Angel Eyes
Red Norvo Quintet Lyrics
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Order anything you see
And have fun you happy people
The drink and the laugh's on me
Try to think that love's not around
Still it's uncomfortably near
My old heart ain't gaining any ground
Angel eyes, that old Devil sent
They glow unbearably bright
Need I say that my love's misspent
Misspent with angel eyes tonight
So drink up all of you people
Order anything you see
And have fun you happy people
The drink and the laugh's on me
Pardon me but I got to run
The fact's uncommonly clear
I got to find who's now the number one
And why my angel eyes ain't here
Excuse me while I disappear
"Angel Eyes" by the Red Norvo Quintet tells the story of a man who is trying to enjoy himself despite the fact that his heart is broken. He is buying drinks for everyone and trying to have a good time, but he cannot escape the memory of his lost love. He reminds himself that love is not around, but still feels its presence. His heart is not healing, and he blames it on the absence of his "angel eyes". He refers to his former lover as an "old devil" who sent his heart spiraling. He admits that his love for her was misspent, but he still longs for her.
The last two stanzas reflect the singer's inner turmoil as he tries to leave his past behind. He excuses himself from the party, confessing that he needs to find another love and move on from his past. He cannot continue living in the past and needs to find someone else to spend his time with.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey drink up all you people
Encouragement to have a good time and enjoy oneself by indulging in a couple of drinks.
Order anything you see
Instructions to the listeners to order whatever they desire, leaving no restrictions or limitations.
And have fun you happy people
Acknowledgment that the audience is already enjoying themselves and that they should continue to do so.
The drink and the laugh's on me
The artist is offering to pay for everyone's drinks and is happy to see them having a good time.
Try to think that love's not around
The artist is trying to convince themselves that love isn't present in their life to avoid feeling sad about their current situation.
Still it's uncomfortably near
Despite the singer's efforts to convince themselves otherwise, love is in fact nearby and they are struggling to accept this fact.
My old heart ain't gaining any ground
The singer's heart is struggling to move on and they are feeling stuck in their current emotional state.
Because my angel eyes ain't here
The reason the artist is struggling to move on is that the person they love, referred to as 'angel eyes,' is not with them.
Angel eyes, that old Devil sent
The artist views their love interest as both mesmerizing and dangerous, like something that was sent by the devil himself.
They glow unbearably bright
The artist is overwhelmed by the intensity of their attraction to 'angel eyes.'
Need I say that my love's misspent
The singer acknowledges that their love for 'angel eyes' is not leading to a positive outcome and is therefore a waste of their emotions.
Misspent with angel eyes tonight
The artist is currently spending their time and emotions on 'angel eyes' when they know it is not beneficial for them.
So drink up all of you people
Reiteration of the instructions to enjoy oneself and partake in drinking.
Pardon me but I got to run
The singer is indicating that they must leave quickly and abruptly.
The fact's uncommonly clear
The truth of the situation, that the singer and 'angel eyes' are not meant to be together, is painfully clear to the singer.
I got to find who's now the number one
The artist feels that they must find someone else to love rather than focusing on someone who is not reciprocating those feelings.
And why my angel eyes ain't here
The artist is still grappling with why 'angel eyes' is not with them and is struggling to find closure.
Excuse me while I disappear
The singer is saying goodbye and getting ready to leave the situation behind for good.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Earl Brent, Matt Dennis
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind