Look for the Silver Lining
The Dave Brubeck Quartet Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Look for the silver lining
Whenever a cloud appears in the blue
Remember somewhere the sun is shining
And so the right thing to do is make it shine for you

A heart full of joy and gladness
Will always banish sadness and strife
So always look for the silver lining
And try to find the sunny side of life

Look for the silver lining
Whenever a cloud appears in the blue
Remember somewhere the sun is shining
And so the right thing to do is make it shine for you

A heart full of joy and gladness
Will always banish sadness and strife
So always look for the silver lining
And try to find the sunny side of life

A heart full of joy and gladness
Will always banish sadness and strife
So always look for the silver lining
And try to find the sunny side of life




And try to find a sunny side of life
And try to find the sunny side of life

Overall Meaning

The Dave Brubeck Quartet's song "Look for the Silver Lining" is an optimistic tune about finding hope and positivity even in the darkest of times. The lyrics suggest that whenever we encounter clouds in the "blue" of our lives, we should remember that somewhere the sun is shining and try to make it shine for ourselves. The heart full of joy and gladness will banish sadness and strife, so it's always important to look for the silver lining and try to find the sunny side of life.


This song was released in 1959 as part of the album "Gone with the Wind," which was inspired by the classic film of the same name. It's a jazz instrumental that features the talents of Brubeck on piano, Paul Desmond on alto saxophone, Eugene Wright on bass, and Joe Morello on drums. Though it's an instrumental piece, it features the melody of the song's lyrics played by Desmond's saxophone. The song's upbeat tempo and joyful melody capture the essence of the song's message of hope and optimism.


Interestingly, the song was actually written in 1919 as a Broadway tune by Jerome Kern and B.G. DeSylva for the musical "Sally." It's been covered by a number of artists over the years, including Judy Garland, Chet Baker, and Tony Bennett. However, The Dave Brubeck Quartet's version is perhaps the most well-known and beloved.


In summary, "Look for the Silver Lining" is a joyful and uplifting tune that encourages listeners to find hope and optimism even in the darkest of times. It's a testament to the power of positive thinking and reminds us that there's always a sunny side to life if we look hard enough.


Line by Line Meaning

Look for the silver lining
Search for the positive in all life's situations


Whenever a cloud appears in the blue
When faced with difficult times


Remember somewhere the sun is shining
There's always an opportunity for growth or positivity


And so the right thing to do is make it shine for you
Take control of the situation and create a positive outcome


A heart full of joy and gladness
A positive attitude towards life


Will always banish sadness and strife
Electing to find happiness will overcome life's challenges


And try to find the sunny side of life
Optimistically look for the good and bright side of things




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BUD DE SYLVA, JEROME KERN

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