Softly, As In a Morning Sunrise

Abbey Lincoln's rendition of 'Softly, As In a Morning Sunrise' is a poignant exploration of the transient nature of love. The song uses the metaphor of a sunrise to illustrate how love can begin with a gentle, almost imperceptible glow, only to burst into a full, passionate flame. This initial light of love is described as 'stealing into a newborn day,' suggesting the quiet, almost sneaky way that love can enter our lives, bringing with it a sense of new beginnings and possibilities.

However, the song quickly shifts to a more somber tone, warning that the same passions that elevate love to heavenly heights can also lead to its downfall. The 'burning kiss' that seals a vow is a powerful image, evoking both the intensity and the potential destructiveness of love. The lyrics suggest that these intense emotions can betray us, leading to a cycle where the very things that make love thrilling also make it vulnerable to collapse. This duality is captured in the lines, 'For the passions that thrill love / And take you high to heaven / Are the passions that kill love / And let it fall to hell.'

The repetition of the phrase 'Softly as it fades away' at the end of the song underscores the inevitability of love's decline. Just as the morning sunrise eventually gives way to the full light of day and then to dusk, the initial glow of love can fade, taking with it the glory it once brought. This cyclical nature of love, from its gentle beginnings to its passionate heights and eventual decline, is a central theme of the song, making it a timeless reflection on the complexities of human emotions.