Roy David Eldridge (January 30, 1911 – February 26, 1989) was a jazz trumpe… Read Full Bio ↴Roy David Eldridge (January 30, 1911 – February 26, 1989) was a jazz trumpet player in the Swing era. His sophisticated use of harmony, including the use of tritone substitutions, resulted in him sometimes being seen as the link between Louis Armstrong-era swing music and Dizzy Gillespie-era bebop. Roy's rhythmic power to swing a band was a dynamic trademark of the Swing Era.

Eldridge was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His nickname was Little Jazz. Eldridge played in the bands of Fletcher Henderson, Gene Krupa and Artie Shaw before making records under his own name. He also played in Benny Goodman's and Count Basie's Orchestras, and co-led a band with Coleman Hawkins.

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
Roy Eldridge Lyrics

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I don't want you, but I'd hate to lose you
You've got me in between the devil and the deep blue sea
I forgive you, 'cause I can't forget you
You've got me in between the devil and the deep blue sea

[Repeat: x2]
I ought to cross you off my list
But when you come a-knocking at my door

Fate seems to give my heart a twist
And I come running back for more
I should hate you, but I guess I love you
You've got me in between the devil and the deep blue sea

You've got me in between the devil and the deep blue sea
The devil and the deep blue sea

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Roy Eldridge's song Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea conveys the confusion and ambivalence of being stuck in a difficult and uncomfortable situation. The phrase "between the devil and the deep blue sea" is an idiom that means to be in a difficult and potentially dangerous situation, with two equally undesirable options. In the first verse, the singer expresses that they do not want the person they are addressing, but they also do not want to lose them. The second verse illustrates their internal conflict, as they struggle with trying to move on and forget this person, but finding themselves unable to resist when they come back into their life. The final verse reveals that the singer might even hate this person, but they cannot deny that they are still in love with them.

Line by Line Meaning

I don't want you, but I'd hate to lose you
I don't really desire you, still, losing you is not desirable either.

You've got me in between the devil and the deep blue sea
Your presence is putting me in a difficult situation; it's like being stuck between a rock and a hard place.

I forgive you, 'cause I can't forget you
I hold no grudge because it's hard to forget about you.

You've got me in between the devil and the deep blue sea
Your presence is putting me in a difficult situation; it's like being stuck between a rock and a hard place.

I ought to cross you off my list
I should remove you from my life.

But when you come a-knocking at my door
Yet, when you come back to me seeking something, I find it hard to resist.

Fate seems to give my heart a twist
Destiny puts a wrench in my heart and creates an unexpected turn of events.

And I come running back for more
I end up running towards you with an urge for more.

I should hate you, but I guess I love you
It would be more reasonable to hate you, but I can't help myself from loving you.

You've got me in between the devil and the deep blue sea
Your presence is putting me in a difficult situation; it's like being stuck between a rock and a hard place.

The devil and the deep blue sea
A difficult decision to make where both options come with risks or troubles.

Lyrics © S.A. MUSIC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HAROLD ARLEN, TED KOEHLER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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