Night & Day

Cole Porter's 'Night & Day' is a classic love song that captures the essence of unending desire and longing. The lyrics are rich with metaphors and vivid imagery, painting a picture of a love that is both all-consuming and relentless. The song opens with comparisons to natural and mechanical rhythms—the beat of a tom-tom drum, the ticking of a clock, and the dripping of raindrops—each symbolizing the persistent and unyielding nature of the singer's feelings. These elements set the stage for the central theme: an unceasing, almost obsessive love that occupies the singer's thoughts both 'night and day.'

The chorus emphasizes the omnipresence of the beloved, stating that they are the only one for the singer, whether 'beneath the Moon and under the Sun.' This line suggests that the love transcends time and space, making it a universal and timeless experience. The singer's thoughts are consumed by this love, regardless of their physical proximity to the beloved. This idea is further reinforced in the second verse, where the singer questions why this longing persists, even in the midst of 'roaring traffic' or the 'silence of a lonely room.' The juxtaposition of these contrasting environments highlights the inescapable nature of the singer's emotions.

The final verse delves deeper into the emotional intensity of this love, describing it as a 'hungry yearning burning inside.' The use of words like 'torment' and 'burning' conveys a sense of urgency and desperation, suggesting that the singer's life feels incomplete without the beloved. The song concludes with a plea for the beloved to allow the singer to spend their life 'making love to you,' encapsulating the depth of their desire and the lengths they are willing to go to fulfill it. Through its poetic lyrics and evocative imagery, 'Night & Day' remains a poignant exploration of the complexities of love and longing.