Speak Low
Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra & Alexander Shelley Max Raabe Daniel Hope Lyrics
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Our summer day withers away too soon, too soon
Speak low when you speak, love
Our moment is swift, like ships adrift, we're swept apart, too soon
Speak low, darling, speak low
Love is a spark, lost in the dark too soon, too soon
I feel wherever I go
Time is so old and love so brief
Love is pure gold and time a thief
We're late, darling, we're late
The curtain descends, everything ends too soon, too soon
I wait, darling, I wait
Will you speak low to me, speak love to me and soon
Time is so old and love so brief
Love is pure gold and time a thief
We're late, darling, we're late
The curtain descends, everything ends too soon, too soon
I wait, darling, I wait
Will you speak low to me, speak love to me and soon
Speak low
"Speak Low" is a poignant love song that expresses the fleeting nature of romantic love. It opens with the first stanza urging one's sweetheart to speak in a hushed tone to their beloved so that they can extend the dwindling odyssey of love that's destined for a very brief time. The next stanza establishes that love is ephemeral and time is unyielding, and the perpetually looming future is always nearer and closer than ever. The subsequent verse establishes, that love is unequivocally valuable in a world where time is of apparent essence. The chorus says, "We're late darling, we're late / The curtain descends, everything ends too soon, too soon," which conveys the idea that our life & relationships can end abruptly if we are not mindful of the present. The final stanza concludes with a tender plea to the lover, to keep the flame of love alive by speaking their love into existence, and that too soon.
The lyrics Speak Low is an adaptation of a poem - "Speak Low (When You Speak Love)" - by Ogden Nash, a renowned American poet known for his wit and humor. The song was written by Kurt Weill, a German composer, and Ogden Nash. The song has been covered by various artists such as Marlene Dietrich, Billie Holiday, Tony Bennett, Barbra Streisand, and many others. The song portrays the theme of the transitory nature of love and the concept of carpe diem, which was a popular theme during the early 20th century. The song was originally written for the musical One Touch of Venus in 1943, however, it was categorized as a jazz standard and went on to become a very popular song. The song was performed by the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, and Alexander Shelley, alongside vocalists Max Raabe and Daniel Hope - a unique blend of symphony and jazz. The song creates a contrasting mood and edge to what we're used to hearing.
Line by Line Meaning
Speak low when you speak, love
When you express love, do it with a soft and gentle voice.
Our summer day withers away too soon, too soon
Our time together is fleeting, like the shortness of summer days.
Our moment is swift, like ships adrift, we're swept apart, too soon
Our time together passes quickly and feels unstable, like ships floating aimlessly in the ocean.
Speak low, darling, speak low
Speak softly and tenderly, my love.
Love is a spark, lost in the dark too soon, too soon
Love can be powerful but is fragile and can easily be extinguished in a short period of time.
I feel wherever I go, that tomorrow is near, tomorrow is here and always too soon
I constantly feel the presence of time and how it quickly slips away from us, always seeming too soon.
Time is so old and love so brief
Time has been around for ages while love is fleeting with a short shelf-life.
Love is pure gold and time a thief
Love is precious, valuable and rare, while time is always taking away from us and fleeting.
We're late, darling, we're late
We don't have much time left to spend together.
The curtain descends, everything ends too soon, too soon
Just like the curtains of a performance, our time together is coming to an end sooner than we'd like.
I wait, darling, I wait
I am eagerly waiting for your love and presence.
Will you speak low to me, speak love to me and soon
Please speak to me tenderly and express your love to me soon.
Speak low
Reminding us to speak softly and gently, especially when expressing love and tenderness.
Contributed by Max R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.