Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a vivid portrait of "Smukke Linda," a captivating woman who commands attention with her "black silk legs" and "green eyes." She's described as a "moonstone" and "the street's star," someone who could "pick whomever she wanted." This initial depiction establishes her as an object of desire and admiration, a figure almost mythic in her allure, drawing everyone in while remaining elusive and difficult to "catch." The narrative shifts as Linda's perceived nature is revealed through contrasting imagery. She's called a "lovely witch" and an "exquisite princess born in the street's shadow," suggesting a duality of enchantment and perhaps a wild, untamed spirit. The narrator's intense personal reaction upon first seeing her – "my soul screamed with joy" – highlights the profound impact she had, a moment of pure, almost spiritual, rapture. However, the core tension emerges in the repeated refrain: "She got a man who was rich / And then the ballet was over." This stark conclusion to Linda's captivating presence suggests a transactional element to her relationships or a shift in her priorities. The narrator's experience with her is marked by a dance of illusion and reality, described as a "tango" that turns into a "fandango" when he thought she was his. The "gentle lies" associated with her eyes hint at a deceptive charm that ultimately leads to disappointment. The effectiveness of these lyrics lies in their concise, almost fable-like structure. The repeated phrase "And then the ballet was over" acts as a definitive, melancholic punctuation mark, underscoring the ephemeral nature of Linda's allure and the narrator's dashed hopes. The contrast between her initial mystique and her eventual marriage to a wealthy man creates a sense of lost potential and the bittersweet realization that such captivating figures often follow paths beyond the observer's reach.