He began playing the accordion at age 3, and appeared on the radio program Hobby Lobby at age seven.
His composition "Little Bird" was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1963 (a minor hit on Fred Astaire's Ava label), and he formed the Pete Jolly Trio in 1964. With the Trio, and also as a solo artist, he recorded several albums, the last being in 2000, a collaboration with Swedish jazz pianist Jan Lundgren. He also worked with other notable jazz artists, including Buddy DeFranco, Art Pepper, and Red Norvo, and for many years with EZ music arranger and director Ray Conniff.
Jolly's music can be heard on television programs such as Get Smart, The Love Boat, I Spy, Mannix, M*A*S*H, and Dallas, as well as hundreds of movie soundtracks.
He died in Pasadena, California, from complications of bone marrow cancer, having been hospitalized from August to November, 2004.
Dancers In Love
Pete Jolly Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hearing guitars like someone in love.
Sometimes the things I do astound me,
Mostly whenever you're around me.
Lately I seem to walk as though I had wings,
Bump into things like someone in love.
Each time I look at you,
I'm limp as a glove, And feeling like someone in love.
The lyrics to Pete Jolly's song "Dancers In Love" depict the experience of being deeply in love with someone. The first line, "Lately, I find myself out gazing at stars, Hearing guitars like someone in love," suggests that the singer is entranced by the world around them, and feels a sense of romance that might not always be present in their day-to-day life. The second line, "Sometimes the things I do astound me, Mostly whenever you're around me," suggests that the singer is also somewhat surprised by their own behavior, likely because they feel so strongly about the person they're in love with.
The rest of the lyrics reinforce these feelings of being in love, as the singer describes feeling like they are "walking on wings," and "bump[ing] into things like someone in love." The most telling line, however, is the one that describes the singer's physical reaction to seeing the person they love: "Each time I look at you, I'm limp as a glove." This line suggests that the singer is so moved by their feelings for this person that they feel physically weak or overwhelmed in their presence.
Overall, the lyrics to "Dancers In Love" capture the feeling of being fully consumed by love - the way that it can make us feel heightened emotions, experience the world in new ways, and even feel somewhat out of control. The song is a classic example of the love song genre, and continues to be enjoyed by generations of music fans.
Line by Line Meaning
Lately, I find myself out gazing at stars,
Recently, I have found myself staring up at the stars,
Hearing guitars like someone in love.
While listening to music, it feels like I am in love.
Sometimes the things I do astound me,
Occasionally, I am amazed by my actions,
Mostly whenever you're around me.
Mostly, this occurs when I am in your presence.
Lately I seem to walk as though I had wings,
Recently, it appears that I am walking with lightness and grace,
Bump into things like someone in love.
I keep bumping into objects as I am lost in thoughts of love.
Each time I look at you,
Whenever I gaze into your eyes,
I'm limp as a glove,
I feel weak and powerless,
And feeling like someone in love.
All of my actions and emotions are those of someone deeply in love.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: J. Burke, J. Van Heusen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind