The Boswell Sisters were verifiable radio stars in the late 20s and early 30s, keeping company with the likes of the Dorsey Brothers, Bunny Berigan, Eddie Lang, and Benny Goodman - partnerships that provided the jazz world with some of its most influential recordings.
The nature of the music was auspicious and good-humored, providing a ray of hope to listeners during a truly dispiriting economic depression.
The girls were famous for their tight three - part harmonies, subtle lyrical innuendo and dizzying tempo changes. As a result, the Sweets’ repertoire is brimming with ambitious arrangements of everything from standards like “Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea” to obscure tunes like “Gee, But I’d Like to Make You Happy.”
The Sweets’ ability to transport audiences to the early days of jazz has already earned them a sizable and colorful fan base in their native Portland and beyond.
Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
The Stolen Sweets Lyrics
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You've got me in between the devil and the deep blue sea
I forgive you, 'cause I can't forget you
You've got me in between the devil and the deep blue sea
[Repeat: x2]
I ought to cross you off my list
But when you come a-knocking at my door
And I come running back for more
I should hate you, but I guess I love you
You've got me in between the devil and the deep blue sea
You've got me in between the devil and the deep blue sea
The devil and the deep blue sea
The Stolen Sweets's "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea" is a love song with lyrics that describe the singer's feelings of being caught in a difficult situation. The song's primary metaphor is the "devil and the deep blue sea," which represent the choice between a bad option and a worse one. In this case, the singer is torn between his desire for the person he loves and the realization that the relationship is not good for him.
The lyrics convey a sense of resignation that the singer is unable to shake his attraction to the person who is not good for him. He acknowledges that he should hate this person but has come to terms with the fact that he loves them despite their flaws. The singer decides to forgive the person he loves because he cannot forget them, thus putting himself in the position of being caught between the devil and the deep blue sea.
The song's chorus repeats the phrase "You've got me in between the devil and the deep blue sea" twice, emphasizing the sense of helplessness that the singer feels. The phrase "devil and the deep blue sea" has been used in various contexts over the years, but it remains a common way of describing a difficult decision for which there are no good options.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't want you, but I'd hate to lose you
I cannot see myself being with you, but the thought of losing you makes me afraid
You've got me in between the devil and the deep blue sea
Your actions have left me in a difficult situation with no easy choices
I forgive you, 'cause I can't forget you
I choose to forgive you for hurting me, but I cannot forget what you've done
I ought to cross you off my list
I should remove you from my life and never look back
But when you come a-knocking at my door
However, when you come back into my life and seek my attention
Fate seems to give my heart a twist
I feel conflicted and unsure about what to do, as if fate is toying with my emotions
And I come running back for more
I cannot resist the temptation of being with you, despite the pain it may cause
I should hate you, but I guess I love you
Despite everything, I cannot deny my feelings for you
You've got me in between the devil and the deep blue sea
Once again, your actions have left me in a difficult situation with no easy choices
The devil and the deep blue sea
A proverbial phrase representing a choice between two equally difficult situations
Lyrics © S.A. MUSIC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind