Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
Nu Colours Lyrics


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They asked me how I knew
My true love was true
I of course replied
"Something here inside
Cannot be denied"

They said someday you'll find
All who love are blind
When your heart's on fire
You don't realize
Smoke gets in your eyes

So I chaffed and I gaily laughed
To think they would doubt my love
Yet today, my love has flown away
I am without my love

Now laughing friends deride
Tears I cannot hide
So I smile and say




"When a lovely flame dies,
Smoke gets in your eyes"

Overall Meaning

The song "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" by Nu-Colours is actually a cover of a 1933 American torch song composed by Jerome Kern with lyrics written by Otto Harbach. The lyrics speak of the pain of losing love and the smoke that gets in one's eyes when a "lovely flame dies." The song begins with the singer being questioned about how they knew their love was true, to which they respond that it's something "inside" that can't be denied. However, as the song progresses, the singer reveals that their love has flown away, and they're left with tears they cannot hide.


The line "Smoke Gets in your eyes," is a metaphor for the tears that come when you cry for a lost love, similar to smoke getting in your eyes and making them tear up. The second verse talks about how people that love are often blinded by their love and don't see the problems until they've lost the person they love. The final verse shows the singer coming to terms with the loss of their love, acknowledging that a beautiful flame can die and that smoke will inevitably get into your eyes when it does.


Line by Line Meaning

They asked me how I knew
They asked me how I knew if my true love was true.


My true love was true
If my love was genuine.


I of course replied
I replied in affirmation.


"Something here inside
I have this intangible feeling inside me.


Cannot be denied"
Which I can't deny that it's true.


They said someday you'll find
They commented that someday I would find.


All who love are blind
That all who are in love tend to overlook flaws.


When your heart's on fire
When you're in love and passionate.


You don't realize
You may not see other issues arising.


Smoke gets in your eyes
You can't see everything clearly because of your intense feelings.


So I chaffed and I gaily laughed
I reacted skeptically and laughingly.


To think they would doubt my love
Think that others would doubt my love.


Yet today, my love has flown away
But now, I've lost my love after all.


I am without my love
I'm now alone without the person I love.


Now laughing friends deride
Now, my laughing friends mock me.


Tears I cannot hide
I can't hide my tears.


So I smile and say
So I force a smile and say.


"When a lovely flame dies,
When a beautiful passion ends,


Smoke gets in your eyes"
You're so consumed by emotions that you can't see clearly anymore.




Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Otto Harbach, Jerome Kern

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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