Speak Low
Whispers of Love: Unveiling the Timeless Tale in Billie Holiday's 'Speak Low'
Lyrics
Speak low when you speak, love
Emphasizes the need for discretion and restraint in expressing love.
Our summer day withers away too soon, too soon
Reflects on the fleeting nature of summer days, symbolizing the brevity of joyful moments.
Speak low when you speak, love
Reiterates the importance of speaking quietly in love, emphasizing the ephemeral nature of their time together.
Our moment is swift, like ships adrift, we're swept apart, too soon
Compares their moment to ships adrift, suggesting a sense of being carried away and separated too soon.
Speak low, darling, speak low
Encourages speaking softly in love, portraying love as a fragile spark easily lost in the darkness of life.
Love is a spark, lost in the dark too soon, too soon
Describes love as a spark that is lost prematurely, hinting at the impermanence of romantic connections.
I feel wherever I go that tomorrow is near
Expresses a sense of anticipation and awareness that the future (tomorrow) is approaching.
Tomorrow is here and always too soon
Highlights the perpetual feeling that tomorrow arrives too quickly, emphasizing the fleeting nature of time.
Time is so old and love so brief
Contrasts the old age of time with the brevity of love, emphasizing the transient nature of romantic experiences.
Love is pure gold and time a thief
Metaphorically equates love to pure gold and time to a thief, underscoring the idea that time steals precious moments.
We're late, darling, we're late
Acknowledges a sense of lateness, possibly regretting not seizing opportunities or savoring moments in love.
The curtain descends, everything ends too soon, too soon
Symbolizes the end of an experience, comparing it to a curtain descending, reinforcing the theme of things concluding too soon.
I wait, darling, I wait
Expresses a longing and anticipation, waiting for something or someone in the context of love.
Will you speak low to me, speak love to me and soon
Requests a continuation of speaking softly and expressing love, emphasizing the desire for intimacy and connection.
Time is so old and love so brief
Repeats the contrast between the old age of time and the briefness of love, reinforcing the song's central themes.
Love is pure gold and time a thief
Reiterates the metaphorical comparison of love to pure gold and time to a thief, emphasizing their contrasting qualities.
We're late, darling, we're late
Recalls the sense of lateness and potential regret, reinforcing the theme of missed opportunities or untimely endings.
The curtain descends, everything ends too soon, too soon
Reiterates the imagery of a curtain descending, signaling the conclusion of everything, amplifying the theme of things ending prematurely.
I wait, darling, I wait
Reiterates the sentiment of waiting, possibly for a continuation or resolution in love.
Will you speak low to me, speak love to me and soon
Echoes the request to speak low and express love, emphasizing the urgency and anticipation of a response.
Speak low
Concludes with a repetition of the initial plea to speak low, providing a circular structure to the song.
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