Cheek to Cheek by Ella Fitzgerald Lyrics Meaning – Unveiling the Timeless Euphoria of Dance and Romance
Lyrics
And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak
And I seem to find the happiness I seek
When we’re out together dancing cheek to cheek
Yes, heaven, I’m in heaven
And the cares that hung around me through the week
Seem to vanish like a gambler’s lucky streak
When we’re out together dancing cheek to cheek
Oh I love to climb to mountain
And reach the highest peak
But it doesn’t thrill me half as much
As dancing cheek to cheek
Oh I love to go out fishing
In a river or a creek
But I don’t enjoy it half as much
As dancing cheek to cheek
Now mama dance with me
I want my arms about you
That charm about you
Will carry me through
Yes, heaven, I’m in heaven
And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak
And I seem to find the happiness I seek
When we’re out together dancing cheek to cheek
Take it Ella swing it
Heaven, I’m in heaven
And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak
And I seem to find the happiness I seek
When we’re out together dancing cheek to cheek
Heaven, I’m in heaven
And the cares that hung around me through the week
Seem to vanish like a gambler’s lucky streak
When we’re out together dancing cheek to cheek
Oh I love to climb a mountain
And reach the highest peak
But it doesn’t thrill me half as much
As dancing cheek to cheek
Oh I love to go out fishing
In a river or a creek
But I don’t enjoy it half as much
As dancing cheek to cheek
Come on and dance with me
I want my arms about you
That charm about you
Will carry me through
To heaven, I’m in heaven
And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak
And I seem to find the happiness I seek
When we’re out together dancing cheek to cheek
Dance with me
I want my arms about you
That charm about you
Will carry me through
To heaven (heaven), I’m in heaven (I’m in heaven)
And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak
And I seem to find the happiness I seek
When we’re out together dancing cheek to cheek
Cheek to cheek
Cheek to cheek
Cheek to cheek
In the pantheon of jazz standards, Ella Fitzgerald’s rendition of ‘Cheek to Cheek’ stands as a towering monument to romantic bliss and the sheer joy of dance. As the First Lady of Song, Fitzgerald transforms Irving Berlin’s timeless lyrics into an auditory aphrodisiac, a four-minute passport to paradise replete with the subtle hues of love and ecstasy.
Penned in 1935 and immortalized by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in ‘Top Hat,’ ‘Cheek to Cheek’ has found enduring life in Fitzgerald’s exquisite vocal embrace. Decades on, the song’s lyrical simplicity and melodic grace continue to resonate, unfolding layers of meaning with each dulcet note.
A Step Beyond Mere Melody: The Sonic Embrace of a Classic
Ella Fitzgerald’s interpretation of ‘Cheek to Cheek’ isn’t just a performance; it’s a masterclass in tonal craftsmanship. Each phrase, delivered with her characteristic purity and control, seems to lift the listener into an elevated state of being. The song’s orchestral arrangement sways in perfect cadence with her voice, elevating the simple act of dancing to an ethereal plane.
What distinguishes ‘Cheek to Cheek’ under Fitzgerald’s lilt is its transportive power. The song does not merely belong to the era of big bands and ballrooms; it is timeless, transcending generations to capture the essence of human connection and conveying it with an elegance that is simultaneously grand and intimate.
Dancing as a Form of Divine Therapy
At the heart of ‘Cheek to Cheek’, beyond the sweet melodics, lies an ode to dance as the ultimate remedy. The world-weary soul, bogged down by the ‘cares that hung around me through the week’, is rejuvenated, stress dissipating like mist under the incandescence of Fitzgerald’s voice and the promise of rhythmic healing.
In portraying dance as a form of escapism that rivals nature’s grandest offerings—mountains to climb and rivers to fish—Fitzgerald captures a universal longing: the yearning to find solace in another’s arms, to be swept away by music, to commune with a none verbal language that heals and uplifts.
Romantic Transcendence and The Art of Connection
Notably, Ella Fitzgerald’s ‘Cheek to Cheek’ isn’t solitary in its scope—it demands partnership. The song’s joy is found in partnership, ‘When we’re out together dancing cheek to cheek.’ It’s an anthem for togetherness, extolling the virtues of intimacy and mutual experience in achieving heavenly delight.
Such a connection transcends physical proximity; it encapsulates emotional synchronicity, the unity of purpose and desire. The music becomes a bridge between lovers, a wordless conversation where all is said through movement and shared rhythm—a graceful glide towards mutual elation.
The Unspoken Narrative: ‘Cheek to Cheek’s’ Metaphorical Layers
Delve deeper into the lyrical stream, and one discovers ‘Cheek to Cheek’ as a metaphorical dance floor of life’s ups and downs. The ‘heaven’ Fitzgerald croons about can be seen as those peak experiences we all chase, the moments that make the heart ‘beat so that I can hardly speak.’
In this sense, the song is more than a soundtrack to a physical twirl; it’s a homage to the peaks of human happiness, those which are often fleeting, fragile, yet essential to our spirit. It invites listeners to find their ‘heaven’ within each other, encouraging a dance through life’s challenges with optimism and grace.
Lingering Lyricism: The Lines That Define an Era
Certain lines within ‘Cheek to Cheek’ have gained a life of their own, shaping the cultural memory of a society. The song echoes with phrases like ‘Heaven, I’m in heaven’, encapsulating a sense of sublime contentment, lending it the immortality only achieved by the most resonant of musical pieces.
As a lyrical poet, Ella imparts these words with a rare kind of honesty and vulnerability. When she repeats the notion of finding happiness when ‘dancing cheek to cheek,’ it’s not so much a statement as it is an invitation—an invitation to seize joy, to embrace life’s dance, moment to moment.
