Latin jazz musician Cal Tjader, renowned for his vibraphone playing skills,… Read Full Bio ↴Latin jazz musician Cal Tjader, renowned for his vibraphone playing skills, teamed up with legendary jazz saxophonist Stan Getz in 1958, producing a well-received album. Getz and Tjader had long tried to work together and when they finally did record, their styles melded perfectly. The album was recorded at Circle Record Studios, San Francisco, California on February 8, 1958.
Credits:
- Stan Getz (tenor saxophone);
- Cal Tjader (vibraphone);
- Vince Guaraldi (piano);
- Eddie Duran (guitar);
- Scott LaFaro(bass);
- Billy Higgins (drums).

For All We Know
The Cal Tjader & Stan Getz Sextet Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

For all we know
We may never meet again
Before we go
Make this moment live again
We won't say goodbye
Until the last minute
I'll hold out my hand
And my heart will be in it

For all we know
This might only be a dream
We come and we go
Like the ripples, like the ripples in the stream
So baby, love me, love me tonight
Tomorrow was made for some
Oh, but tomorrow
But tomorrow may never, never come
For all we know

Yes, tomorrow may never, never come
For all we know

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "For All We Know" by The Cal Tjader & Stan Getz Sextet express the transience of life and the importance of cherishing the present moment. The first verse suggests that the people in the song might be about to part ways, and they may never see each other again. However, they decide to make this moment matter, to make it live again. There is a sense of urgency, emphasized by the idea that they won't say goodbye until the last minute. The singer intends to hold out their hand, symbolizing a connection that they will maintain, even if only in memory. The second verse suggests that life itself might be a dream, and we only pass through it briefly before we fade away. Like the ripples in a stream, we come and go, leaving only traces of our passing. The chorus emphasizes the need to love and live in the moment, to seize the day because tomorrow may never come.

The lyrics of "For All We Know" resonate with anyone who has experienced the fleeting nature of life and the importance of making meaningful connections with others. The song suggests that even short-term connections can be significant, and we should make the most of the opportunities we have. The urgency of the song is balanced by a sense of wistfulness and nostalgia. The lyrics imply that even if the people in the song never see each other again, they will still carry the memory of this moment, and it will endure.

Overall, "For All We Know" is a beautiful and poignant song that captures the fragility and beauty of life. It encourages us to embrace the moment, to cherish the people we meet, and to live our lives with passion and sincerity.

Line by Line Meaning

For all we know
We don't have certainty about the future and what it holds.

We may never meet again
It's possible that we may never cross paths again.

Before we go
While we're still here and alive.

Make this moment live again
Let's cherish this moment and make it memorable.

We won't say goodbye
We won't say farewell or part ways for good.

Until the last minute
Until it's absolutely necessary.

I'll hold out my hand
I offer my hand in a gesture of friendship and comfort.

And my heart will be in it
I'll express my sincerity and commitment in this gesture.

This might only be a dream
This could be something that only exists in our imagination.

We come and we go
We enter and leave this world in the same way that ripples form and disappear in a stream.

Like the ripples, like the ripples in the stream
We move through life like the ripples that form and fade in a stream.