Thanks For The Memory
Ray Conniff & His Orchestra Lyrics


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Thanks for the memory
Of sentimental verse,
Nothing in my purse,
And chuckles
When the preacher said
For better or for worse,
How lovely it was.
Thanks for the memory
Of Schubert's Serenade,
Little things of jade
And traffic jams
And anagrams
And bills we never paid,
How lovely it was.

We who could laugh over big things
Were parted by only a slight thing.
I wonder if we did the right thing,
Oh, well, that's life, I guess,
I love your dress.

Thanks for the memory
Of faults that you forgave,
Of rainbows on a wave,
And stockings in the basin
When a fellow needs a shave,
Thank you so much.

Thanks for the memory
Of tinkling temple bells,
Alma mater yells
And Cuban rum
And towels from
The very best hotels,
Oh how lovely it was.

Thanks for the memory
Of cushions on the floor,
Hash with Dinty Moore,
That pair of gay pajamas
That you bought
And never wore.

We said goodbye with a highball,
Then I got as high as a steeple,
But we were intelligent people,
No tears, no fuss,
Hooray for us.

Strictly entire nous,
Darling, how are you?
And how are all
Those little dreams
That never did come true?

Awfully glad I met you,
Cheerio and toodle-oo




Thank you,
Thank you so much.

Overall Meaning

The song "Thanks for the Memory" by Ray Conniff talks about memories of a past relationship that the singer is reminiscing about. The first verse speaks of sentimental memories, of laughter and love, and even though they may not have had a lot of money, they were happy. The second verse talks about the small things they shared, like listening to music or playing with little trinkets, and the struggles they faced, such as traffic jams and unpaid bills, but even in those moments, they found beauty. The third verse reflects on the flaws in their relationship, but also the forgiveness and appreciation for each other. The fourth and final verse mentions specific memories, like the sound of temple bells or the hash they ate, and the fact that they had an amicable breakup, with no tears or fuss.


The song conveys a bittersweet nostalgia for a lost love, with both fondness for the happy times they shared, and a sense of regret for the things that didn't work out. The line "We who could laugh over big things were parted by only a slight thing" suggests that their relationship was based on a strong foundation of humor and shared values, but was ultimately undone by something relatively minor. The use of specific sensory details in the lyrics, such as the sound of Schubert's Serenade or the feel of cushions on the floor, creates a vivid sense of the past and enhances the emotional impact of the song.


Line by Line Meaning

Thanks for the memory
Grateful for the moments and memories shared


Of sentimental verse,
Poetry that stirred emotions within us


Nothing in my purse,
Despite my lack of money, we were still able to enjoy things together


And chuckles
The laughter we shared together


When the preacher said
Marriage vows exchanged and we still found joy in the moment


For better or for worse,
Through thick and thin we stuck together


How lovely it was.
The memories we created were beautiful and cherished


Of Schubert's Serenade,
Listening to melodious tunes on a blissful evening


Little things of jade
Appreciating the trivial joys in life


And traffic jams
Patience found in difficult situations


And anagrams
Fondness for playful word games


And bills we never paid,
Ignoring financial worries to focus on living in the moment


How lovely it was.
The memories we created were beautiful and cherished


We who could laugh over big things
Sharing humor and joy in life's challenges


Were parted by only a slight thing.
Our relationship ended due to a minor disagreement


I wonder if we did the right thing,
Uncertainty and second-guessing over the outcome of our decision


Oh, well, that's life, I guess,
Accepting that events can unfold in unexpected ways


I love your dress.
Unwavering fondness for our partner


Of faults that you forgave,
Gratitude for the forgiveness shown during difficult times


Of rainbows on a wave,
Appreciation for the beauty in nature


And stockings in the basin
Finding sentimental value in ordinary objects


When a fellow needs a shave,
Comfort in small gestures of care and attention


Thank you so much.
Sincere gratitude for our partner's presence in our life


Of tinkling temple bells,
Finding peace and solace in religious rituals


Alma mater yells
Memories of college life and camaraderie


And Cuban rum
Enjoying new experiences and adventures together


And towels from
The subtle pleasures found in hotel luxuries


The very best hotels,
Making the most of moments of extravagance


Oh how lovely it was.
The memories we created were beautiful and cherished


Of cushions on the floor,
Finding comfort in simple things


Hash with Dinty Moore,
Enjoying different cuisines and foods together


That pair of gay pajamas
Cherishing the quirky and eccentric things we did together


That you bought
Appreciation for the thought and effort behind surprises and gifts


And never wore.
Finding humor in frivolous purchases and unfulfilled intentions


We said goodbye with a highball,
Parting ways gracefully over a drink


Then I got as high as a steeple,
Finding solace in getting over the break up


But we were intelligent people,
Accepting that the break up was for the best


No tears, no fuss,
Rejecting melodrama and moving on with maturity


Hooray for us.
Finding happiness in the memories of our time together


Strictly entire nous,
A language of lovers or secret shared references


Darling, how are you?
A common greeting between two romantic partners


And how are all
Interest and care for our partner's life and well-being


Those little dreams
Reminiscing about shared aspirations and hopes


That never did come true?
Reflecting on unfulfilled dreams and aspirations


Awfully glad I met you,
Grateful for the time spent and memories shared with our partner


Cheerio and toodle-oo
Fond farewell to our partner, wishing them well for the future


Thank you,
Sincere appreciation for our partner's presence in our life


Thank you so much.
Deeply grateful for the memories shared and experiences lived together




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Leo Robin, Ralph Rainger

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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