Milt Jackson leads a group that includes two of his cohorts in the Modern J… Read Full Bio ↴Milt Jackson leads a group that includes two of his cohorts in the Modern Jazz Quartet (Heath and Kay), with the great Horace Silver sitting in place of John Lewis on the piano (at this time Silver was a member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers). Jackson was clearly skilled in this brass-less setting, and the group decided to lay down some cool jazz tracks that epitomize the sound of that movement in the mid-1950s. The tunes are mellow and fluid, with everyone falling into an easy groove that will move even the most uptight jazz fan.
The Players:
Milt Jackson - Vibes
Horace Silver - Piano
Percy Heath - Bass
Connie Kay - Drums

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
Milt Jackson Quartet Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

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

[Repeat: x2]
I ought to cross you off my list
But when you come a-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

You've got me in between the devil and the deep blue sea
The devil and the deep blue sea

Overall Meaning

The lyrics in "Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea" by the Milt Jackson Quartet describe the conflicting emotions the singer feels towards their lover. The lyrics state, "I don't want you, but I'd hate to lose you" which indicates that the singer knows they have feelings for their lover, but they also understand that the relationship may not be healthy or what they truly want. The phrase "devil and the deep blue sea" is an idiom used to describe a difficult or painful decision between two undesirable choices. In this case, the singer is caught between the devil, which represents the hard but necessary decision to let go, and the deep blue sea, which symbolizes the potential danger and risk of continuing the relationship.

The next lines continue with, "I forgive you 'cause I can't forget you", which shows that the singer acknowledges their lover's faults but is unable to forget about them. The chorus, "I ought to cross you off my list, but when you come a-knocking at my door, fate seems to give my heart a twist, and I come running back for more," illustrates the internal struggle the singer is facing. They know they should move on from the relationship, yet whenever their lover reaches out to them, they are pulled back in. The last line of the song repeats the phrase "The devil and the deep blue sea," emphasizing the struggle and difficult decision the singer is facing.

Overall, the lyrics in "Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea" by the Milt Jackson Quartet highlight the internal conflict someone faces when trying to let go of a relationship that they know may not be the right choice for them.

Line by Line Meaning

I don't want you, but I'd hate to lose you
I am conflicted in my feelings towards you - I do not desire you, yet I fear losing you.

You've got me in between the devil and the deep blue sea
Your hold on me has put me in a difficult position, torn between two equally unfavorable options.

I forgive you, 'cause I can't forget you
Although you have wronged me, I cannot seem to erase you from my memory or heart, so I choose to forgive you.

I ought to cross you off my list
I ought to remove you from my life entirely.

But when you come a-knocking at my door
Despite my intentions to forget about you, I find myself tempted when you come back into my life.

Fate seems to give my heart a twist
It seems that I am destined to continue to love you, despite the pain you may cause me.

And I come running back for more
I cannot resist the temptation that you bring, and always find myself coming back to you.

I should hate you, but I guess I love you
It would be logical for me to hate you, but instead, I find that my feelings of love for you persist.

You've got me in between the devil and the deep blue sea
Once again, you have put me in a difficult position, and I am torn between two equally undesirable outcomes.

The devil and the deep blue sea
This phrase is repeated twice to emphasize the extreme difficulty of the predicament that the artist finds themselves in.

Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, S.A. MUSIC
Written by: HAROLD ARLEN, TED KOEHLER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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