I Know Why
Red Garland Lyrics


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Why do robins sing in December
Long before the Springtime is due?
And even though it's snowing, violets are growing
I know why and so do you
Why do breezes sigh every evening whispering your name as they do?
And why have I the feeling stars are on my ceiling?
I know why and so do you
When you smile at me I hear gypsy violins
When you dance with me, I'm in heaven when the music begins
I can see the sun when it's raining, hiding every cloud from my view
And why do I see rainbows when you're in my arms?
I know why and so do you

Why do robins sing in December
Long before the springtime is due?
And even though it's snowing, violets are growing
I know why and so do you
Why do breezes sigh every evening whispering your name as they do?
And why have I the feeling stars are on my ceiling?
I know why and so do you
When you smile at me I hear gypsy violins
When you dance with me, I'm in heaven when the music begins
I can see the sun when it's raining, hiding every cloud from my view




And why do I see rainbows when you're in my arms?
I know why and so do you

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Red Garland's "I Know Why" are a contemplation of the mysterious and inexplicable ways that love can transform the world around us. The song opens with the question, "Why do robins sing in December, long before the Springtime is due?" suggesting that love can bring new life and beauty even in the depths of winter, when everything might seem bleak and hopeless. The violets that grow in the snow evoke a sense of wonder and magic, hinting that there is something transcendent and divine about the power of love.


The song goes on to ask why the breezes seem to whisper the beloved's name, and why the stars appear to be shining down on the singer. These details suggest that the beloved is not just a person, but a force of nature or a cosmic presence that infuses the singer's world with meaning and significance. The final lines express the singer's sense of wonder and delight in the world that love has created: "I can see the sun when it's raining, hiding every cloud from my view, and why do I see rainbows when you're in my arms? I know why and so do you." Love, in other words, has the power to transform even the most mundane and ordinary aspects of life into something magical and miraculous.


Overall, the lyrics of "I Know Why" suggest that love is more than just an emotion or a feeling - it is a way of seeing and experiencing the world, a lens through which we can glimpse the beauty and wonder that surrounds us at all times, even in the darkest and coldest moments of our lives.


Line by Line Meaning

Why do robins sing in December
Why do the birds sing in the winter before the arrival of spring?


Long before the Springtime is due?
Why do they not wait until the right time to sing?


And even though it's snowing, violets are growing
Why do flowers bloom in the winter despite the cold weather?


I know why and so do you
I understand the answer to these questions, and so do you.


Why do breezes sigh every evening whispering your name as they do?
Why do the winds whisper your name every night?


And why have I the feeling stars are on my ceiling?
Why do I feel like the stars are above me, even though there is a roof?


When you smile at me I hear gypsy violins
I feel the music accompanying your smile, like a gypsy violin.


When you dance with me, I'm in heaven when the music begins
When we dance together, I feel like I'm in heaven when the music starts.


I can see the sun when it's raining, hiding every cloud from my view
Even on a rainy day, I can see the sun shining when I'm with you, and the clouds don't bother me.


And why do I see rainbows when you're in my arms?
Why do I see the beautiful rainbow colors when I'm holding you close?


I know why and so do you
I understand the answer to these questions, and so do you.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Reservoir Media Management, Inc., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MACK GORDON, HARRY WARREN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@TT-kw5nj

We both know why. 💔

@elodiedazur

In fact rec. December 14, 1956, for this tract & "If I Were A Bell".
Red Garland (p), Paul Chambers (b) & Art Taylor (drums).
At Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, NJ.

@tunefultonyjohnson4100

The title tune here is from 1941, by The Glenn Miller Orchestra, and it featured in the movie Sun Valley Serenade...

@marselmusic

ahh right off the bat... well done Monday...

@TextileArmlessMan

You'll hear this from me one day

@georgehiggins1320

at 1:09, it sounds like a G7 (can definitely hear Paul Chambers playing a G) going to something, but I'm not sure what. I hear Red playing a descending Eb minor triad but I can't make out what chord he's playing and what Paul Chambers is playing beneath that.

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