Rhapsody In Blue
Neal Hefti and His Orchestra Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

When I hear that serenade in blue
I'm somewhere in another world, alone with you
Sharing all the joys we used to know, many moons ago.

Once again your face comes back to me
Just like the theme of some forgotten melody
In the album of my memory, serenade in blue
It seems like only yesterday, the small cafe, a crowded floor

And as we danced the night away, I hear you say forever more
And then the song became a sigh
Forever more became goodbye
Cause you remained in my heart, but
Tell me darling in there still a spark?

Or only lonely ashes of the flame we knew
Should I go on whistling in the dark, serenade in blue.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Serenade in Blue" by Neal Hefti and His Orchestra paint a picture of someone lost in memories of a love from the past. The opening lines express the way the music takes the listener to another world where they feel as though they are with their former lover, reliving the happy times they spent together. The nostalgia is palpable as the lyrics talk about the joys they shared and how the memories remain fresh in the mind. The song then takes a melancholic turn as the memories turn to thoughts of whether the love they once shared is still alive or has been reduced to nothing but ashes.

The lyrics are beautifully written, using vivid imagery and metaphors to convey the emotions of missing someone deeply. The last lines of the song ask whether the spark of love still exists or if it has been snuffed out, ending on a note of uncertainty, showing that the singer is unsure if they should keep hoping for a rekindling of their love.

Line by Line Meaning

When I hear that serenade in blue
My mind is transported to another place and time when I listen to the melody of our special song.

I'm somewhere in another world, alone with you
Even though we are apart, we are together again in the world of our memories and imagination.

Sharing all the joys we used to know, many moons ago.
We relive the moments of our past love and savor the happiness we had.

Once again your face comes back to me
In my mind's eye, your beautiful face appears before me as clear as the day we first met.

Just like the theme of some forgotten melody
Your image is like the melody we once knew and loved but is now a distant memory.

In the album of my memory, serenade in blue
My mind is like a collection of songs and memories, each one special to me, especially our serenade in blue.

It seems like only yesterday, the small cafe, a crowded floor
The happy memories of the small café where we danced on a crowded floor seem like they happened just yesterday.

And as we danced the night away, I hear you say forever more
As we danced together, you whispered that you would be with me forever.

And then the song became a sigh
But then the song and the dance both ended, leaving us with only a sigh of regret that it couldn't last forever.

Forever more became goodbye
The promise of forever more became the reality of goodbye when we had to go our separate ways.

Cause you remained in my heart, but
Even though we can't be together, you still have a special place in my heart, but...

Tell me darling in there still a spark?
I wonder if there is still any spark of the love we once shared that could be rekindled.

Or only lonely ashes of the flame we knew
Or is there only the memory of a love that has faded away like ashes from a fire?

Should I go on whistling in the dark, serenade in blue.
Should I continue to hope for a new beginning, while whistling our special song, in the face of uncertainty and doubt?

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Harry Warren, Mack Gordon

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS