This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Hot to trot shot,
Out to the hot spot
Up to the nines with bodies in line
An' feelin' so fine
What's to lose, go get ?em shoes
You take a train, you find a
Fascinatin' rhythm in the rain
At every stop,
You hear the clippin' and the clop
You take a beat, you find a
Fascinatin' rhythm in your feet
It's so complete and you know
Nothin' can compete
(You ain't seen nothin', you ain't seen nothin' - yet!)
You start to palpitate and the
Jeep is shakin' the snake
Like a man upon the move for a
Doll who doesn't hesitate
Bad John
You hear the sound of a sad song
And when the downtown folk
All shake it on out tonite
Jeep is jake and rakin' in the take
Bad John
You are back where you belong
She's such a sight tonite (Hello)
A Caribana with a fan a top banana
In a blue savanna moon
A neck in neck
You tell her darlin' get the check
You're all electric
Up in Harlem in a swoon
Another dance with a with a tropical fan
Another chance with
The topical tan
Mean swimmin' saxophones
Takin' in the wimmin' and
Shakin' them bones
The goat get in the fete begin
Naughty in the body and set for sin
A Creole girl step up and say
"never say never"
With a casual sway
Takin' her time to come my way
Bad John
You are back where you belong
All reet I'm tippin' in, deed I do
And while the goat is on the fire
And every note is your desire
You approve her every move
You in a spin (Come on in)
She want to grab you by the duff
And tell you
Honey this is tough enough
For sure
There's the door,
What are you waiting for?
And just us two,
Serenading in Blue
You take a frail who makes a
Copesetic caper with her tail
I'm tellin' you, she really
Puttin' on a do
The saxophones, you can't relax
When there is rhythm in your bones
You're on the hoof,
You raise a racket on the roof
Some syncopation, makin' with the
Eyes an arisin' occasion
Made it in the shade the way they
Played that satin Serenade in Blue
Out to the hot spot
Up to the nines with bodies in line
An' feelin' so fine
What's to lose, go get ?em shoes
You take a train, you find a
Fascinatin' rhythm in the rain
At every stop,
You hear the clippin' and the clop
You take a beat, you find a
Fascinatin' rhythm in your feet
It's so complete and you know
Nothin' can compete
(You ain't seen nothin', you ain't seen nothin' - yet!)
You start to palpitate and the
Jeep is shakin' the snake
Like a man upon the move for a
Doll who doesn't hesitate
Bad John
You hear the sound of a sad song
And when the downtown folk
All shake it on out tonite
Jeep is jake and rakin' in the take
Bad John
You are back where you belong
She's such a sight tonite (Hello)
A Caribana with a fan a top banana
In a blue savanna moon
A neck in neck
You tell her darlin' get the check
You're all electric
Up in Harlem in a swoon
Another dance with a with a tropical fan
Another chance with
The topical tan
Mean swimmin' saxophones
Takin' in the wimmin' and
Shakin' them bones
The goat get in the fete begin
Naughty in the body and set for sin
A Creole girl step up and say
"never say never"
With a casual sway
Takin' her time to come my way
Bad John
You are back where you belong
All reet I'm tippin' in, deed I do
And while the goat is on the fire
And every note is your desire
You approve her every move
You in a spin (Come on in)
She want to grab you by the duff
And tell you
Honey this is tough enough
For sure
There's the door,
What are you waiting for?
And just us two,
Serenading in Blue
You take a frail who makes a
Copesetic caper with her tail
I'm tellin' you, she really
Puttin' on a do
The saxophones, you can't relax
When there is rhythm in your bones
You're on the hoof,
You raise a racket on the roof
Some syncopation, makin' with the
Eyes an arisin' occasion
Made it in the shade the way they
Played that satin Serenade in Blue
Lyrics submitted by sillybunny
Blue Serenade Lyrics as written by Van Dyke Parks Tim Hauser
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Peermusic Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
We got a frail who makes a copasetic caper with her tail I'm tellin' you, she really puttin' on a do!
We took a train and found a fascinating rhythm in the rain—it’s so complete—we’re sure that nothing can compete—you ain’t seen nothing—you ain’t seen nothing—yet!
Our jeep is shakin’ the snake like a man upon the move for the doll who doesn’t hesitate—but hey, how comes he’s mean to her? Oh good, that’s over—for now. How come he has her doing so much for him and he isn’t doing anything for her? Well, at least she’s not too pissed—for now … you are back where you belong ..
I wouldn’t give away all our secrets … We took a frail who makes a copasetic caper with her tail. I'm tellin' you, she really puttin' on a do!
Some syncopation, makin' with the eyes an arisin' occasion Made it in the shade the way they played that satin Serenade in Blue