I Didn't Know What Time It Was
Melody Breyer-Grell Lyrics
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Yesterday, perhaps
Danced with Jim and Paul
And kissed some other chaps
Once I was young
But never was naive
I thought I had a trick or two
And now I know I was naive
I didn't know what time it was
Then I met you
Oh, what a lovely time it was
How sublime it was too
I didn't know what day it was
You held my hand
Warm like the month of May it was
And I'll say it was grand
Grand to be alive, to be young
To be mad, to be yours alone
Grand to see your face, feel your touch
Hear your voice say, "I'm all your own"
I didn't know what year it was
Life was no prize
I wanted love and here it was
Shining out of your eyes
I'm wise and I know what time it is now
Grand to be alive, to be young
To be mad, to be yours alone
Grand to see your face, feel your touch
Hear your voice say, "I'm all your own"
I didn't know what year it was
Life was no prize
I wanted love and here it was
Shining out of your eyes
I'm wise and I know what time it is now
The opening lines of the song "Once I was young, Yesterday, perhaps", sets the stage for Melody Breyer-Grell's "I Didn't Know What Time It Was." The song is about a person who reflects back on her youth and reminisces about her time spent with male companions. She reveals how she thought she was smart and knew how to handle them and herself but now, looking back, she realizes just how naive she was. But, everything changed when she met someone special, someone who she didn't know what time it was.
As the person reflects on her past, we hear how she dances and kissed a few chaps. The use of the word chaps implies that they were not serious or there for a long time. She describes how she thought she knew everything but was naive. In comparison to the beauty of meeting someone who was so wonderful that she didn't know what time it was before that.
The realization of how wise she has become, and more importantly, recognizing that she finally met someone special who made her realize that time didn't matter in their presence, that is the essence of "I Didn't Know What Time It Was". The last line of the song, "I'm wise, and I know what time it is now," shows how much she's grown up and how she perceived the event that allowed her to meet the person who transcended time.
* "I Didn't Know What Time It Was" is a song composed by Richard Rodgers with lyrics by Lorenz Hart.
* The song was written for the musical play "Too Many Girls" in 1939.
* The song has been covered many times since its inception, by performers such as Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, and Marlene Dietrich.
* The song was included in the soundtrack of Woody Allen’s movie “Hannah and Her Sisters”
* The verse of the song has become an often-performed jazz standard.
* Lorenz Hart had a celebrated collaboration with Richard Rodgers which lasted for over 25 years.
* The play "Too Many Girls" from which the song was composed was produced by George Abbott, a well-known Broadway director, and producer.
* Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart were the first composers to win a Tony Award (then called the Antoinette Perry Award) for Best Musical for their show "Pal Joey" in 1940.
* The song was ranked number 193 in American Film Institute's 100 Years... 100 Songs.
* Melody Breyer-Grell has been featured in various movies and TV shows, including The Joe Piscopo Special and the TV series Judge Joe Brown.
Chords:
The song is usually played in the key of C, with the following chords:
Verse: C Cmaj7 Am7 Em7 A7 Dm7 G7 C
Chorus: C Cmaj7 Am7 Em7 A7 Dm7 G7 C
Line by Line Meaning
Once I was young
At some point in the past, I was youthful.
Yesterday, perhaps
Could have been just the other day.
Danced with Jim and Paul
I've enjoyed dancing with people who go by those names before.
And kissed some other chaps
I've kissed others as well, besides Jim and Paul.
But never was naive
Despite my youth, I was always aware of things.
I thought I had a trick or two
I believed that I knew how things worked and could be clever.
Up my imaginary sleeve
I even had some imaginary skills that I thought I possessed.
And now I know I was naive
But looking back, I realize that I was still inexperienced and unaware.
I didn't know what time it was
I wasn't aware of the current situation or didn't have a clear perspective.
Then I met you
But after encountering you, everything changed.
Oh, what a lovely time it was
It was a wonderful and enjoyable experience.
How sublime it was too
It was also a transcendent event.
I didn't know what day it was
I wasn't keeping track of time, perhaps due to being caught up in the moment.
You held my hand
But you made me feel comforted and secure.
Warm like the month of May it was
Your touch felt just like the pleasant weather of May.
And I'll say it was grand
Overall, it was a truly wonderful experience.
Grand to be alive, to be young
It felt great to be young and alive in that moment, enjoying life.
To be mad, to be yours alone
Also, being crazy and in love, just with you.
Grand to see your face, feel your touch
Your presence and physical contact felt amazing, too.
Hear your voice say, "I'm all your own"
And hearing you tell me that I'm the only one that you love felt incredibly special.
Life was no prize
Before meeting you, life wasn't very fulfilling, enjoyable or rewarding.
I wanted love and here it was
But finding you, I found love which was all I really wanted.
Shining out of your eyes
Your loving gaze and the look in your eyes made it obvious that you cared for me.
I'm wise and I know what time it is now
Looking back now, I'm more mature and experienced, and have gained a better awareness of what's going on.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., IMAGEM MUSIC INC
Written by: LORENZ HART, RICHARD RODGERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind