Firefly
Tony Bennett with Count Basie & His Orchestra Lyrics
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Cause, oh, my
She radiates moon glow
Wants none of that noon glow
She starts to glitter
When the sun goes down
Bout eight p.m., it's mayhem
Lights up and gives me a call
Take me to the Fireflies ball
But when I get her there
Set her there
Do I get to pet her there
And grab me some glow
No, she's a gad about, mad about
Luring every lad about
While leaving me moaning low
Oh, Firefly, why can't I
Latch onto you no how
Oh, how I love you but gee
While you set the night on
Firefly, shine a little light on me
But when I get her there
Set her there
Do I get to pet her there
And grab me some glow
No, she's a gad about, mad about
Luring every lad about
While leaving me moaning low
Oh, Firefly, why can't I
Latch on for you no how
Oh, how I love you but gee
While you set the night on
Firefly, shine a little light on
Shine a little light on
Shine a little light on me
(in the mornin')
The song "Firefly" can be interpreted as a love song written about a woman who the singer affectionately calls "firefly." The name "Firefly" refers to the woman's radiance under the moonlight, rather than the blazing sun. The singer is entirely smitten with the woman and invites her to the "Fireflies Ball," a place where she is the center of attention, surrounded by other suitors.
Despite the singer's undying love for Firefly, she remains elusive and non-committal. She is a "gad-about," enticing other men with her allure, leaving the singer "moaning low." The repetition of the phrase "Oh, Firefly, why can't I/Latch on for you no how/Oh, how I love you but gee/While you set the night on" highlights the singer's frustration and despair that he cannot capture the heart of the enigmatic Firefly. The song ends with the plea, "Firefly, shine a little light on me," demonstrating that even though the singer knows Firefly may never reciprocate his feelings, he still yearns for her affection.
Line by Line Meaning
I call her Firefly
I have given her the name of Firefly
Cause, oh, my
Because of how she makes me feel
She radiates moon glow
She has a glow like that of the moon
Wants none of that noon glow
She doesn't shine as brightly during the day
She starts to glitter
She begins to shine and stand out
When the sun goes down
As the night falls
Bout eight p.m., it's mayhem
Around eight o'clock, excitement begins
She switches the brights up
She becomes even more vibrant
Lights up and gives me a call
She signals to me to come see her
Take me to the Fireflies ball
She wants me to accompany her to the event where she shines bright like a firefly
But when I get her there
However, once we arrive at the event
Set her there
Once she is settled
Do I get to pet her there
Can I touch her and be close to her?
And grab me some glow
Can I get some of her shine?
No, she's a gad about, mad about
No, she is out and about, enjoying herself
Luring every lad about
Attracting the attention of many men
While leaving me moaning low
And causing me to feel sad and unfulfilled
Oh, Firefly, why can't I
Oh, Firefly, why can't I have you?
Latch onto you no how
Hold on to you no matter what
Oh, how I love you but gee
I love you so much
While you set the night on Firefly, shine a little light on me
You're making the night bright, but please pay some attention to me
Shine a little light on
Light up my world too
Shine a little light on me
Please pay attention to me and let me bask in your glow
(in the mornin')
Added as an aside, not really a part of the song
Lyrics Β© WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: CAROLYN LEIGH, CY COLEMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
D Simonson
Best version of this song. Band is fantastic and I have no idea why Tony doesn't use this a the template for this song. (At least he is doing it now.) The horns are great. The Count!
Mark Herron
Congratulations on your 10th milestone! Go HUG someone today IF they're been vaccinated or not π« Blessings and Hugs πππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππ!