Boz Scaggs - Speak Low Lyrics

Decca Records
Vinyl September 30 - CD/MP3 October 28, 2008

Track List:

  1. Invitation
  2. She Was Too Good To Me
  3. I Wish I Knew
  4. Speak Low
  5. Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me 
  6. I'll Remember April
  7. Save Your Love For Me
  8. Ballad Of The Sad Young Men
  9. Skylark
  10. Senza Fine
  11. Dindi
  12. This Time The Dream's On Me
  13. Azure - iTunes Bonus Track 
  14. Some Other Time / We're All Alone - Amazon Bonus Track

Musicians:

  • Boz Scaggs (vocals, guitar)
  • Carol Robbins (harp)
  • Joyce Hammann & Laura Seaton (violin)
  • Lois Martin (viola)
  • Richard Locker (cello)
  • Bob Sheppard (flute, bass clarinet, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone)
  • Lawrence Feldman (alto flute)
  • Aaron Heick & Lou Marini (bass flute)
  • Gil Goldstein (accordion, piano, Fender Rhodes piano,   Wurlitzer piano)
  • Mike Mainieri (vibraphone, marimba)
  • Scott Colley (bass guitar)
  • Alex Acuna (drums, percussion)
  • Shane Shanahan (tabla).
  • Eric Crystal (tenor saxophone).

The always elegant Boz makes a significant leap from his first collection of standards, bringing a strong sensual edge to "Speak Low." Not only does he sound thoroughly involved but he has an acoustic bassist as a sparring partner, dancing around his vocals and peppering the empty spaces with flair. Album will be released on vinyl on Sept 30. [Variety .com]

"It was raining, cold out. I walked by the Blue Note and heard music coming out of the club. It was vibes, string trio, a couple of horns - this was the sound I'd been hearing in my head, exactly. Turned out to be Gil Goldstein and a nonet. After the set Gil and I started talking, and it was just a really nice meeting. When we got together around a piano, that was it. We knew."

"So many people in the last decade have gone back to the standards; the list is as long as my arm. Lots of them with big orchestras, too," Scaggs said in his bio. "It seemed pointless to even go there unless we were going to do something to make these songs our own. ... We had to find an emotional connection. It's a testament to the songs themselves that they keep getting redone, but that makes it tricky, too. We played around a lot with different tempos and feels, pushed the songs in different directions."

1. *Invitation

(Bronislaw Kaper)

You and your smile
Hold a strange invitation
Somehow it seems
We've shared our dreams
But where...

Time after time
In a room full of strangers
Out of the blue
Suddenly you... are there

Wherever I go
You're the glow of temptation
Glancing my way
In the grey of the dawn

And always your eyes
Smile that strange invitation
When you are gone
Where oh where have you gone

How long must I stay
In a world of illusion
Be where you are
So near yet so far... apart

Hoping you'll say
With a warm invitation
Where have you been
Darling come in... into my heart

[Bridge]

Wherever I go
You're the glow of temptation
Glancing my way
In the grey of the dawn

And always your eyes
Smile that strange invitation
When you are gone
Where oh where have you gone

How long must I stay
In a world of illusion
Be where you are
So near yet so far... apart

Hoping you'll say
With a warm invitation
Where have you been
Darling come in.. into my heart


2. *She Was Too Good To Me

(Rodgers and Hart)

She was too good to me
How can I get along now
So close she stood to me
Everything seems all wrong now
She would have brought me the sun
Making me smile that was her fun

If I was mean to her
She'd never say go away now
I was a King to her
Who's gonna light my way now
It's only natural I'm so blue
She was too good to be true

[Bridge]

She was too good to me
How can I get along now
So close she stood to me
Everything seems all wrong now
She would have brought me the sun
Making me smile that was her fun

If I was mean to her
She'd never say go away now
I was a King to her
Who's gonna light my way now
It's only natural I'm so blue
She was too good
She was too good
She was too good to be true


3. *I Wish I Knew

(Lyrics - Mark Gordon : Music - Harry Warren)

I wish I knew
Someone like you could love me
I wish I knew
You place no one above me
Did I mistake this for a real romance
I wish I knew
But only you can answer

If you don't care
Why let me hope and pray so
Don't lead me on
If I'm a fool just say so
Should I keep dreaming on
Or just forget you
What shall I do
I wish I knew

[Bridge]

I wish I knew
Someone like you could love me
I wish I knew
You place no one above me
Did I mistake this for a real romance
I wish I knew
But only you can answer

If you don't care
Why let me hope and pray so
Don't lead me on
If I'm a fool just say so
Should I keep dreaming on
Or just forget you
What shall I do
I wish I knew

I wish I knew
Someone like you could love me

I wish I knew
What shall I do
I wish I knew
Someone like you could love me


4. *Speak Low

(Ogden Nash and Kurt Weill)

