Oh! Look At Me Now
Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra & Frank Sinatra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I'm not the guy who cared about fortunes and such
I never cared much
Oh, look at me now!
I never knew the technique of kissing
I never knew the thrill I could get from your touch
I never knew much
I'm a new man better than casanova at his best
With a new heart and a brand new start
Why I'm so proud I'm bustin' my vest
So I'm the guy who turned out a lover
Yes I'm the guy who laughed at those blue diamond rings
One of those things
Oh, look at me now!
I'm not the guy who cared about love
And I'm not the guy who cared about fortunes and such
I never cared much
Oh, look at me now!
And I never knew the technique of kissing
I never knew the thrill I could get form your touch
I never knew much
Oh, look at me now!
I'm a new man better than casanova at his very best
With a new heart and a brand new start
I'm so proud I'm bustin' my vest
So I'm the guy who turned out a lover
Yes I'm the guy who laughed at those blue diamond rings
One of those things
Oh, look at me now!
Look at me now!
The lyrics of "Oh! Look at Me Now" by Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra talks about a man who used to be indifferent to love and wealth. This man never cared much for any of these things until he met someone special who changed everything and taught him how to love. The man realizes that he never knew the joys of kissing or the thrill of a touch until his partner showed him. He is now a new man, better than Casanova at his very best, with a new heart and a fresh start. The man is so proud of the changes that he is bursting at the seams with joy.
The man refers to himself as the guy who turned out to be a lover, the guy who laughed at blue diamond rings, and someone who never really understood love or what it entailed. The fact that he can now embrace love, and be proud of the changes that have occurred in him, shows how his attitude towards love and relationships has changed. In a sense, the lyrics of the song represent the idea that love can change people, and that being open to the possibility of love can lead to personal growth and transformation.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm not the guy who cared about love
I never prioritized love or relationships before.
And I'm not the guy who cared about fortunes and such
I never concerned myself with wealth or material possessions.
I never cared much
I wasn't particularly invested in anything before.
Oh, look at me now!
But now things have changed, and I'm amazed at my transformation.
I never knew the technique of kissing
I was inexperienced in matters of physical intimacy and romance.
I never knew the thrill I could get from your touch
I had never experienced the intense pleasure that comes with physical affection.
I never knew much
In general, I was pretty clueless about a lot of things.
I'm a new man better than casanova at his best
Now I'm a transformed person, brimming with confidence and charm - even surpassing the legendary Casanova.
With a new heart and a brand new start
I have a fresh perspective on life and feel reborn, ready to begin again.
Why I'm so proud I'm bustin' my vest
I'm filled with so much pride and self-assurance that I feel like my chest is about to burst.
So I'm the guy who turned out a lover
I've surprisingy become someone who is deeply invested in love and romance.
Yes I'm the guy who laughed at those blue diamond rings
I used to mock and dismiss people who were obsessed with material wealth and status symbols like fancy jewelry.
One of those things
But I realize now that everyone has their own priorities and values, and that's okay.
Oh, look at me now!
Overall, I am amazed and thrilled by how much I have changed and grown.
Look at me now!
I want everyone to take notice of my wonderful transformation.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Trombonology
Please note the author credit above and on the record label -- this side has an interesting history: When Joe Bushkin joined the Dorsey aggregation in the spring of 1940, his employer requested that he write some numbers for The Pied Pipers, whose arrival preceded the pianist's by a few months. With friend and amateur lyricist, John DeVries, Bushkin came up with "Oh! Look At Me Now." The song's treatment, with an arrangement by Sy Oliver that, in this early stage, featured the vocal talents of The Pied Pipers alone, was polished during the band's engagement at Manhattan's Hotel Astor Roof. Amusingly, when the song caught on, TD had no idea what the dancers were talking about when they came to the bandstand to request "Oh! Look At Me Now" -- because he was never present for the first set, when it was performed, leaving conducting duties to Bunny Berigan.
In the fall of '40, the trombonist began his hosting duties for a program entitled Fame And Fortune , sponsored by the Lewis-Howe company's "Nature's Remedy." Pitched, in the wake of, technically, non-amateur pianist Ruth Lowe's great success as the author of monster hit, "I'll Never Smile Again, as an opportunity for neophyte songwriters to have their material heard and take that first step on the road to 'fame and fortune," the show had less altruistic purposes for shrewd businessman Dorsey. Songwriters were encouraged to submit their manuscripts, which, Dorsey explained on the show's premiere, would be judged by him and two other (unnamed) bandleaders (one source claims that winners were determined by listeners' responses). The author of the winning song in the weekly contest received a publishing contract and a $100 advance royalty check. Too, the song was performed on the air, in a "deluxe" arrangement, featuring the band's entire vocal department. Additionally, two runner-up prizes, each consisting of a $50 check and an on-air performance of the song (albeit in a sparer arrangement) were awarded. Dorsey's expected benefit came through having the songs published by one of his firms. Further, he placed the songs with BMI, in anticipation of the radio ban on ASCAP works, set to begin at the start of '41; he, thus, had material (if suitable) to play on the air, besides public-domain numbers pulled out of mothballs.
With the slated second installment of Fame And Fortune looming, Tommy found himself, through an agency snafu, without the intended winner to arrange and work up for performance on the show. Sy Oliver, the story goes, responded to the leader's panic by suggesting that the band do one of Bushkin's numbers for The Pipers, mentioning that the arrangement of "Oh! Look At Me Now' would be the easiest to switch around to include Sinatra and Connie Haines. The thing was worked up and went on the air -- and the listeners' response was huge! Unfortunately, composer Bushkin could not take credit, as all members of the Dorsey organization were barred from participation in the contest. According to Joe, Tommy told him not to tell anybody he'd written the music. The record we hear, waxed 1/6/41, bore only the name of genuine amateur lyricist, John DeVries. For years, Joe Bushkin went uncredited as the composer of this standard.
As usual, Sy's arrangement is socko, opening with bang, with Ziggy Elman's squalling trumpet clearly detectable in the ensemble introduction, and following with lovely reed figures behind the first vocal chorus. Frank, perhaps drawing on personal experience, is masterful in the character of the "new man," bantering charmingly with perky Connie Haines (whom he referred to as "Hayseed" and went on to ask Dorsey to fire) and The Pipers are, as always, hiply superb. Buddy Rich makes it all swing, with little punctuations here and there. "Casanova at his best ... rah-da!"
@jayyoung4534
@Tromb...It's always rewarding to read three dimensional accounts of things inside the musical world, or any world, for that matter, than tawdry gossip. So this time reading you was time well spent, believe me. Thank you for your wonderful insight into things.
@Trombonology
@@jayyoung4534 Thanks very much for the very nice comment!
@jayyoung4534
@Tromb...How did we lose an instrument that produced such a melancholy beautiful sound -- the trombone? I always enjoyed its sound sitting by the radio as child. And I I didn't realize how lovely Debussy's "La Filles Aux Cheveux de Lin" was until I heard it played by five trombones. Tromb...I'm quite biased towards music of my generation and before.
@Trombonology
@@jayyoung4534 I can imagine that a four-trombone choir treatment of "Clair de Lune" would be very beautiful! The instrument is my favorite; I think it has a human voice quality.
@jazzshowroom2877
This version of Look At Me Now has a nice harmony - after they modulate for the vocal, its C to Em7 1st measure, then Gm7 to C13 second measure. Not sure I've heard other arrangements of this song deploy that. When Bushkin was asked about the use of that chord structure, he was like "huh?" Haha! Maybe he never paid it any mind. But I guess it was Sy Oliver's creation. Inventive. Sets the mood.
@artivism4068
Absolutely amazing. im floored right now. i had to rewind it twice now but my God what a song. Frank Sinatra at 26 years old. What incredible arrangements. its way more than just jazz.
@larryjohnson6385
What a great song😍😍😍
@larryjohnson6385
My parents met at a Sinatra appearance in Budd Lake NJ
@Jesusaross
Good vibes.