--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Play it, Eddie, don't be foolish;' she…" description: "\"“Play it, Eddie, don't be foolish;' she urges. 'Now's the time, break the spell once and for all, prove to yourself that it can't hurt you. If you don'..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d4/cornell-woolrich-2734_curse_play-it-eddie-don-t-be-foolish-she-urges_700299.png" --- # Play it, Eddie, don't be foolish;' she urges. 'Now's the… ![“Play it, Eddie, don't be foolish;' she urges. 'Now's the time, break the spell once and for all, prove to yourself that it can't hurt you. If you don't do it now, you'll never get over the idea. It'll stay with you all your life. Go ahead. I'll dance it just like I am.' 'Okay,' he says. He taps…” quote by Cornell Woolrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d4/cornell-woolrich-2734_curse_play-it-eddie-don-t-be-foolish-she-urges_700299.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d4/cornell-woolrich-2734_curse_play-it-eddie-don-t-be-foolish-she-urges_700299.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d4/cornell-woolrich-2734_curse_play-it-eddie-don-t-be-foolish-she-urges_700299.png) > ““Play it, Eddie, don't be foolish;' she urges. 'Now's the time, break the spell once and for all, prove to yourself that it can't hurt you. If you don't do it now, you'll never get over the idea. It'll stay with you all your life. Go ahead. I'll dance it just like I am.' 'Okay,' he says. He taps. It's been quite some time, but he can rely on his outfit. Slow and low like thunder far away, coming nearer. Boom-putta-putta-boom! Judy whirls out behind him, lets out the first preliminary screech, Eeyaeeya! She hears a commotion in back of her and stops as suddenly as she began. Eddie Bloch's fallen flat on his face and doesn't move again after that. They all know, somehow. There's an inertness, a finality about it that tells them. The dancers wait a minute, mill about, then melt away in a hush. Judy Jarvis doesn't scream, doesn't cry, just stands there staring, wondering. That last thought - did it come from inside his own mind just now - or outside? Was it two months on its way, from the other side of the grave, looking for him, looking for him, until it found him tonight when he played the Chant once more and laid his mind open to Africa? No policeman, no detective, no doctor, no scientist, will ever be able to tell her. Did it come from inside or from outside? All she says is: 'Stand close to me, boys - real close to me, I'm afraid of the dark.' ("Papa Benjamin" aka "Dark Melody Of Madness")”” [Cornell Woolrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornell-woolrich/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A haunting performance blurs reality and imagination, leaving characters questioning the source of their fear and inspiration. **In simple terms:** Art can trigger deep, unsettling thoughts. Key Takeaway Explore the line between art and psyche. Themes fear art perception Mood eerie reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - theater performance - personal crisis - creative process Key Concepts existentialism psychology Questions to Reflect On - What does the chant represent? - Is the fear internal or external? A Different Perspective Interpretation is subjective and may never be fully resolved. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Curse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curse/) [Dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dance/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Prove To Yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prove-to-yourself/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Voodoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voodoo/) ## Related quotes > [Spitfire asked me if I had a problem talking about Van Halen or Extreme. I really don't. There are people who are just going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-cherone/spitfire-asked-me-if-i-had-a-problem-talking-about-van-halen-or/) [Gary Cherone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-cherone/) > [“Last night they had said and done all those things, and now they were like strangers in a bus queue. The mistake she had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/last-night-they-had-said-and-done-all-those-things-and-now-they-were/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [I want you to break the spell. Finish it off.” "What do you mean?” "The spell you did on me and Dimitri.” "That spell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/i-want-you-to-break-the-spell-finish-it-off-what-do-you-mean-the/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [Home in her apartment she'd dwell 'til the man from her dreams comes to break the spell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mccartney/home-in-her-apartment-she-d-dwell-til-the-man-from-her-dreams-comes/) [Paul McCartney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-mccartney/) > [You have projected onto yourself a world of your own imagination, based on memories, on desires and fears, and you have imprisoned yourself in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/you-have-projected-onto-yourself-a-world-of-your-own-imagination/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) > [“You make me believe in magic again. And just when everything is beautiful, you go and break the spell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-teves/you-make-me-believe-in-magic-again-and-just-when-everything-is/) Vince Teves > [“Beauty is as beauty is. It is no more complicated than that. The moment you try to understand some things is the moment you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-ayris/beauty-is-as-beauty-is-it-is-no-more-complicated-than-that-the-moment/) Stuart Ayris > [i'm afraid to breathe in case i break the spell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-gruen/i-m-afraid-to-breathe-in-case-i-break-the-spell/) [Sara Gruen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-gruen/) > [No cabs to be had out there. I wish I knew how. Your eyes are like starlight now. To break the spell I'll take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-belsante/no-cabs-to-be-had-out-there-i-wish-i-knew-how-your-eyes-are-like/) [Matt Belsante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-belsante/) > [Don't you see? She's the one! The girl we have been waiting for! She has come to break the spell! -Lumiere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beauty-and-the-beast/don-t-you-see-she-s-the-one-the-girl-we-have-been-waiting-for-she-has/) Beauty And The Beast > [“I must not let him know this, for it would make him conscious, and so break the spell that binds him and me together.