Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
Mel Torme/Marty Paich Lyrics

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Is there anyone around who cannot see?
It's the well known runaround that you're giving me
I suppose you'll tell me I'm all wrong

It's a bitter pill to take, coming from you
Though I've made a big mistake, what can I do?
I don't know what makes me string along

I don't want you but I'd hate to lose you
You've got me in between
The devil and the deep blue sea

I forgive you 'cause I can't forget you
You've got me in between
The devil and the deep blue sea

Well, I ought to cross you off my list
But when you come knocking at my door
Fate seems to give my heart a twist
And I come running back for more

I should hate you but I guess, I love you
You've got me in between

The devil and the deep blue sea
The devil and the deep blue sea

Overall Meaning

In Mel Torme/Marty Paich's song "Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea," the singer is lamenting their relationship with their partner. They are frustrated with the way their partner is treating them, but they can't seem to let them go. The singer acknowledges that they're being given the runaround, but they can't seem to shake the feeling that they still want to be with this person. They know they've made mistakes, but they can't help feeling pulled back in.

The metaphor of being caught between the devil and the deep blue sea refers to being caught in a difficult situation with no clear way out. The devil in this case may refer to the singer's partner, while the deep blue sea may represent the feeling of being trapped or drowning in their emotions. The singer feels conflicted and unsure of what to do, torn between wanting to let go and clinging to their partner out of love and fear of losing them.

Overall, the song reflects the complicated emotions and struggles that can come with relationships. Even when we know we should let go of someone or move on from a situation, that's often easier said than done.

Line by Line Meaning

Is there anyone around who cannot see?
Can everyone else see that you're leading me on?

It's the well known runaround that you're giving me
You're giving me a well-known, frustrating kind of treatment.

I suppose you'll tell me I'm all wrong
You'll probably deny that you're leading me on.

It's a bitter pill to take, coming from you
It hurts to hear this from you.

Though I've made a big mistake, what can I do?
Even though I've messed up, I feel helpless to change anything.

I don't know what makes me string along
I'm not sure why I'm still letting you toy with my emotions.

I don't want you but I'd hate to lose you
I don't really want to be with you, but the thought of losing you still scares me.

You've got me in between
I'm caught between two difficult choices.

The devil and the deep blue sea
I'm faced with two equally troublesome options.

I forgive you 'cause I can't forget you
I'm willing to forgive you because I can't help but remember my love for you.

Well, I ought to cross you off my list
I know I should remove you from my life.

But when you come knocking at my door
But when you come back, I can't resist.

Fate seems to give my heart a twist
It feels like fate is playing a cruel game with my heart.

And I come running back for more
And I keep coming back to you, even though I know it's not good for me.

I should hate you but I guess, I love you
I know I should hate you, but I can't deny my feelings for you.

The devil and the deep blue sea
Once again, I'm stuck between two tough choices.

Lyrics © S.A. MUSIC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HAROLD ARLEN, TED KOEHLER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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