Laura
The Dave Brubeck Octet Lyrics
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Of something that never happened, yet you recall it well
You know the feeling of recognizing someone
That you've never met as far as you could tell, well
Laura is the face in the misty light
Footsteps that you hear down the hall
The laugh that floats on a summer night
And you see Laura on the train that is passing through
Those eyes, how familiar they seem
She gave your very first kiss to you
That was Laura but she's only a dream
The Dave Brubeck Octet's song "Laura" invokes the feeling of nostalgia and reflection while portraying the idea of a half-remembered fantasy. The lyrics describe the experience of recognizing someone or something that we can't quite remember, but feels familiar. "Laura" is a name given to this person in the mist, who is a face in the misty light, footsteps that you hear down the hall, or a laugh that floats on a summer night that can never quite recall. The singer sees Laura on a train that is passing by with eyes that seem familiar, and then the lyrics reveal the truth that Laura only exists in his dream. Thus, the song elicits a strong sense of longing for those things that we have never truly experienced but which only exist in our imaginations.
One interpretation is that "Laura" is a symbol of the singer's unmet desires or romantic aspirations that he wishes to fulfill but cannot. The song also suggests the melancholic feeling that the memory of a person or a moment could be powerful enough to keep them alive even after they've gone. It may be a song about nostalgia, unrequited love, or longing for elusive memories of life.
Line by Line Meaning
You know the feeling of something half remembered
The feeling of barely recognizing something as if it's been partly forgotten
Of something that never happened, yet you recall it well
The feeling of knowing something deeply that has never actually occurred
You know the feeling of recognizing someone
The sensation of identifying someone you've never met before
That you've never met as far as you could tell, well
Someone who is unfamiliar, but you have a sense that you know them somehow
Laura is the face in the misty light
Laura is a person who appears elusive and hard to grasp
Footsteps that you hear down the hall
Footsteps that sound familiar but you can't place the person they belong to
The laugh that floats on a summer night
The sound of laughter that is heard in the night and feels nostalgic
That you can never quite recall
A memory that is fleeting and can't be fully recollected
And you see Laura on the train that is passing through
Imagining seeing Laura while watching a distant train pass by
Those eyes, how familiar they seem
Feeling intimately familiar with Laura's gaze
She gave your very first kiss to you
Laura gave you your first romantic kiss
That was Laura but she's only a dream
The realization that Laura is a figment of the imagination and not reality
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DAVID RAKSIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind