Roxy Music became a successful act in Europe and Australia during the 1970s. This success began with their self-titled debut studio album in 1972. The band pioneered more musically sophisticated elements of glam rock while significantly influencing early English punk music, and provided a model for many new wave acts while innovating elements of electronic composition. The group also conveyed their distinctive brand of visual and musical sophistication with their focus on glamorous fashions. Ferry and co-founding member Eno have had influential solo careers. Eno became one of the most significant British record producers of the late 20th century. Rolling Stone originally ranked Roxy Music No. 98 on their greatest artists list ("The Immortals – The 100 Greatest Artists of All Time"), but dropped the group from the list when they updated it in 2011.
Roxy Music's final studio album was Avalon (1982), which was certified Platinum in the United States. In 2005, the band began recording what would have become their ninth studio album—and their first album with Eno since 1973 (he wrote two songs for it and also played keyboards). However, Ferry eventually announced that the material from these sessions would instead be released as a Ferry solo studio album, with Eno playing on "a couple of tracks", and that he believed the group would never again produce a record as Roxy Music. The album was released in 2010 as the Ferry solo studio album Olympia. It featured contributions from Eno, Manzanera, and Mackay (amongst many other session players).
In 2011, Roxy Music played a series of 40th-anniversary shows, but went inactive as a performing entity following the concerts. In 2019, Roxy Music were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
In 2022, Roxy Music reformed for a tour to mark the 50th anniversary of their debut studio album.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roxy_Music
Studio albums
Roxy Music (1972)
For Your Pleasure (1973)
Stranded (1973)
Country Life (1974)
Siren (1975)
Manifesto (1979)
Flesh and Blood (1980)
Avalon (1982)
These Foolish Things
Roxy Music Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh! Will you never set me free?
The ties that bound us
Are still around us
There's no escape that I can see
And still those little things remain
That bring me happiness or pain
An airline ticket to romantic places
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you
A tinkling piano in the next apartment
Those stumbling words that told you what my heart meant
A fair ground's painted swings
These foolish things remind me of you
You came you saw you conquer'd me
When you did that to me
I knew somehow this had to be
The winds of March that make my heart a dancer
A telephone that rings but who's to answer?
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you
First daffodils and long excited cables
And candle lights on little corner tables
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you
The park at evening when the bell has sounded
The "Ile de France" with all the gulls around it
The beauty that is Spring's
These foolish things remind me of you
How strange how sweet to find you still
These things are dear to me
They seem to bring you near to me
The sigh of midnight trains in empty stations
Silk stockings thrown aside dance invitations
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you
Gardenia perfume ling'ring on a pillow
Wild strawb'ries only seven francs a kilo
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you
The smile of Garbo and the scent of roses
The waiters whistling as the last bar closes
The song that Crosby sings
These foolish things remind me of you
How strange how sweet to find you still
These things are dear to me
They seem to bring you near to me
The scent of smould'ring leaves, the wail of steamers
Two lovers on the street who walk like dreamers
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you
The Roxy Music song "These Foolish Things" is a nostalgic and sentimental song about a lost love that still haunts the singer. The opening lines express a desire for freedom from the ties that bind the singer, possibly referring to the lingering emotions and memories of the past relationship that they are unable to let go of. The use of repetition in this section emphasizes the singer's sense of entrapment and frustration.
Throughout the song, the singer describes the little things that trigger memories of their past love, including a cigarette with lipstick traces, an airline ticket, the sound of piano music, and the scent of gardenia perfume. These objects are symbolic of the past relationship and the emotions associated with it. The singer's heart still "has wings," suggesting a lingering sense of longing and possibility.
The refrain "These foolish things remind me of you" ties together these nostalgic moments and creates a sense of longing and sadness. The singer is haunted by the memory of their past relationship and the person they once loved. The use of sensory imagery throughout the song - the smell of perfume, the sound of music, the taste of strawberries - creates a vivid and emotionally charged atmosphere.
Overall, "These Foolish Things" is a powerful and moving song about the power of memory and the lasting impact of love.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh! Will you never let me be?
The emotional connection between us is too strong and I am consumed by thoughts of you
Oh! Will you never set me free?
I cannot escape the deep hold you have over me
The ties that bound us
The bonds of our past relationship still have a strong hold over me
Are still around us
I cannot move on from our past together
There's no escape that I can see
I am helpless when it comes to my feelings for you
And still those little things remain
The memories and small details of our past together still linger in my mind
That bring me happiness or pain
These memories have the power to evoke both joy and sorrow within me
A cigarette that bears a lipstick's traces
I am reminded of you by the small but intimate details of our past, such as a lipstick stain on a cigarette
An airline ticket to romantic places
Even objects that are not directly connected to you, such as an airline ticket, can still bring to mind memories of us
And still my heart has wings
Despite the pain and longing, my heart still feels light and free when thinking of you
These foolish things remind me of you
Even the smallest things have the power to evoke my memories of you
A tinkling piano in the next apartment
The sound of a piano can remind me of the happy moments we shared together
Those stumbling words that told you what my heart meant
The words I said to express my love to you still echo in my mind and make me smile
A fair ground's painted swings
The image of painted swings can bring back fond memories of us at the fair
You came you saw you conquer'd me
You had a powerful impact on my life from the moment we met
When you did that to me
I knew from the moment we met that I was in love with you
I knew somehow this had to be
I was certain from the start that you were the one for me
The winds of March that make my heart a dancer
Even the changing seasons can remind me of how alive I felt with you
A telephone that rings but who's to answer?
The sound of a ringing phone is a constant reminder of the uncertainty of our future together
The park at evening when the bell has sounded
The setting of the park at dusk is a potent memory of our walks together
The "Ile de France" with all the gulls around it
The image of the French island with seagulls flying overhead is a reminder of our romantic trips together
The beauty that is Spring's
The beauty of nature in the spring season is associated with happy memories of our past
How strange how sweet to find you still
It is bittersweet to encounter reminders of you in my everyday life
These things are dear to me
The memories of us and the ways in which we were connected hold great value for me
They seem to bring you near to me
The objects and memories associated with you have the powerful ability to make me feel closer to you
The sigh of midnight trains in empty stations
I am reminded of the emptiness I feel without you each time I hear the sound of a train passing by
Silk stockings thrown aside dance invitations
The image of silk stockings and dancing is a powerful and romantic reminder of our past together
Gardenia perfume ling'ring on a pillow
Even the scent of your perfume on a pillow can transport me back to our past together
Wild strawb'ries only seven francs a kilo
The sight of wild strawberries reminds me of sweet moments shared with you
The smile of Garbo and the scent of roses
The beauty of Hollywood stars and the scent of roses are associated with happy moments shared with you
The waiters whistling as the last bar closes
The sound of whistling waiters as the night comes to an end is associated with the bittersweet end of our time together
The song that Crosby sings
Even the melody of a song can remind me of the connection we shared
The scent of smould'ring leaves, the wail of steamers
Even the sound and smell of everyday things can bring back vivid memories of the times we shared together
Two lovers on the street who walk like dreamers
The sight of two young lovers on the street brings back fond memories of us walking together
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
Even though you are no longer physically present in my life, your memory lingers on
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Harry Link, Holt Marvell, Jack Strachey
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Scott La Roque
Oh! Will you never let me be?
Oh! Will you never set me free?
The ties that bound us
Are still around us
There's no escape that I can see
And still those little things remain
That bring me happiness or pain
A cigarette that bears a lipstick's traces
An airline ticket to romantic places
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you
A tinkling piano in the next apartment
Those stumbling words that told you what my heart meant
A fair ground's painted swings
These foolish things remind me of you
You came you saw you conquer'd me
When you did that to me
I knew somehow this had to be
The winds of March that make my heart a dancer
A telephone that rings but who's to answer?
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you
First daffodils and long excited cables
And candle lights on little corner tables
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you
The park at evening when the bell has sounded
The "Ile de France" with all the gulls around it
The beauty that is Spring's
These foolish things remind me of you
How strange how sweet to find you still
These things are dear to me
They seem to bring you near to me
The sigh of midnight trains in empty stations
Silk stockings thrown aside dance invitations
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you
Gardenia perfume ling'ring on a pillow
Wild strawb'ries only seven francs a kilo
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you
The smile of Garbo and the scent of roses
The waiters whistling as the last bar closes
The song that Crosby sings
These foolish things remind me of you
How strange how sweet to find you still
These things are dear to me
They seem to bring you near to me
The scent of smould'ring leaves, the wail of steamers
Two lovers on the street who walk like dreamers
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you
Pan Kotek
Oh! Will you never let me be?
Oh! Will you never set me free?
The ties that bound us
Are still around us
There's no escape that I can see
And still those little things remain
That bring me happiness or pain
A cigarette that bears a lipstick's traces
An airline ticket to romantic places
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you
A tinkling piano in the next apartment
Those stumbling words that told you what my heart meant
A fairground's painted swings
These foolish things remind me of you
You came you saw you conquer'd me
When you did that to me
I somehow knew that had to be
The winds of March that make my heart a dancer
A telephone that rings but who's to answer?
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you
Gardenia perfume ling'ring on a pillow
Wild strawb'ries only seven francs a kilo
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you
The park at evening when the bell has sounded
The "Ile de France" with all the gulls around it
The beauty that is Spring's
These foolish things remind me of you
I know, that this, was bound to be
These things have haunted me
For you've entirely enchanted me
The sigh of midnight trains in empty stations
Silk stockings thrown aside dance invitations
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you
First daffodils
And long excited cables
And candle lights
On little corner tables
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you
The smile of Garbo and the scent of roses
The waiters whistling as the last bar closes
The song that Crosby sings
These foolish things remind me of you
How strange how sweet to find you still
These things are dear to me
They seem to bring you near to me
The scent of smould'ring leaves, the wail of steamers
Two lovers on the street who walk like dreamers
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you
Les Wainwright
Bought this album in 1973 played it thousands of times, Bryan is sheer class
Norm Appleton
Bought it in 1980 in a second hand shop
Nigel James
I did too. From Roxy to this.Smokes gets in your eyes, another classic.
Mark Rees
For me best version, it's weird but he cracks it. This man can sing classics
MotherofpearlMusic
Bryan Ferry manages, as always, to perfectly capture the mood and soul of a song. And, as always, he is brilliantly romantic without the faintest whiff of cheesiness.
patty heffley
The whole time being cheesy!!
Michael Kennedy
He Chants it!! Not Sings It!! Not the way to treat this Classic!!!
James Milton
Brian Ferry is to music as Cary Grant is to movies, suave, sophisticated, a class act!
Helene Steinberg
James Milton.Bryan Ferry is a clsss act very cool and I was at msg nyc sept 12 2022 and the roxy music and he were just right! Years ago i was crazy about Cary Grant and have an autographed photo sent to me after I sent a bd card! Both Mr.Ferry and Mr.Grant have that special something!
Peter Martin
nice comparison.