China Rosesphotography by Amelee
A short song, Astrud Gilberto's "Misty Roses" was released in 1967. The first time I heard it, it numbed me in a trance. It is one of the most vivid, clear, yet subtle and mysterious musical tones I have ever heard. It may even be something sexual. It is a Bossa Nova track, with a gorgeous orchestral composition. The harp used in the song had such a euphoric property that ever so encouraged the trance. But curiously enough, it was her voice that gave the song such an enigmatic feel within me. I probably repeated the track more than a hundred times to understand what she was saying, and thoughts about the song arose. At first glance, it may simply be a song about her experience with roses, perhaps a desire for a particular set of them. Or on the other hand, it may be a metaphor for loving someone. If we can imagine a third hand, it may also be a link between both ideas as a kind of flashback or memory of what once was, rather, a gift from someone she once loved.
Of course, before we get into detail about Gilberto's song, it would be good to give it a listen and follow through the lyrics below.
Astrud Gilberto - Misty Roses
You look to me
Like misty roses
Too soft to touch
But too lovely
To leave alone.
If I could be
Like misty roses
I'd love you much
You're too lovely
To leave alone.
Flowers often cry
But too late to find
That their beauty has been lost
With their peace of mind.
You look to me
Like love forever
Too good to last
But too lovely
Not to try.
If I believed
In love forever
I'd forget the past
You're too lovely
Not to try.
You're too lovely
Not to try...
You look to me like misty roses...
Echo and Narcissuspainting by John William Waterhouse
The song meaning seems to begin by the second verse. I found it rather curious when Astrud proposed how she would be if she made herself into a rose:
"If I could be like misty roses, I'd love you much. You're too lovely to leave alone."
What comes to mind is the old tale of Echo & Narcissus in Ovid's Mythology, and what I believe this song is conceptually based on. The story goes that Narcissus fell obsessively in love with himself, ignoring the talkative nymph Echo, who loved him and tried getting his attention. Narcissus kept on looking at his reflection in a lake. He thought himself so beautiful that in turn his pride transformed him into the so-called narcissus flower.
From learning this, did the second verse mean that Astrud is in love with someone? That is, Astrud, in this case, is Echo? She even says, "... You're too lovely to leave alone." Astrud cannot let go of these roses, and all she could ever do is express her eternal interest for them. What is so special about these roses, which impels her to become them?
"Flowers often cry; But too late to find that their beauty has been lost, with their peace of mind."
It seems to me that this verse is describing how roses are when they are under the sprinkles of raindrops, thus the title Misty Roses. I find that if the roses were under the rain, their inner beauty is lost, because the rain has overcome the roses themselves. Yet, she also mentions "their peace of mind." In going back to the myth, is Narcissus regretting Echo's admiration for him? Astrud mentioned earlier how she would be misty roses. I am beginning to understand that if Narcissus would have known how much Echo felt for him, Narcissus would regret ignoring her.
"You look to me like love forever. Too good to last, but too lovely not to try."
These lush roses symbolize the romantic ideal of not loving someone for the rest of your life, but beyond life. Echo's love for him is "too good to last" as a special moment, and since this gave a new foundation for her love, making it eternal, it would not make sense that he's "too lovely not to try."
"If I believed in love forever, I'd forget the past. You're too lovely not to try."
Things seem to shift when Astrud gave a condition if she believed in love forever, she would forget the past. Is Echo doubting her admiration for Narcissus? Is it too late for him to be with Echo, even though he may have cried for ignoring her ("Flowers often cried..."), regrettably? Yet, Astrud does not seem to suggest in the lyric that Echo's love for him is as strong as before. And she would suppose that what Echo was really admiring was not Narcissus, but the feeling, or experience, of falling in love with someone beautiful. (You're too lovely not too try).
Thus, Astrud gorgeously ends her song with "You look to me like misty roses..." Implying the cycle of some love at first sight:
"You look to me like misty roses. Too soft to touch but too lovely to leave alone."
