Connors became interested in jazz as a child, and began playing drums early, once sitting in for Elvin Jones at a John Coltrane performance he attended while in middle school. Connors studied music at Temple University and Juilliard; his first recording was on Archie Shepp's 1967 release, Magic of JuJu. He played with Pharaoh Sanders for the next few years until signing with Cobblestone Records in 1972 and releasing his first record as a bandleader. In the mid-1970s, Connors, although fronting some great jazz recordings with Carlos Garnett, Gary Bartz, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Herbie Hancock, began focusing more on R&B tunes, and had several US hits with songs featuring vocalists such as Michael Henderson, Jean Carn, and Phyllis Hyman. The most successful of these was "You Are My Starship". Dee Dee Bridgewater also performed with him on the jazz album "Love from the Sun". His more recent work, "Star Power", has seen him operating more in the vein of smooth jazz and urban crossover music featuring Howard Hewett, Bobby Lyle, Ray Parker, Jr, Peabo Bryson, Michael Henderson, and Antoinette.
Last Tango In Paris
Norman Connors Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We are nothing but shadow and mist
In the mirror we look as we pass
No reflection's revealed in the glass
Don't you know that the blood in your vein is as lifeless as yesterday's rain?
It's a game where we come to conceal the confusion we feel
But as long as we're nameless our bodies are blameless
You cried when we kissedIt was nothing but shadow and mist
To a theme that we tore from the past to a tango we swore was the last
We are shadows who dance
We don't exist
We are nothing but shadow and mist
In the mirror we look as we pass
No reflection's revealed in the glass
Don't you know that the blood in your veinis as lifeless as yesterday's rain?
It's a game where we come to conceal the confusion we feel
But as long as we're nameless our bodies are blameless
You cried when we kissedIt was nothing but shadow and mist
Two illusions who touch in a trancemaking love not by choice but by chance
To a theme that we tore from the past to a tango we swore was the last
We are shadows who dance
We are shadows who dance
The lyrics to Norman Connors’s song “Last Tango In Paris” speak to the transitory nature of life, and the illusionary nature of human existence. The opening lines “We don't exist, We are nothing but shadow and mist” paint a picture of human life as fragile, fleeting and impermanent. The reference to shadows and mist connotes a sense of uncertainty and frailty, where the passing of time is akin to looking in a mirror, with no meaningful reflection to look back at. This imagery speaks to the idea that our existence is ultimately transient.
The lyrics go on to question the nature of existence as it relates to consciousness, asking the poignant question “Don't you know that the blood in your vein is as lifeless as yesterday's rain?” Here the idea is that, while the human body is physically alive, it is ultimately a shell without consciousness or meaning. The song suggests that life is a game of concealment, where humans hide their confusion and lack of purpose behind a veil of activity and interaction. Yet, despite this, the song speaks to the fact that humans are essentially blameless, in that their actions are ultimately determined by circumstance, rather than free will.
Overall, the lyrics to “Last Tango In Paris” suggest a sense of disillusionment and resignation with the nature of existence. The song highlights the idea that human life is fleeting, illusory, and ultimately meaningless, yet suggests that in accepting this reality, we can find a sense of peace and acceptance in the world around us.
Line by Line Meaning
We don't exist
Our lives are insignificant and fleeting
We are nothing but shadow and mist
We are mere apparitions, disguising our true selves
In the mirror we look as we pass
We see only our exterior, but not our essence
No reflection's revealed in the glass
We don't see our souls reflected back to us
Don't you know that the blood in your vein is as lifeless as yesterday's rain?
Our mortal bodies are mere vessels, devoid of true life
It's a game where we come to conceal the confusion we feel
Life is a facade, meant to hide our inner turmoil
But as long as we're nameless our bodies are blameless
If we remain anonymous, we cannot be held responsible for our actions
You cried when we kissed It was nothing but shadow and mist
Our emotions are just as intangible and fleeting as our physical forms
Two illusions who touch in a trance making love not by choice but by chance
Our love is not a conscious decision, but rather, a cosmic coincidence
To a theme that we tore from the past to a tango we swore was the last
Our fleeting love is built upon remnants of the past, doomed to end just as quickly as it began
We are shadows who dance
We are nothing more than fleeting shapes, moving to the rhythms of life
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: GATO BARBIERI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Aporche
on Wouldn't You Like to See?
I love this song. It makes me think of what would be sung when one has just died. Wouldn’t You Like to See It?
Michael Henderson
on You Are My Starship
This song, "You Are My Starship" was written, performed and produced by Michael Henderson as indicated on the Norman Connors album of the same title.. Norman plays drums..