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-barrie/i-must-not-let-him-know-this-for-it-would-make-him-conscious-and-so/) [J.M. Barrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-barrie/) > [Now is the time, now is the hour To take back my heart, to take back my power This is the moment to break…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-g/now-is-the-time-now-is-the-hour-to-take-back-my-heart-to-take-back-my/) Jeremy G > [“Take my hand and we'll dance until we die!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omnia/take-my-hand-and-we-ll-dance-until-we-die/) Omnia > [I go with the flow. Whatever music you play for me, I'll dance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gael-garcia-bernal/i-go-with-the-flow-whatever-music-you-play-for-me-i-ll-dance/) [Gael Garcia Bernal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gael-garcia-bernal/) > [I meet people all the time. Who don't? Don't be shy I'll dance with you, I'll take you to the nearest bar, I'll walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mccarty/i-meet-people-all-the-time-who-don-t-don-t-be-shy-i-ll-dance-with-you/) [Kevin McCarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mccarty/) ## More by Cornell Woolrich > [“He should have caught up with me inside of fifteen minutes at the outside, if he'd been able to get on the next train…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornell-woolrich/he-should-have-caught-up-with-me-inside-of-fifteen-minutes-at-the/) [Cornell Woolrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornell-woolrich/) > [“Home? What is home? Home is where a house is that you come back to when the rainy season is about to begin, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornell-woolrich/home-what-is-home-home-is-where-a-house-is-that-you-come-back-to-when/) [Cornell Woolrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornell-woolrich/) > [“Gates got up, but not fast or jerkily, with the same slowness that had always characterized him. He wiped the sweat off his palms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornell-woolrich/gates-got-up-but-not-fast-or-jerkily-with-the-same-slowness-that-had/) [Cornell Woolrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornell-woolrich/) > [“As the bartender struck a match to light her cigarette, she put her hand on his wrist to steady it. Travis saw him jump,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornell-woolrich/as-the-bartender-struck-a-match-to-light-her-cigarette-she-put-her/) [Cornell Woolrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornell-woolrich/) > [“That was enough dialogue for a few pages - he had to get into some fast, red-hot action. There weren't any more hitches now.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornell-woolrich/that-was-enough-dialogue-for-a-few-pages-he-had-to-get-into-some-fast/) [Cornell Woolrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornell-woolrich/) > [“Murder is such an elastic term, isn't it? ("Mind Over Murder")”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornell-woolrich/murder-is-such-an-elastic-term-isn-t-it-mind-over-murder/) [Cornell Woolrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornell-woolrich/) > [“She was beautiful, only hers was the dark beauty of night, just as Sherry's was the bright beauty of daytime. Her hair was raven-black,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornell-woolrich/she-was-beautiful-only-hers-was-the-dark-beauty-of-night-just-as/) [Cornell Woolrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornell-woolrich/) > [“And I still say it was just a coincidence;' he muttered pugnaciously. 'You say it too! Look at me and say it! It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornell-woolrich/and-i-still-say-it-was-just-a-coincidence-he-muttered-pugnaciously/) [Cornell Woolrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornell-woolrich/) > [“And then finally she came - and the whole world faded out around us and we were just alone on the crowded sidewalk. I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornell-woolrich/and-then-finally-she-came-and-the-whole-world-faded-out-around-us-and/) [Cornell Woolrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornell-woolrich/) > [“One of the two owners, the man who had been sitting in the front room, was stretched out in there asleep, stockinged-toes pointed at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornell-woolrich/one-of-the-two-owners-the-man-who-had-been-sitting-in-the-front-room/) [Cornell Woolrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornell-woolrich/) > [“But that's the Way, and there is no other. And once his mind's made up, the trembling and aimless walking stops, and he can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornell-woolrich/but-that-s-the-way-and-there-is-no-other-and-once-his-mind-s-made-up/) [Cornell Woolrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornell-woolrich/) > [“He just lingers long enough to see his plane put to bed properly, then grabs a cab at the airport-gate. "The Settlement" and forgetting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornell-woolrich/he-just-lingers-long-enough-to-see-his-plane-put-to-bed-properly-then/) [Cornell Woolrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornell-woolrich/) > [“There was a pause, while I fought against this other, lesser kind of death that was creeping over me - this death called strangeness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornell-woolrich/there-was-a-pause-while-i-fought-against-this-other-lesser-kind-of/) [Cornell Woolrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornell-woolrich/) > [“Every life is a mystery. And every story of every life is a mystery. But it is not what happens that is the mystery.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornell-woolrich/every-life-is-a-mystery-and-every-story-of-every-life-is-a-mystery/) [Cornell Woolrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornell-woolrich/) > [“Evans made himself their spokesman. "Charlie and Joe," he offered. "Remember us? We brought a friend back with us this time." Girls evidently didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornell-woolrich/evans-made-himself-their-spokesman-charlie-and-joe-he-offered/) [Cornell Woolrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornell-woolrich/) [Explore all 152 Cornell Woolrich quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornell-woolrich/) ## More Curse quotes > [Who knew the counter-curse was just unjellify?