Speak low
When you speak love
Our summer day
Withers away
Too soon.. too soon

Speak low
When you speak love
Our moment is swift
Like ships adrift
We're swept away too soon

Speak low
Darling speak low
Love is a spark
Lost in the dark
Too soon.. too soon

I feel
Wherever I go
That tomorrow is near
Tomorrow is here
And always too soon

Time is so old
And love so brief
Love is pure gold
And time a thief

We're late
Darling we're late
The curtain descends
Everything ends
Too soon.. too soon

I wait
Darling I wait
Will you speak low to me
Speak love to me
And soon

[bridge]

Time is so old
And love so brief
Love is pure gold
And time a thief

We're late
Darling we're late
The curtain descends
Everything ends
Too soon.. too soon

I wait
Darling I wait
Will you speak low to me
Speak love to me
Speak love to me
Speak low to me
Speak low to me
But speak to me
Speak to me soon


5. *Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me

(Words: Bob Russell; Music: Edward "Duke" Ellington)

Somone told someone
And someone told you
But they really wouldn't hurt you
Not much
But since everyone tells the story
With his own little personal touch

Do nothing till you hear from me
Pay no attention to whats said
Why people tear the seams of anyones dreams
Is over my head

Do nothing till you hear from me
At least consider our romance
If you should take the words of others you've heard
I haven't a chance

True.. I've been seen mmmm with someone new
But does that mean that I've been untrue
When we're apart
The words in my heart
Reveal how I feel about you

Some kiss may cloud my memories
And other arms may hold a thrill.. yes yes yes
But please do nothing till you hear it from me
And you never will

[bridge]

Some kiss may cloud my memory
And other arms may hold a thrill... mmm hold that thrill
But please do nothing till you hear it from me
And you never will
So please do nothing till you hear it from me
And you... never will... no


6. *I'll Remember April

(Gene De Paul, Patricia Johnson and Don Raye)

This lovely day will lengthen into evening
We'll sigh goodbye to all we've ever had
Alone where we have walked together
I'll remember April... and be glad

I'll be content you loved me once in April
Your lips were warm and love and spring were new
But I'm not afraid of autumn and her sorrow
For I'll remember... April and you

The fire will dwindle into glowing ashes
For flames and love live such a little while
I won't forget but I won't be lonely
I'll remember April... and smile

[Bridge]

I'll be content you loved me once in April
Your lips were warm and love and spring were new
But I'm not afraid of autumn and her sorrow
For I'll remember... April and you

The fire will dwindle into glowing ashes
For flames and love live such a little while
I won't forget but I won't be lonely
I'll remember April... and smile


7. *Save Your Love For Me

(Buddy Woodrow Johnson Jr.)

Wish I knew
Why I'm so in love with you
No one else in this world will do
Darling please save your love
For me

Mmmm run away
If I were wise I'd run away
But like a fool in love I stay
And pray you'll save your love
For me

I can feel it
Even when you're not here
Can't conceal it
I really love you my dear
Though I know no good
Can come from loving you
I can't do a thing
I'm so in love with you

So darling help me please
Have mercy on a fool like me
I'm so unwise but still I plead
Darling please save you love
For me h-hmmm

I can feel it
Even when you're not here
Can't conceal it
I really love you my dear
Though I know no good
Can come from loving you
I can't do a thing
I'm so in love with you

So darling help me please
Have mercy on a fool like me
I know I'm lost but still I plead
Darling please save your love for me

Save your love for me

You can have fun with the crowd
But for crying out loud
Darling save your love for me
Mmmm save your love for me
All for me
Cos I need you babe
Need your sweet love
Need it all just for me girl
You better save it now
Bring it on home mmmm
Please save your love.. for me
Darling save your love
Save your love
Save it all
I need it all
I want it.. all your love
All your love girl mmmm
Save it all for me.. Yeah


8. *Ballad of the Sad Young Men

(Frances Landesman and Thomas J. Wolf,Jr.)

Sing a song of sad young men
Glasses full of rye
All the news is bad again
Kiss your dreams goodbye

All the sad young men
Sitting in the bars
Knowing neon lights
And missing all the stars

All the sad young men
Drifting through the town
Drinking up the night
Trying not to drown

All the sad young men
Singing in the cold
Trying to forget
That they're growing old

All the sad young men
Choking on their youth
Trying to be brave
Running from the truth

Autumn turns the leaves to gold
Slowly dies the heart
Sad young men are growing old
That's the cruelest part

All the sad young men
Seek a certain smile
Someone they can hold
For a little while

Tired little girl
Does the best she can
Trying to be gay
For a sad young man

While the grimy moon
Watches from above
All the sad young men
Play at making love

Misbegotten moon
Shine for sad young men
Let your gentle light
Guide them home tonight
All the sad young men


9. *Skylark

(Hoagy Carmichael and John H. Mercer)

