After You
Peggy Lee Lyrics


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Now won't you listen honey, while I say,
How could you tell me that you're goin' away?
Don't say that we must part,
Don't break your baby's heart

You know I've loved you for these many years,
Loved you night and day,
Oh! honey baby, can't you see my tears?
Listen while I say

After you've gone and left me cryin'
After you've gone there's no denyin'
You'll feel blue, you'll feel sad
You'll miss the dearest pal you've ever had

There'll come a time, now don't forget it
There'll come a time when you'll regret it
Someday, when you grow lonely
Your heart will break like mine and you'll want me only
After you've gone, after you've gone away

After you've gone and left me cryin'
After you've gone there's no denyin'
You're gonna feel blue, and you're gonna feel sad
You're gonna feel bad
And you'll miss, and you'll miss,
And you'll miss the bestest pal you ever had

There'll come a time, now don't forget it
There'll come a time when you'll regret it
But baby, think what you're doin'
I'm gonna haunt you so, I'm gonna taunt you so





It's gonna drive you to ruin
After you've gone, after you've gone away.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Peggy Lee's 'After You' tell the story of a woman begging her lover to stay with her, warning him of the regret and pain he will feel once he's gone. The beginning of the song sees the singer pleading with her lover not to leave and reminding him of the love that they share. She emphasizes that breaking up will shatter her heart and bring her to tears. The chorus repeats the phrase "after you've gone" and directly addresses the lover, suggesting that he will feel the effects of their separation just as strongly as she will. The tone of this section is almost accusatory, with the woman predicting that the man will come to regret leaving her and that he will soon feel the pain that she currently does.


In the second verse, the singer turns up the pressure on her partner, promising that he will miss her when he's gone. The verse is steeped in irony, as she refers to him as "the dearest pal you've ever had". The use of the word "pal" is precisely what distinguishes her from her lover's real pals — it is the connection he has with her that he cannot find elsewhere. She continues to warn him that he will eventually become lonely and regret leaving her behind. In the final verse, the woman takes on a haunting tone, promising to continue to torment him after he's gone. She suggests that he'll never find someone who understands him as well as she does, and that the pain of the breakup will be too much for him to handle.


Line by Line Meaning

Now won't you listen honey, while I say,
Please pay attention to me, my dear, as I have something important to share with you.


How could you tell me that you're goin' away?
I'm having a hard time believing that you're planning on leaving me.


Don't say that we must part,
I beg you not to say that we need to separate.


Don't break your baby's heart
Please don't cause me pain by breaking my heart.


You know I've loved you for these many years,
I have been deeply in love with you for years.


Loved you night and day,
I have loved you every moment, day and night.


Oh! honey baby, can't you see my tears?
My dear, can't you see that I am crying because of the thought of you leaving?


Listen while I say
Please listen to what I have to say.


After you've gone and left me cryin',
Once you have left me alone and in tears,


After you've gone there's no denyin',
There is no doubt that after you have left,


You'll feel blue, you'll feel sad
You will feel depressed and sorrowful.


You'll miss the dearest pal you've ever had
You will long for me, the best friend you've ever had.


There'll come a time, now don't forget it
There will be a future moment you will experience, don't forget this.


There'll come a time when you'll regret it
You will regret the decision you have made.


Someday, when you grow lonely
A day will come when you will feel lonely.


Your heart will break like mine and you'll want me only
You will go through the pain of a broken heart like I am now, and you will want me back in your life.


You're gonna feel blue, and you're gonna feel sad
You too will feel depressed and sorrowful.


You're gonna feel bad
You will feel guilty for causing pain to someone who loved you deeply.


And you'll miss, and you'll miss,
You will long for,


And you'll miss the bestest pal you ever had
And you will miss your best friend, the one who loved you dearly.


But baby, think what you're doin'
Please, my dear, consider carefully what you are planning to do.


I'm gonna haunt you so, I'm gonna taunt you so
I will be there to remind you of what you have done, and it will haunt and torment you.


It's gonna drive you to ruin
Your regret and guilt will consume you, and it will destroy you in the end.


After you've gone, after you've gone away.
Once you have left me and gone away.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Henry Creamer, Turner Layton, Ray Sherman

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@MumblzDelusional

Never know how much I love you
Never know how much I care
When you put your arms around me
I get a fever that's so hard to bear
You give me fever,,, when you kiss me
Fever when you hold me tight
Fever in the morning
Fever all through the night

Sun lights up the daytime
Moon lights up the night
I light up when you call my name
And you know I'm going to treat you right
You give me fever,,, when you kiss me
Fever when you hold me tight
Fever in the morning
Fever all through the night

Everybody's got the fever
That is something you all know
Fever isn't such a new thing
Fever started long ago

Romeo loved Juliet
Juliet she felt the same
When he put his arms around her, he said
Julie Baby, you're my flame
Thou giveth fever
When we kisseth
Fever with thy flaming youth
Fever, I'm afire
Fever, yeah I burn, forsooth

Captain Smith and Pocahontas
Had a very mad affair
When her Daddy tried to kill him
She said, Daddy, oh don't you dare
He gives me fever
With his kisses
Fever when he holds me tight
Fever, I'm his missus
Daddy won't you treat him right?

Now you've listened to my story
Here's the point that I have made
Chicks were born to give you fever
Be it Fahrenheit or Centigrade
They give you fever when you kiss them
Fever, if you live you learn
Fever till you sizzle
What a lovely way to burn
What a lovely way to burn
What a lovely way to burn
What a lovely way to burn



All comments from YouTube:

@shaybennett5549

Little Willie John killed it but Peggy took it to another level!!! Still serving up fever! Incredible dancers!

@brendarice8427

She gives it a sultry-ness that's so sexy...

@NikolausGrammenoudis

Dr.Alban taketeam kokonbrum

@gfrastsackl...

One single Song better than a hand full bands !
..OLD BUT GOLD 🫦

@palmav10

The Queen's Gambit led me here! Great song.

@satanikbunny

i just read this song on a fanfiction. i'm speechless, she's amazing!

@captainbananapants7211

Was Is Sharp daggers 🗡️?? That’s how I found it as well LOL LOL so far I’m loving the story if we are talking about the same !

@satanikbunny

@@captainbananapants7211 Sadly no :( it's called "The House of Asmodeus" and it's an Omniscient Reader Viewpoint fic
What is the one you're reading about? I hope it's as cool as you say it is !

@atlantiana

Wow! The dancers and the choreography are incredible! They definitely lived up to this classic tune.

@Alanpoeme

Moon to atlantia : strong tide uniting us 3. Love

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