If the tale between Echo and Narcissus is an accurate picture of what Astrud was trying to express, we will find that this song turned out to be sadder than how we first realized it to be. It is a song about infatuation, and how much infatuation can lead to confusions of the real; That is, confusions between what it is and what is "real." This song is just so amazing at how the lyrics seemed filled with simplicity and elementary likeness, yet through analysis it has so much depth, profundity, and truth. I consider this song as one of her greatest achievements.
Ironically and personally speaking, I wanted to post something bright and happy. I was definitely not expecting to write another "sad" post like the two before this one. However, I am glad that I made this post as it is one of my favorite songs. If we read a post with comfort about love and the optional sadness it may bring, then we must be so close to the sun. Or put in another way, we might have already found it.
To add some variety or whatnot, here is a cheerful Italian song:
Peter Hamilton Orchestra - Quando Quando Quando
Enjoy your day!
"If I could be like misty roses, I'd love you much. You're too lovely to leave alone."
What comes to mind is the old tale of Echo & Narcissus in Ovid's Mythology, and what I believe this song is conceptually based on. The story goes that Narcissus fell obsessively in love with himself, ignoring the talkative nymph Echo, who loved him and tried getting his attention. Narcissus kept on looking at his reflection in a lake. He thought himself so beautiful that in turn his pride transformed him into the so-called narcissus flower.
From learning this, did the second verse mean that Astrud is in love with someone? That is, Astrud, in this case, is Echo? She even says, "... You're too lovely to leave alone." Astrud cannot let go of these roses, and all she could ever do is express her eternal interest for them. What is so special about these roses, which impels her to become them?
"Flowers often cry; But too late to find that their beauty has been lost, with their peace of mind."
It seems to me that this verse is describing how roses are when they are under the sprinkles of raindrops, thus the title Misty Roses. I find that if the roses were under the rain, their inner beauty is lost, because the rain has overcome the roses themselves. Yet, she also mentions "their peace of mind." In going back to the myth, is Narcissus regretting Echo's admiration for him? Astrud mentioned earlier how she would be misty roses. I am beginning to understand that if Narcissus would have known how much Echo felt for him, Narcissus would regret ignoring her.
"You look to me like love forever. Too good to last, but too lovely not to try."
These lush roses symbolize the romantic ideal of not loving someone for the rest of your life, but beyond life. Echo's love for him is "too good to last" as a special moment, and since this gave a new foundation for her love, making it eternal, it would not make sense that he's "too lovely not to try."
"If I believed in love forever, I'd forget the past. You're too lovely not to try."
Things seem to shift when Astrud gave a condition if she believed in love forever, she would forget the past. Is Echo doubting her admiration for Narcissus? Is it too late for him to be with Echo, even though he may have cried for ignoring her ("Flowers often cried..."), regrettably? Yet, Astrud does not seem to suggest in the lyric that Echo's love for him is as strong as before. And she would suppose that what Echo was really admiring was not Narcissus, but the feeling, or experience, of falling in love with someone beautiful. (You're too lovely not too try).
Thus, Astrud gorgeously ends her song with "You look to me like misty roses..." Implying the cycle of some love at first sight:
"You look to me like misty roses. Too soft to touch but too lovely to leave alone."
If the tale between Echo and Narcissus is an accurate picture of what Astrud was trying to express, we will find that this song turned out to be sadder than how we first realized it to be. It is a song about infatuation, and how much infatuation can lead to confusions of the real; That is, confusions between what it is and what is "real." This song is just so amazing at how the lyrics seemed filled with simplicity and elementary likeness, yet through analysis it has so much depth, profundity, and truth. I consider this song as one of her greatest achievements.
Ironically and personally speaking, I wanted to post something bright and happy. I was definitely not expecting to write another "sad" post like the two before this one. However, I am glad that I made this post as it is one of my favorite songs. If we read a post with comfort about love and the optional sadness it may bring, then we must be so close to the sun. Or put in another way, we might have already found it.
To add some variety or whatnot, here is a cheerful Italian song:
Peter Hamilton Orchestra - Quando Quando Quando
Enjoy your day!
