Jeff Buckley – Lilac Wine Lyrics
I lost myself on a cool damp night
Gave myself in that misty light
Was hypnotized by a strange delight
Under a lilac tree
I made wine from the lilac tree
Put my heart in it's recipe
It makes me see what I want to see
And be what I want to be
When I think more than I want to think
Do things I never should do
I drink much more that I ought to drink
Because I brings me back you
Lilac wine is sweet and heady, like my love
Lilac wine, I feel unsteady, like my love
Listen to me... I cannot see clearly
Isn't that she coming to me nearly here
Lilac wine is sweet and heady where's my love
Lilac wine, I feel unsteady, where's my love
Listen to me, why is everything so hazy
Isn't that she, or am I just going crazy, dear
Lilac wine, I feel unready for my love
Gave myself in that misty light
Was hypnotized by a strange delight
Under a lilac tree
I made wine from the lilac tree
Put my heart in it's recipe
It makes me see what I want to see
And be what I want to be
When I think more than I want to think
Do things I never should do
I drink much more that I ought to drink
Because I brings me back you
Lilac wine is sweet and heady, like my love
Lilac wine, I feel unsteady, like my love
Listen to me... I cannot see clearly
Isn't that she coming to me nearly here
Lilac wine is sweet and heady where's my love
Lilac wine, I feel unsteady, where's my love
Listen to me, why is everything so hazy
Isn't that she, or am I just going crazy, dear
Lilac wine, I feel unready for my love
About Lilac Wine
“Lilac Wine” is a song written by James Shelton. It was covered by Nina Simone on her album Wild Is The Wind (1966), was a solo hit by Elkie Brooks (1977) and appeared in her album Pearls (1981) and later by Jeff Buckley on his début album Grace (1994). More recently, the song was covered by Katie Melua on her debut album Call Off the Search (2003).
Buckley considered Simone’s to be the definitive interpretation of the song, stating, “I’ve only heard Nina Simone’s…And that’s the only one that matters. There’s one by Eartha Kitt. There’s one by Elkie Brooks, which I’ve never, ever heard. There’s another one. They’ve done it, but Nina does it best. That’s the end all of it. That’s the be all end all version. She’s the king.”
