Prelude To a Kiss
Ella Fitzgerald
A Serenade of Love: Ella Fitzgerald's 'Prelude To a Kiss'
Ella Fitzgerald's 'Prelude To a Kiss' is a tender and evocative love song that captures the essence of romantic longing and the beauty of unspoken emotions. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a heart serenading its beloved, using the metaphor of a song in blue, likened to a flower crying for dew. This imagery suggests a deep yearning and a sense of incompleteness that can only be fulfilled by the presence of the loved one. The song serves as a prelude, an introduction to the deeper, more profound connection symbolized by a kiss.
The simplicity of the melody is highlighted in the lyrics, emphasizing that the song itself may be unadorned, but it holds the potential to be transformed into something grand and symphonic by the beloved. References to classical composers like Schubert and Gershwin add a layer of sophistication and timelessness to the song, suggesting that true love can elevate even the simplest expressions into something extraordinary. This transformation is a testament to the power of love to enrich and beautify life.
The recurring theme of the 'prelude' underscores the idea that love is an ongoing journey, a continuous serenade that never truly ends. The gentle cries of the love song reflect the tenderness found within the eyes of the beloved, indicating that the emotions conveyed are both deep and enduring. Ella Fitzgerald's soulful delivery and the poetic lyrics combine to create a timeless ode to love, capturing the delicate balance between longing and fulfillment, simplicity and grandeur.