Fortune Teller
Petula Clark Lyrics


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Went to the fortune teller
To have my fortune read
I didn't what to tell her
I had a dizzy feeling in my head

Said she'd take a look at my palm
Said "Son do you feel kind of warm?"
And she looked into her crystal ball
Said "You're in love."

Said it could not be so,
Not with all the girls I know.
Said when the next one arrives
Looking into her eyes.

I left there in a hurry
Much to my big surprise
The next thing I discovered
The fortune teller told me lies

So I ran back to that woman
Mad as I could be
Told her I didn't see nobody
How she made a fool out of me

At last something shook me
As if it came down from above




And now the fortune teller
And I fell in love

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Petula Clark's song Fortune Teller describe a person's experience visiting a fortune teller to have their fortune read. They initially felt uneasy but allowed the fortune teller to read their palm, however, they were skeptical when the fortune teller revealed they were in love. The singer believed this couldn't be true as they knew numerous girls and didn't feel anything for any of them. But when the next girl arrived, the singer realized they were, in fact, in love as they looked into her eyes. This realization caused them to return to the fortune teller to confront her about her lies, only to find themselves enamored with her.


The song explores themes such as disbelief in love, trusting the supernatural, and realizing one's feelings for another. The singer initially mistrusted the fortune teller and her predictions, but they eventually found themselves converted to her way of thinking. This transformation emphasizes the idea that love may be unknowable and that it may require a nudge or push from the divine to come to fruition. In the end, the singer's discovery of love was both unexpected and inevitable.


Line by Line Meaning

Went to the fortune teller
I went to a person who could supposedly predict the future.


To have my fortune read
I wanted to know what might happen in my life.


I didn't what to tell her
I didn't know what information to give her.


I had a dizzy feeling in my head
I was feeling disoriented or confused.


Said she'd take a look at my palm
She said she would examine the lines on my hand to learn more about me.


Said "Son do you feel kind of warm?"
She asked if I was feeling a certain sensation.


And she looked into her crystal ball
She gazed into a crystal object that she claimed could reveal the future.


Said "You're in love."
She claimed that I was experiencing romantic feelings for someone.


Said it could not be so,
I disagreed with her because I had feelings for many women.


Not with all the girls I know.
I had interacted with multiple women, so it didn't make sense to be in love with just one.


Said when the next one arrives
She predicted that I would fall in love with the next woman I met.


Looking into her eyes.
She believed I would fall in love after making eye contact with the woman.


I left there in a hurry
I quickly departed from the fortune teller's location.


Much to my big surprise
I was very shocked by something unexpected that took place.


The next thing I discovered
I learned something soon after.


The fortune teller told me lies
The fortune teller had been deceitful to me.


So I ran back to that woman
I hastily returned to confront her.


Mad as I could be
I was extremely angry or upset.


Told her I didn't see nobody
I informed her that I hadn't met any new romantic interests.


How she made a fool out of me
I felt embarrassed and tricked by the fortune teller.


At last something shook me
Finally, something happened to stir me emotionally.


As if it came down from above
It felt like a divine or powerful force was responsible for this occurrence.


And now the fortune teller
Surprisingly, the fortune teller is involved in what happened next.


And I fell in love
I ended up experiencing romantic feelings for the fortune teller despite her earlier deception.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ALLEN TOUSSAINT

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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