The Theme
Sarah Vaughan [feat. Bob James Dizzy Gillespie & Hank Mobley] 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.
Love is a spark lost in the dark,
Too soon, too soon,
I feel wherever I go
That tomorrow is near, tomorrow is here
And always too 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, ev'rything ends
Too soon, too soon,
I wait darling, I wait
Will you speak low to me,
Speak love to me and soon.
The lyrics of "The Theme" by Sarah Vaughan, featuring Bob James, Dizzy Gillespie, and Hank Mobley, convey a sense of urgency and the fleeting nature of love. The opening lines, "Speak low when you speak, love, Our summer day withers away, Too soon, too soon," suggest the need for discretion and caution in expressing love, as time passes quickly and the joyous moments are brief. The repetition of "speak low" emphasizes the need to keep love discreet and to savor the moments before they slip away.
The lyrics continue to depict the transitory nature of love, comparing it to ships adrift and being swept apart too soon. The line "Love is a spark lost in the dark, Too soon, too soon" suggests that love can be easily extinguished, and the joy it brings can be overshadowed by the darkness of the world. The theme of time plays a crucial role, as the lyrics express a sense of impending future, where tomorrow is always too near and too soon.
The lyrics then talk about the value of love and the paradoxical nature of time. Love is described as "pure gold," emphasizing its preciousness, while time is portrayed as a thief that steals away the moments of love. The closing lines, "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," suggest a longing for love to be expressed, even as time is running out. The mention of waiting further emphasizes the yearning for love to be expressed before it's too late.
Line by Line Meaning
Speak low when you speak, love,
Whisper softly when you express your affection,
Our summer day withers away
Our time together in happiness is fading rapidly,
Too soon, too soon.
Unexpectedly and unfairly ending prematurely.
Speak low when you speak, love,
Keep your voice hushed when you talk about love,
Our moment is swift, like ships adrift,
The time we share feels unstable and transitory,
We're swept apart too soon.
We get separated much earlier than we desire.
Speak low, darling speak low,
Darling, please speak softly,
Love is a spark lost in the dark,
Love is like a small glimmer that gets extinguished in the obscurity,
Too soon, too soon,
Prematurely and regretfully,
I feel wherever I go
Wherever I may be,
That tomorrow is near, tomorrow is here
The future is imminent, it has already arrived.
And always too soon.
And it always feels like it's slipping away prematurely.
Time is so old and love so brief,
Time seems ancient while love is short-lived,
Love is pure gold and time a thief.
Love is priceless, but time stealthily takes it away.
We're late darling, we're late,
We have fallen behind, my dear,
The curtain descends, ev'rything ends
The final act is closing, everything concludes,
Too soon, too soon,
Regrettably and before its time,
I wait darling, I wait
I patiently anticipate, my love,
Will you speak low to me,
Will you whisper softly to me,
Speak love to me and soon.
Express your affection to me in hushed tones and promptly.
Lyrics © Music Hub O/B/O GEMA, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Kurt Weill, Ogden Nash
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mikes66442
I love Sharky's Machine! The soundtrack is fantastic, especially this song!
Arturo Lopez
This was a great movie with an even better soundtrack.The moment when this song comes on is the best part of the movie. I fell in love with the Rachel Ward because of this song.
wild& peaceful
Arturo Lopez yes, I'm not gay but I fell in love with her to the music set the mood and my 18 year old ass was ready to be in love lol this is one of the best songs ever and not many people no about it🦋
Paolo Cardelli
Highly underrated film and Sarah Vaughan adds real class to the great soundtrack.
CoolSummer Breeze
The soundtrack for Sharky's Machine is full of great jazz classics. Probably one of the best soundtracks ever made, and some of Reynolds best work as an actor!
Patricia Tisdale
I loved the movie as well, but this song was a great touch for that particular scene in the movie. If just fit so well. And she sang this song amazingly well.
lynn bond
Patricia Tisdale i concur...😏
Mountain Freedom CDC
Great movie. Greater soundtrack. Greatest song. It was great being young.
lynn bond
The magnificent SARAH VAUGHAN!!!😙💚🎼.
g t
Burton Reynolds best movie and he directed it. Great sound track