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Credits

PERFORMING ARTISTS
John Coltrane
John Coltrane
Tenor Saxophone
Johnny Hartman
Johnny Hartman
Vocals
McCoy Tyner
McCoy Tyner
Piano
Jimmy Garrison
Jimmy Garrison
Double Bass
Elvin Jones
Elvin Jones
Drums
COMPOSITION & LYRICS
Billy Strayhorn
Billy Strayhorn
Composer
PRODUCTION & ENGINEERING
Rudy Van Gelder
Rudy Van Gelder
Engineer
Bob Thiel
Bob Thiel
Producer

Lyrics

[Verse 1]
I used to visit all the very gay places
Those come-what-may places
Where one relaxes on the axis of the wheel of life
To get the feel of life from jazz and cocktails
[Verse 2]
The girls I knew had sad and sullen grey faces
With distant gay traces that used to be there
You could see where they'd been washed away
By too many through the day, twelve o'clock tales
[Verse 3]
Then you came along with your siren song
To tempt me to madness
I thought for a while that your poignant smile
Was tinged with the sadness of a great love for me
Ah yes, I was wrong
Again, I was wrong
[Verse 4]
Life is lonely again and only last year
Everything seemed so sure
Now life is awful again
A trough full of hearts could only be a bore
[Verse 5]
A week in Paris will ease the bite of it
All I care is to smile in spite of it
I'll forget you, I will while yet you are still
Burning inside my brain
[Verse 6]
Romance is mush
Stifling those who strive
I'll live a lush life
In some small dive
[Verse 7]
And there I'll be
While I rot with the rest
Of those whose lives are lonely too
[Verse 8]
Oh, romance is mush
Stifling those who strive
I'll live a lush life
In some small dive
[Verse 9]
And there I'll be
While I rot with the rest
Of those whose lives are lonely too
Written by: Billy Strayhorn
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