Skylark
Have you anything to say to me
Won't you tell me where my love can be
Is there a meadow in the mist
Where someone's waiting to be kissed

Skylark
Have you seen a valley green with spring
Where my heart can go a-journeying
Over the shadows and the rain
To a blossom covered lane

And in your lonely flight
Haven't you heard the music of the night
Wonderful music, faint as a will o'the wisp
Crazy as a loon
Sad as a gypsy serenading the moon

Skylark
I don't know if you can find these things
But my heart is riding on your wings
So if you see them anywhere
Won't you lead me there

Skylark
I don't know if you can find these things
But my heart is riding on your wings
So if you see them anywhere
Won't you lead me there


10. *Senza Fine

(Campos Cesarea, Gine Paoli, and Alec Wilder)

Senza fine
Let it always be senza fine
There's no end to our love
Our hopes our dreams our sighs
No end at all no sad goodbyes
No fears no tears no love that dies
It's senza fine
Let it always be senza fine
Never-ending

The sunlit days the moonlit nights
The sea the sand the starry heights
Are yours and mine forever
All we are and all we know
Is love and love alone and so
The world may spin its weary way
Its lonely night and lonely day
While we go floating far above
In never-ending timeless love
Its senza fine

[Bridge]

All we are and all we know
Is love and love alone and so
The world may spin its weary way
Its lonely night and lonely day
While we go floating far above
In never ending timeless love
Its senza fine
Let it always be senza fine
Never ending
The sunlit days the moonlit nights
The sea the sand the starry heights
Are yours and mine forever

La la la la, la la la la, la la la la
La la la la la, la la la la, la la la la la


11. *Dindi

(Aloysio De Oliveira, Ray Gilbert, and Antonio Carlos Jobim)

Sky
So vast is the sky
With far away clouds just wandering by
Where do they go
Oh I don't know.. don't know

Wind that speaks to the leaves
Telling stories that no one believes
Stories of love belong to you and me

Oh Dindi
If I only had words
I would say all the beautiful things that I see
When you're with me
Oh my Dindi

Oh Dindi
Like the song of the wind in the trees
That's how my heart is singing Dindi
Happy Dindi
When you're with me

I love you more each day
Yes I do.. yes I do
I'd let you go away
If you take.. me with you

Don't you know Dindi
I'd be running and searching for you
Like a river that can't find sea
That would be me
Without you my Dindi


12. *This Time The Dream's On Me

(Harold Arlen and John H. Mercer)

Somewhere... someday
We'll be close together wait and see
Oh by the way
This time the dream's on me

You'll take my hand
And you'll look at me adoringly
But as things stand
This time the dream's on me

It would be fun
To be certain that I'm the one
To know that I at least
Supply the shoulder you cry upon

To see you through
Till you're everything you want to be
It can't be true
But this time the dream's on me

[Bridge]

It would be fun
To be certain that I'm the one
To know that I at least
Supply the shoulder you cry upon

To see you through
Till you're everything you want to be
It can't be true
But this time the dream's on me
This time the dream's on me


13.*Azure

iTunes Bonus Track

(Duke Ellington and Irving Mills)

Drifting...
Dreaming...
In an azure mood

Stardust...
Gleaming...
Through my solitude

Here in my seclusion
You're a blue illusion

While I'm...
In this...
Azure interlude

[bridge]

But though I'm tormented
I must be contented

Drifting...
Dreaming...
In an azure mood

Mmm Hmm
Mmm Mmm
Mmm hmm mmm mmm mmm

Drifting...
Dreaming...
In an azure mood


14. *Some Other Time / We're All Alone

[Amazon MP3 Bonus Track]

Where has the time all gone to
Haven't done half the things we want to
Oh well
We'll catch up some other time

This day was just a token
Too many words are still unspoken
Oh well
We'll catch up some other time

Just when the fun is starting
Comes the time for parting
But lets be glad for what we've had
And what's to come

There's so much more embracing
Still to be done but time is racing
Oh well
We'll catch up some other time

Outside the rain beings
And it may never end
So cry no more
On the shore a dream
Will take us out to sea
Forever more, forever more

Close your eyes Ami
And you can be with me
Beneath the waves
Through the caves of hours
Long forgotten now
We're all alone, we're all alone

Close the window calm the light
And it will be alright
No need to bother now
Let it out let it all begin
Learn how to pretend

There's so much more embracing
Still to be done but time is racing
Oh well
We'll catch up some other time

Album Produced by:

Boz Scaggs, Gil Goldstein

Programmer:

  • Steve Rodby

    Audio Mixers:

  • Danny Kopelson
  • Michael Rodriguez

    Audio Remasterer:

  • Bob Ludwig.

    Recorded at:

  • Skywalker Sound, Nicasio Ca.

    Arranger:

  • Gil Goldstein.

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