Song Meaning
Perry Como's "The Very Thought of You" isn't just a love song; it's a study in obsession. The lyrics depict a mind utterly consumed, where the mundane aspects of daily life—"the little ordinary things that everyone ought to do"—simply evaporate in the face of idealized infatuation. This isn't grounded romance; it's a flight of fancy, a "kind of daydream" where the narrator reigns supreme in his own constructed reality. The emotional core revolves around longing and the agonizingly slow passage of time when separated from the object of affection, a common theme in torch songs, but Como elevates it to almost a pathological level.
The song's power lies in its simplicity. The repetition of "The very thought of you" drills the idea of all-consuming fixation. It’s not the person themselves, but the *idea* of them that holds this power. The lyrics hint at a projection – "I see your face in every flower, your eyes in stars above" – suggesting the narrator isn't seeing the person for who they are, but rather imprinting their own desires and fantasies onto them. This idealized vision, though comforting, is inherently fragile, built on a foundation of longing rather than genuine connection.
Ultimately, "The Very Thought of You" explores the intoxicating and potentially destructive nature of idealized love. While the narrator claims to be "happy as a king," there's an undercurrent of vulnerability. This happiness is conditional, entirely dependent on the continued existence of this mental image. The song leaves us wondering if this level of devotion is sustainable, or if the inevitable collision with reality will shatter the daydream and leave the narrator adrift.
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