"These Foolish Things" is a song about memories and how they can be triggered by random everyday objects or sounds. The lyrics describe a cigarette with a lipstick stain that reminds the singer of her lost love, as well as an airline ticket to romantic places and the sound of a piano in an adjacent apartment. The singer is haunted by the ghost of her former lover, unable to let go of the memories that these foolish things evoke. The song is thought to have been inspired by the real-life breakup of songwriter Eric Maschwitz and his actress girlfriend Anna May Wong. Maschwitz wrote the lyrics, which were then set to music by Jack Strachey. The song was first recorded by Al Bowlly in 1936 and later became a hit for Billie Holiday in 1938. Holiday's rendition of the song has become one of her most famous recordings, with her nuanced delivery adding an extra layer of emotion to the already poignant lyrics. The song has since become a jazz standard, recorded by countless other artists, and its enduring popularity is a testament to its timeless message about the power of memory.
