Easy As You Go
The Dave Brubeck Quartet Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

You go to my head
And you linger like a haunting refrain
And I find you spinning round in my brain
Like the bubbles in a glass of champagne

You go to my head
Like a sip of sparkling burgundy brew
And I find the very mention of you
Like the kicker in a julep or two

The thrill of the thought
That you might give a thought to my plea, cast a spell over me
Still I say to myself get a hold of yourself
Can't you see that it never can be?

You go to my head
With a smile that makes my temperature rise
Like a summer with a thousand July's
You intoxicate my soul with your eyes

Though I'm certain that this heart of mine
Hasn't a ghost of a chance in this crazy romance




You go to my head
You go to my head

Overall Meaning

The Dave Brubeck Octet's song "You Go to My Head" is a classic '40s romantic number about the intoxicating effect of love on the human mind. The song is an elegant representation of how love can get under our skin and start to dictate our thoughts and emotions. The lyrics begin by establishing the hold this person has on the singer. The lover lingers like a haunting refrain in the singer's head, like the bubbles in a glass of champagne. The imagery here is poignant and powerful, signifying the grip that love has over the singer's thoughts and senses. The mention of the lover is like the kicker in a cold drink, giving it the zest it needs to tantalize the senses.


The singer acknowledges the thrill of the thought that the lover might consider their plea and reciprocate their feelings. However, the singer also recognizes that it is unlikely to happen. Even knowing this, the lover still goes to their head with a smile that makes their temperature rise. The imagery of summer with a thousand Julys signifies the intensity and heat of the attraction the singer feels for their lover. They intoxicate the singer's soul with their eyes, signifying the deep and profound admiration they have for them.


In conclusion, "You Go to My Head" is an elegant and timeless ode to the intoxicating allure of love. The lyrics and music are a perfect representation of the romantic ideals of the 1940s, and the song continues to be a cherished classic for both jazz and romance enthusiasts around the world.


Line by Line Meaning

You go to my head
You are always on my mind and in my thoughts


And you linger like a haunting refrain
Your memory and presence stays with me like a ghostly echo


And I find you spinning round in my brain
I can't stop thinking about you, you occupy my mind


Like the bubbles in a glass of champagne
You fill me up and make me feel bubbly, like a celebratory drink


Like a sip of sparkling burgundy brew
A taste of you is like an exquisite and expensive wine, it leaves me wanting more


And I find the very mention of you
Just hearing your name or talking about you is enough to capture my attention


Like the kicker in a julep or two
You add a potent and intoxicating kick to my life, like a strong cocktail


The thrill of the thought
The excitement I feel imagining that you might reciprocate my feelings


That you might give a thought to my plea, cast a spell over me
If only you would consider my request, I would be under your control and enchanted


Still I say to myself get a hold of yourself
Despite my obsession with you, I try to keep my emotions in check and be rational


Can't you see that it never can be?
I know deep down that our relationship will never work, but I can't help myself from yearning for it


With a smile that makes my temperature rise
Your smile is so captivating that it stirs up intense and passionate feelings in me


Like a summer with a thousand July's
Being with you is like experiencing a warm and endless season of joy and happiness


You intoxicate my soul with your eyes
Your eyes have a hypnotic and alluring effect on me, they leave me feeling intoxicated


Though I'm certain that this heart of mine
Even though I know for sure that I will never have you


Hasn't a ghost of a chance in this crazy romance
There is no chance for us to be together, our love story is doomed from the start


You go to my head
You are always on my mind and in my thoughts


You go to my head
You are always on my mind and in my thoughts




Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: J.F. Coots, Haven Gillespie

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Comments from YouTube:

@stevenlowel486

When I first heard this piece, I was driving and I was only a couple blocks from home and got lost! This song is so hauntingly beautiful that I play it often before I sleep and I hear it in my dreams

@Shaker626

How long ago was that, may I ask?

@schotext

This surely is one of most impressive solo's of Paul Desmond's recordings. It is of an ethereal beauty and tells a story with such an evocative imagination and infinitive fantasy that it again and again moves me in a way that I cannot really explain. Only take the decending figure at the end of his solo (3:58) and you can only stand in awe for this lyrical genius.

@robinearle7225

Artie Shaw was one of Paul Desmond's heroes, and Shaw's version of Stardust is commemorated here.

@marketccess1

From Paul’s horn to God’s ears. How lucky for us to be in the audience!

@jeremywheeler5522

Just astonishingly beautiful in its inventive improvisation of perhaps the greatest melody ever written for a popular song by the talented Mr Hoagy Carmichael. At 83 I sit here and wonder about how such near perfection can exist in a world so totally screwed up by humanity.

@karlirvine8774

What a lie

@DerVulture

haven’t heard this since high school. chills the entire time. utterly genius

@bobfield1971

What a beautiful solo by Paul. No one else sounds like this, Wow

@ScalerWave

I was never a Jazz fan until listening to Paul Desmond.

More Comments

More Versions