These Foolish Things
Roxy Music (Bryan Ferry) Lyrics

Oh! Will you never let me be?
Will you never allow me to be free from this attachment to you?

Oh! Will you never set me free?
Will you never allow me to be liberated from you?

The ties that bound us
The emotional and physical connections that have linked us together in the past

Are still around us
Are still present and affecting us in the present

There's no escape that I can see
I cannot find a way to break free from our past connection

And still those little things remain
And yet, the small objects and moments that remind me of you persist

That bring me happiness or pain
These objects and moments can evoke both positive and negative emotions

A cigarette that bears a lipstick's traces
A cigarette that you have smoked and left your mark on, reminding me of your presence

An airline ticket to romantic places
A ticket that represented a journey we took together to a secluded or romantic locale

And still my heart has wings
Despite the pain and the lingering connection to you, my heart still flutters and longs for you

These foolish things remind me of you
These little objects and moments seemed small and insignificant in the moment but now they loom large and remind me of you

A tinkling piano in the next apartment
The distant sound of a piano being played by someone else reminds me of the times we spent together listening to music

Those stumbling words that told you what my heart meant
The clumsy words I spoke in an attempt to express my feelings for you

A fair ground's painted swings
The innocent memories of carnival rides and playful interactions

You came you saw you conquer'd me
You swept into my life, caught my attention, and gained control over my emotional state

When you did that to me
When you took control over my heart and emotions

I knew somehow this had to be
I knew that there was an inevitable connection and destiny between us

The winds of March that make my heart a dancer
The joy and exuberance brought on by the arrival of spring and new beginnings

A telephone that rings but who's to answer?
A ringing telephone that could be you calling, but I don't know for sure

The ghost of you clings!
Your memory and the impact you had on my life still haunt me

These foolish things remind me of you
The silly and insignificant objects and moments that still have the power to remind me of you

First daffodils and long excited cables
The arrival of spring and the energy of connection through long-distance phone lines

And candle lights on little corner tables
The romantic ambiance of candlelit dinners and intimate settings

The park at evening when the bell has sounded
The peaceful tranquility of the park at nightfall, with the chime of the bell marking the hour

The "Ile de France" with all the gulls around it
The sight of a ship out at sea surrounded by a flock of gulls, with the potential of travel and adventure

The beauty that is Spring's
The beauty and renewal of springtime and new beginnings

How strange how sweet to find you still
It is both surprising and comforting to still have feelings for you after all this time

These things are dear to me
These objects and moments that remind me of you have become precious to me in their association with you

They seem to bring you near to me
These objects and moments have the power to make me feel closer to you, despite the distance between us

The sigh of midnight trains in empty stations
The mournful sound of trains passing through deserted stations at night, with the potential for escape and new beginnings

Silk stockings thrown aside dance invitations
The playful and sensual nature of romance, with silk stockings and dancing representing these feelings

Gardenia perfume ling'ring on a pillow
The lingering scent of gardenia perfume on a pillow, serving as a sensory reminder of our time together

Wild strawb'ries only seven francs a kilo
The simple pleasures of life, represented by the inexpensive yet delicious wild strawberries

The smile of Garbo and the scent of roses
The elegance and classic beauty of actress Greta Garbo, combined with the luxurious scent of roses

The waiters whistling as the last bar closes
The jovial sounds of the waitstaff whistling as the establishment closes, representing a carefree and playful moment

The song that Crosby sings
The voice of singer Bing Crosby, evoking a feeling of nostalgia for a more innocent time

The scent of smould'ring leaves, the wail of steamers
The autumnal scent of burning leaves, mingled with the haunting wail of steamships in the distance

Two lovers on the street who walk like dreamers
The sight of a couple in love, walking hand in hand and lost in their own romantic world