The Very Thought Of You
Rod Stewart Lyrics


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The very thought of you and I forget to do
The little ordinary things that everyone ought to do
I'm living in a kind of daydream
I'm happy as a king
And foolish though it may seem
To me that's everything

The mere idea of you, the longing here for you
You'll never know how slow the moments go till I'm near to you
I see your face in every flower
Your eyes in stars above
It's just the thought of you
The very thought of you, my love

The mere idea of you, the longing here for you
You'll never know how slow the moments go till I'm near to you
I see your face in every flower
Your eyes in stars above




It's just the thought of you
The very thought of you, my love

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Rod Stewart's song "The Very Thought Of You" convey a sense of infatuation and how the mere thought of someone can consume a person's mind and emotions. The first verse speaks to the idea that when one is consumed with thoughts of their loved one, they may forget to do their mundane daily tasks, as they are living in a kind of daydream where everything is happy and perfect. The second verse goes further to say that when one is away from their loved one, time seems to go by slowly and their image remains omnipresent in everything around. The lyrics suggest that the very thought of the person creates a feeling of completeness and happiness, which is not possible in the absence of the loved one.


The song describes the different ways in which love can affect an individual's life. In this case, love is presented as a combination of nostalgia, passion, and happiness. The singer's longing for the loved one is revealed through the recurring refrain of "The very thought of you, my love," which represents the power of his love and suggests how deeply he feels for his partner.


The song was written and originally composed by Ray Noble in 1934, and many different artists have since covered it, including Nat King Cole, Billie Holiday, and Ella Fitzgerald. In Rod Stewart's version, he adds a more contemporary rock influence to the genre of jazz that the song is often associated with.


Line by Line Meaning

The very thought of you and I forget to do
The mere thought of you makes me forget all the everyday tasks I am supposed to do.


The little ordinary things that everyone ought to do
These are the routine chores that everyone has to do but seem insignificant when the thought of you is hovering over my mind.


I'm living in a kind of daydream
My mind is always caught up in a reverie while thinking about you.


I'm happy as a king
The thought of you makes me extremely joyful and satisfied as if I were a monarch.


And foolish though it may seem
Although it may seem absurd, to me, your thought means the world.


To me that's everything
The mere thought of you is the most significant thing to me out of everything else I know.


The mere idea of you, the longing here for you
Just the thought of you is compelling and brings an intense desire to have you near me.


You'll never know how slow the moments go till I'm near to you
Time becomes slow without you, and all I want is to be close to you.


I see your face in every flower
Your beauty is so attractive that I see your reflection even in every flower around me.


Your eyes in stars above
The radiance of your eyes is so abundant that I find it in the stars above in the night sky.


It's just the thought of you
Even the thought of you has the power to give me immense pleasure.


The very thought of you, my love
Having you in my thoughts is so valuable to me that it means everything, my love.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CARLIN AMERICA INC
Written by: Ray Noble

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Carrie Springsteen

The very thought of you
And I forget to do
The little ordinary things
That everyone ought to do
I'm living in a kind of daydream
I'm happy as a king and foolish
Though it may seem to me
That's everything

The mere idea of you
The longing here for you
You'll never know
How slow the moments go
Till I'm near to you

I see your face in every flower
You eyes in stars above
It's just the thought of you
The very thought of you my love

The mere idea of you
The longing here for you
You'll never know
How slow the moments go
Till I'm near to you

I see your face in every flower
You eyes in stars above
It's just the thought of you
The very thought of you my love
The very thought of you my love
The very thought of you my love



All comments from YouTube:

Michelle Post

I loved Rod's LP of 1940s songs. It was different for him to sing that style, but he sure sang them awesomely. Heavenly!!

Barbara Arbo

I also agree. I had to go out & buy his CD. Sweet memories. ✌️💖👵

John Coleman

Hi Michelle, I agree with your post about this cover of Rod Stewart. 😉

Mark Cohn

When Rod Steward sings a standard, he does it right. Perfect tempo and a rendition that calls to mind all the great times you have heard it before. He doesn't try to add annoying new wrinkles. It's a standard because we like it the way we remember it.

Edward Carron

Just like Frank Sinatra, Rod's style is all his own - unforgettable. What a gift to the whole world is the fact that Youtube will make their performances live for ever.

ronald ciccone

Rods Great, No Frank Sinatra!

Robert Silvestri

There have also been numerous recordings of the song by jazz and pop standards artists, including Nancy Wilson, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Nat "King" Cole, Carmen McRae, Billie Holiday, The Hi-Lo's and Elvis Costello to name a few. They all have had their own styles. I'm just happy to see singers like Rod not only cover the song, but to record 4 CDs of jazz standards.

Chahe Derderian

@Terry Harris Actually it was originally performed by Al Bowlly and Ray Noble's Orchestra  in 1934

Terry Harris

are you sure it was'nt Nat King Cole?

Mercedes Carandini

Me fascina como canta y tb su orquesta 👏🥰

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