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-malfoy/who-knew-the-counter-curse-was-just-unjellify/) [Lucius Malfoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-malfoy/) > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [You have been deceived by your own cold heart - a curse upon your house and all within it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beauty-and-the-beast/you-have-been-deceived-by-your-own-cold-heart-a-curse-upon-your-house/) Beauty And The Beast > [The old men of the village of Mahotière say that the Mistress of the Water is a mulatto woman. At midnight she comes out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-roumain/the-old-men-of-the-village-of-mahoti-re-say-that-the-mistress-of-the/) [Jacques Roumain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-roumain/) > [“Mary: Some call this "Eve's curse," but I think that is stupid because the real curse of Eve was having to put up with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/mary-some-call-this-eve-s-curse-but-i-think-that-is-stupid-because/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [Were you indeed not blinded by the Curse Of Self-exile, that still grows worse and worse, Yourselves would know that, though you see him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farid-al-din-attar/were-you-indeed-not-blinded-by-the-curse-of-self-exile-that-still/) [Farid al-Din Attar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farid-al-din-attar/) > [Down where I grew up, able-bodied people do that which we believe God created them to do. Work is a blessing; it's not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-southerland/down-where-i-grew-up-able-bodied-people-do-that-which-we-believe-god/) [Steve Southerland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-southerland/) > [I especially like the songs Hurry Up and The Curse Of Castle Dragon, and I often include them in my live show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gilbert/i-especially-like-the-songs-hurry-up-and-the-curse-of-castle-dragon/) [Paul Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gilbert/) > [If the idea of having to change ourselves makes us uncomfortable, we can remain as we are. We can choose rest over labour, entertainment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/if-the-idea-of-having-to-change-ourselves-makes-us-uncomfortable-we/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [“Mungu akikubariki kipaji chako watu watasema ni laana. Maisha yako ni sawa na mto. Unakoelekea ni baharini. Lakini sasa umefika kwenye mlango wa bahari.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enock-maregesi/mungu-akikubariki-kipaji-chako-watu-watasema-ni-laana-maisha-yako-ni/) [Enock Maregesi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enock-maregesi/) > [Partisanship is our great curse. We too readily assume that everything has two sides and that it is our duty to be on one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-harvey-robinson/partisanship-is-our-great-curse-we-too-readily-assume-that-everything/) [James Harvey Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-harvey-robinson/) > [You have power over my body but the Lord Jesus hath power over my body and soul; and assure yourselves thus much, you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-hutchinson/you-have-power-over-my-body-but-the-lord-jesus-hath-power-over-my/) [Anne Hutchinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-hutchinson/) > [“The penis, often regarded as a weapon, is also a burden, the male curse.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gay-talese/the-penis-often-regarded-as-a-weapon-is-also-a-burden-the-male-curse/) [Gay Talese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gay-talese/) > [“Beauty will always be a curse.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-c-perry/beauty-will-always-be-a-curse/) [L.C. Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-c-perry/) > [“Sometimes," Helena continued, "I have a terrible dream of the future. Not now, but presently, people may forget their loyalty to their kings and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/sometimes-helena-continued-i-have-a-terrible-dream-of-the-future-not/) [Evelyn Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-waugh/) [Browse all 1,718 Curse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curse/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Play it, Eddie, don't be foolish;' she urges. 'Now's the time, break the spell once and for all, prove to yourself that it can't hurt you. If you don't do it now, you'll never get over the idea. It'll stay with you all your life. Go ahead. I'll dance it just like I am.' 'Okay,' he says. He taps. It's been quite some time, but he can rely on his outfit. Slow and low like thunder far away, coming nearer. Boom-putta-putta-boom! Judy whirls out behind him, lets out the first preliminary screech, Eeyaeeya! She hears a commotion in back of her and stops as suddenly as she began. Eddie Bloch's fallen flat on his face and doesn't move again after that. They all know, somehow. There's an inertness, a finality about it that tells them. The dancers wait a minute, mill about, then melt away in a hush. Judy Jarvis doesn't scream, doesn't cry, just stands there staring, wondering. That last thought - did it come from inside his own mind just now - or outside? Was it two months on its way, from the other side of the grave, looking for him, looking for him, until it found him tonight when he played the Chant once more and laid his mind open to Africa? No policeman, no detective, no doctor, no scientist, will ever be able to tell her. Did it come from inside or from outside? All she says is: 'Stand close to me, boys - real close to me, I'm afraid of the dark.' (\"Papa Benjamin\" aka \"Dark Melody Of Madness\")”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Cornell Woolrich" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornell-woolrich/play-it-eddie-don-t-be-foolish-she-urges-now-s-the-time-break-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Curse" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornell-woolrich/play-it-eddie-don-t-be-foolish-she-urges-now-s-the-time-break-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d4/cornell-woolrich-2734_curse_play-it-eddie-don-t-be-foolish-she-urges_700299.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d4/cornell-woolrich-2734_curse_play-it-eddie-don-t-be-foolish-she-urges_700299.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d4/cornell-woolrich-2734_curse_play-it-eddie-don-t-be-foolish-she-urges_700299.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Play it, Eddie, don't be foolish;' she urges. 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