According to the Come Softly To Me Songfacts, the song originated when Gary… Read Full Bio ↴According to the Come Softly To Me Songfacts, the song originated when Gary Troxel and Gretchen Christopher were waiting for a lift home from high school by her mother. Troxel started humming "Dum dum, domby doo wha..." and Gretchen noticed that it was the same chord progression that she used in a song that she had just finished writing, "Come Softly."

Come Softly To Me
The Fleetwoods Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Mm dooby do, dahm dahm, dahm do dahm ooby do
Dahm dahm, dahm do dahm, ooby do
Dahm dahm, dahm do dahm, ooby do
Dahm dahm, dahm ooh dahm
Mm dooby do

(Come softly, darling)
(Come softly, darling)

(Come softly, darling)
(Come softly, darling)

(Come softly, darling)
(Come to me, stay)
(You're my obsession)
(For ever and a day)

I want, want you to know
I love, I love you so
Please hold, hold me so tight
All through, all through the night

(Speak softly, darling)
(Hear what I say)
(I love you always)
(Always, always)

I've waited, waited so long
For your kisses and your love
Please come, come to me
From up, from up above

(Come softly, darling)
(Come softly, darling)
I need, need you so much
Wanna feel your warm touch

Mm dooby do, dahm dahm, dahm do dahm ooby do
Dahm dahm, dahm do dahm, ooby do
Dahm dahm, dahm do dahm, ooby do
Dahm dahm, dahm ooh dahm

Mm dooby do, dahm dahm, dahm do dahm ooby do
Dahm dahm, dahm do dahm, ooby do

Dahm dahm, dahm do dahm, ooby do
Dahm dahm, dahm ooh dahm

Overall Meaning

The Fleetwoods' "Come Softly to Me" is a romantic ballad that was composed by Gary Troxel, Gretchen Christopher, and Barbara Ellis, and released in 1959. The song opens with a series of nonsensical vocalizations, suggesting that the couple's love transcends verbal communication. The sweet, simple melody soon gives way to a plea that the object of the singer's affection come to him ("Come softly, darling/ Come to me, stay/ You're my obsession/ For ever and a day"). The singer's desire is apparent as he professes his love ("I want, want you to know/ I love, I love you so") and asks the listener to hold him tight all night long.

The second half of the song emphasizes the importance of listening and understanding in a relationship. The singer implores his lover to "Speak softly, darling/ Hear what I say" and affirms his commitment ("I love you always/ Always, always"). He's clear about the depth of his feelings, having "waited so long/ For your kisses and your love," and begs his lover to "come softly" to him from above. The song ends with the same nonsensical vocalizations as in the beginning, suggesting that their love is beyond mere words.

Line by Line Meaning

Mm dooby do, dahm dahm, dahm do dahm ooby do
No specific meaning. Just a filler line for the song

Dahm dahm, dahm do dahm, ooby do
No specific meaning. Just a filler line for the song

Dahm dahm, dahm ooh dahm
No specific meaning. Just a filler line for the song

Mm dooby do
No specific meaning. Just a filler line for the song

(Come softly, darling)
Asking their lover to approach them gently and soothingly

(Come to me, stay)
Asking their lover to come and stay with them

(You're my obsession)
Telling their lover they are their obsession

(For ever and a day)
Telling their lover that their love will last forever

I want, want you to know
Telling their lover they want them to know something important

I love, I love you so
Telling their lover they love them very much

Please hold, hold me so tight
Asking their lover to hold them tightly

All through, all through the night
Asking their lover to hold them all through the night

(Speak softly, darling)
Asking their lover to speak softly to them

(Hear what I say)
Asking their lover to listen carefully to what they are saying

(I love you always)
Telling their lover that they will always love them

(Always, always)
Repeating that their love will always be there

I've waited, waited so long
Telling their lover they have been waiting for them for a long time

For your kisses and your love
Telling their lover they have been waiting for their kisses and love

Please come, come to me
Asking their lover to come to them

From up, from up above
Referring to their lover coming down to them like an angel from above

(Come softly, darling)
Asking their lover to approach them gently and soothingly

I need, need you so much
Telling their lover they need them very much

Wanna feel your warm touch
Telling their lover they want to feel their warm touch

Mm dooby do, dahm dahm, dahm do dahm ooby do
No specific meaning. Just a filler line for the song

Dahm dahm, dahm do dahm, ooby do
No specific meaning. Just a filler line for the song

Dahm dahm, dahm ooh dahm
No specific meaning. Just a filler line for the song

Mm dooby do, dahm dahm, dahm do dahm ooby do
No specific meaning. Just a filler line for the song

Dahm dahm, dahm do dahm, ooby do
No specific meaning. Just a filler line for the song

Dahm dahm, dahm ooh dahm
No specific meaning. Just a filler line for the song

Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GARY TROXEL, BARBARA ELLIS, GRETCHEN CHRISTOPHER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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