush life in some small dive
Therefore, I will indulge in a luxurious lifestyle in some dingy bar
And there I'll be, while I rot with the rest
And there I'll stay, alongside other people who are similarly forgotten and neglected
Of those whose lives are lonely too
Of those whose lives are similarly plagued by loneliness
Lyrics © CONSALAD CO., Ltd., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Billy Strayhorn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind