Nelson Smock Riddle, Jr. (June 1, 1921 – October 6, 1985) was a well-known … Read Full Bio ↴Nelson Smock Riddle, Jr. (June 1, 1921 – October 6, 1985) was a well-known American bandleader, arranger and orchestrator whose career spanned from the late 1940s until the early 1980s. Riddle is perhaps best known for his 1950s work for Capitol Records, providing jazzy big-band style arrangements to accompany such vocalists as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Nat King Cole, Judy Garland, Peggy Lee, Louis Prima and Keely Smith. Later, his arranging talents were also used by Ella Fitzgerald, Shirley Bassey, Matt Monro, Linda Ronstadt, and others. His arrangements are characterized by innovative orchestration with counter melodies and instrumentation that express the emotions of each verse of a song. Interestingly, whilst arranging the Sinatra albums he received the pay of a band sideman, which was enhanced by Capitol when Nat King Cole discovered the anomaly and insisted he receive fair remuneration.

Your Zowie Face
Nelson Riddle Lyrics

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I see your face before me, crowding my every dream
There is your face before me; you are my only theme
It doesn't matter where you are; I can see how fair you are
I close my eyes, and there you are always

If you could share the magic, yes, if you could see me, too
There would be nothing tragic in all my dreams of you
Would that my love could haunt you so

Knowing I want you so
I can't erase your beautiful face before me

Would that my love could haunt you so

Knowing I want you so
I can't erase your beautiful face before me

Overall Meaning

In the song "Your Zowie Face" by Nelson Riddle, the singer describes how he cannot escape the image of his love's face, which haunts him in his dreams. He sings about how her beauty is always on his mind, no matter where he is or what he is doing. The lyrics convey a sense of longing and yearning to be with the object of his affection, and the sorrow of knowing that it is not possible.

The repetition of the line "I can't erase your beautiful face before me" reinforces the idea that the singer is unable to forget about his love, and suggests that she holds a powerful and permanent place in his thoughts and emotions. The phrase "your zowie face" adds a playful touch to the song, and highlights the singer's admiration for the unique beauty of his love.

Overall, "Your Zowie Face" captures the intense emotions of love and desire, and the way in which these feelings can overwhelm and obsess a person. The imagery of the haunting and indelible face adds depth and complexity to the song, and makes it a powerful reflection on the nature of love and longing.

Line by Line Meaning

I see your face before me, crowding my every dream
Your face is constantly appearing in my dreams and taking up all of my thoughts.

There is your face before me; you are my only theme
Your face is my only focus and inspiration, regardless of the situation.

It doesn't matter where you are; I can see how fair you are
Your beauty is so prominent that it's visible to me no matter where you are.

I close my eyes, and there you are always
Even when I close my eyes, I still see your face vividly and it's always with me.

If you could share the magic, yes, if you could see me, too
If you were able to feel the same level of attraction towards me as I do towards you, it would be magical.

There would be nothing tragic in all my dreams of you
If you were also interested in me, it would make all of my dreams about you much less sad and painful.

Would that my love could haunt you so
I wish my love for you could affect you in such a way that it haunts you.

Knowing I want you so
I want you so much and this feeling is clear to me.

I can't erase your beautiful face before me
No matter what I do, I can't seem to get rid of the image of your stunning face that stays with me.

Would that my love could haunt you so, knowing I want you so
Reiterating that I wish my love could impact you in some way and that I really want you.

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc., CARLIN AMERICA INC
Written by: ARTHUR SCHWARTZ, HOWARD DIETZ

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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