Little Girl Blue
Sarah Vaughan Lyrics


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When I was very young
The world was younger than I
As merry as a carousel

The circus tent was strung
With every star in the sky
Above the ring I loved so well
Now the young world has grown old
Gone are the tinsel and gold

Sit there and count your fingers
What can you do?
Old girl, you're through
Sit there and count your little fingers
Unlucky, little girl blue

Sit there and count the raindrops
Falling on you
It's time you knew
All you can count on is the raindrops
That fall on little girl blue

No use, old girl
You may as well surrender
Your hope is getting slender
Why won't somebody send a tender
Blue boy
To cheer little girl blue?

No use, old girl
You may as well surrender
Your hope is getting slender
Why won't somebody send a tender




Blue boy
To cheer little girl blue?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Sarah Vaughan's song Little Girl Blue express a deep sense of melancholy and resignation. The first verses evoke the innocence and wonder of childhood, when everything seemed possible and the world was full of magic and delight. However, as the song progresses, the mood becomes increasingly somber and the lyrics reflect a sense of disillusionment and despair.


The line "Sit there and count your fingers, what can you do?" signifies a realization that life is not as easy and carefree as it once seemed, and that the singer is now struggling to find her way in a world that seems hostile and unwelcoming. The repeated phrase "little girl blue" reinforces the sense of vulnerability and helplessness that underlies the song.


The final verses offer a glimmer of hope, as the singer calls out for a "blue boy" to come and cheer her up. However, the fact that this hope is so tentative and contingent on outside forces highlights the sense of powerlessness that runs throughout the song. Overall, the lyrics of Little Girl Blue are a poignant exploration of the complexities of growing up and the challenges of finding one's place in the world.


Line by Line Meaning

When I was very young
Back when I was just a little girl


The world was younger than I
I felt like I was ahead of the world in my youth


As merry as a carousel
Everything felt like a joyful ride, full of fun and wonder


The circus tent was strung
The tent where the circus act was performed was decorated beautifully with bright, shining colors


With every star in the sky
The skies were a beautiful sight with lots of twinkling stars


Above the ring I loved so well
I loved the circus ring where the performances took place and everything around it dearly


Now the young world has grown old
The world that once was full of youth, beauty and hope has now lost its charm and has become dull and worn out


Gone are the tinsel and gold
All the decorations and shiny things have disappeared with time


Sit there and count your fingers
There's not much else to do but sit and ponder and reflect on things


What can you do?
There doesn't seem much that can be done about it now


Old girl, you're through
You've been there, done that, and now it's time for you to move on


Sit there and count your little fingers
There's nothing left to do but entertain oneself with idle tasks like counting fingers


Unlucky, little girl blue
Life doesn't seem to have been kind to you and has left you feeling blue and unfortunate


Sit there and count the raindrops
All that's left now is to watch the rain fall and pass the time


Falling on you
Rain that seems to be specifically targeted towards you or your current situation


It's time you knew
The realization is beginning to set in that things aren't going to get better


All you can count on is the raindrops
The only thing that seems to remain constant is the rain


That fall on little girl blue
Life just feels depressing and hopeless, like something out of a blues song


No use, old girl
There's no point in trying anymore


You may as well surrender
It's time to give up on any hope one had left


Your hope is getting slender
Any glimmer of hope seems to be fading away


Why won't somebody send a tender
If only someone kind and compassionate could come along to ease the pain


Blue boy
A metaphor for someone who could cheer one up to make them feel better


To cheer little girl blue?
To bring some joy and hope back to someone who feels very sad and unhappy




Lyrics © DistroKid, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LORENZ HART, RICHARD RODGERS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Daniel Forte

the ultimate diva at the peak of her immense vocal talents , i didin't think anyone could rival doris day's version , but my word , miss. sarah is right there , a beautiful song interpreted by two of the greatest singers of all time

Norma Tucker

Our Mama sang this song to us a lot when when we were growing up. Sarah Vaughn was her favorite singer.

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