Lush Life
Peter Nordahl Trio Lyrics
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Those come-what-may places
Where one relaxes on the axis of the wheel of life
To get the feel of life
From jazz and cocktails
The girls I knew had sad and sullen gray faces
With distingue traces
You could see where they'd been washed away
By too many through the day
Twelve o'clock tales
Then you came along with your siren song
To tempt me to madness
I thought for awhile that your poignant smile
Was tinged with the sadness
Of a great love for me
Ah yes, I was wrong
Again, I was wrong
Life is lonely again
And only last year
Everything seemed so sure
Now life is awful again
A trough full of hearts could only be a bore
A week in Paris could ease the bite of it
All I care is to smile in spite of it
I'll forget you, I will
While yet you are still
Burning inside my brain
Romance is mush
Stifling those who strive
So I'll live a lush life in some small dive
And there I'll be, while I rot with the rest
Of those whose lives are lonely too
In "Lush Life", Peter Nordahl Trio talks about the feeling of loneliness and heartbreak, capturing the essence of a person who knows this all-too-well. The song begins with the singer describing his past experiences in "very gay places" where people indulge in jazz and cocktails. However, he also mentions that the girls he knew had "sad and sullen gray faces" that showed the traces of a life that had taken from them, with each passing day. Then comes the moment when the singer meets someone, and they use their siren song to tempt him to madness. He thinks the person's smile is tinged with sadness, thinking it is a result of their love for him. Unfortunately, he finds out he was wrong, and now he feels lonely again.
The verses that talk about Paris and smiling, regardless of the situation, show that the singer is trying to get over his heartbreak. He also mentions that romance is mush, which stifles the people who strive. So, he will live a "lush life" in some small dive, where he will be with other people who feel lonely and isolated.
In summary, the song conveys a feeling of heartbreak and the desire to live a superficial life to get over the pain of a failed love. The singer is looking for an escape and wants to surround himself with like-minded people.
Line by Line Meaning
I used to visit all the very gay places
In my past, I frequented what could be considered eccentric hotspots
Those come-what-may places
These were destinations of spontaneity
Where one relaxes on the axis of the wheel of life
Within these locales, one could be at ease with the ups and downs of existence
To get the feel of life
I went there in order to experience the essence of reality
From jazz and cocktails
I immersed myself in the fabric of jazz music and partook in alcoholic beverages
The girls I knew had sad and sullen gray faces
The young ladies I met there had melancholic and gloom-ridden expressions
With distingue traces
With a hint of refinement
That used to be there
Their elegance was once noticeable
You could see where they'd been washed away
Their elevated status and refinement had been eroded
By too many through the day
Perhaps due to their repeated encounters with misfortune
Twelve o'clock tales
Likely the time in the evening when their countenances had diminished into dejection
Then you came along with your siren song
But at some point, you appeared with your alluring and beguiling words
To tempt me to madness
Your charm made me lose my sanity
I thought for awhile that your poignant smile
At first, I believed that your emotive grin
Was tinged with the sadness
Contained a hint of grief or sorrow
Of a great love for me
Due to the immense affection you had for me
Ah yes, I was wrong
Alas, I was mistaken
Again, I was wrong
For the umpteenth time, I had misconstrued events
Life is lonely again
Presently, my existence feels isolated and despondent
And only last year
Just twelve months prior
Everything seemed so sure
All transpired events appeared to be resolute
Now life is awful again
But presently, the outlook is grim and dire
A trough full of hearts could only be a bore
Even a variety of mediocre amours would only amount to monotony
A week in Paris could ease the bite of it
An excursion to France's capital could alleviate the sting of the situation
All I care is to smile in spite of it
Though, my sole aspiration is to grin through the adversity
I'll forget you, I will
I shall let go of this lovelorn attachment regardless
While yet you are still
Even whilst your memory persists
Burning inside my brain
Intensifying the turmoil within me
Romance is mush
The ideal or notion of love is merely sentimental nonsense
Stifling those who strive
It impedes those attempting to reach enlightened existences
So I'll live a lush life in some small dive
Therefore, I will live a hedonistic and luxurious lifestyle in an unremarkable location
And there I'll be, while I rot with the rest
And there, I shall remain, until I perish along with others who share equally unfulfilled lives
Of those whose lives are lonely too
Individuals who, similar to me, lead melancholic and forlorn existences
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Billy Strayhorn
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