This spectacularly uplifting waltz was to become the most popular of this composer-conductor's many songs and ballads. The constant invention apparent in his orchestral pieces, and in his three early operas I briganti (1841), Il corsaro, and La spia (1856), is at work here, generating surprising and elegantly flowing melodic turns throughout.

The memorable main theme has a syncopated lilt that seems to have been influenced by the offbeat accents of the German Ländler combined with the general flow of the continental waltz. This theme is introduced by two chromatic lines in contrary motion playing a standard, and by now somewhat corny, march band lead-in.

The staccato rhythm of the melody perfectly describes the nearly breathless anticipation of a lover looking forward to pressing "one sweet kiss" on his beloved's lips. The line gradually sneaks upward ("Sulle, sulle labre, sulle labra, se potessi, dolce un bacio..." / on, on your lips, on your lips, I would place one sweet kiss), the singer's desire finally declared in a short outburst on the highest pitches, projected in a full legato resonance.

The bridge extends the offbeats in a "brilliante e staccato" style and modulates to a higher key, the melody no longer tiptoeing around but released in a dynamic, fortissimo abandon. The line suddenly returns to the stealthy staccato pianissimo, dipping and scooping, as the singer implies that he "would tell thee all the sweets of love divine."

The syncopated rhythm on the word "sulle" at the beginning is now applied to "sempre" (always, or, still) for the second verse, as the poet assures his beloved that all he wishes to do is sit by her side always and murmur a thousand tender words.

A quick modulation to the subdominant key introduces a new motif, a kind of melismatic vocalise with sighs, triplet turns, and stunning scale runs ("Gemme e perle non desio" / I do not desire gems and pearls). An instrumental interlude expands on the previous melodic idea and amplifies the tension with cavalier, thrilling dissonances.

Modulating once more to a new key, another melodic idea, a legato version of the "dipping and scooping" combined with the syncopated staccato, begins in a gentle pianissimo. A wonderful afterbeat pattern, tambourine-like, is added to the accompaniment, as the vocalist begs his love to "draw nigh to me."

After another brief instrumental interlude, the instruments play the main theme while the voice executes an expansive, virtuosic melisma that touches the heart with its pleading to be enfolded in an embrace. The impression is that the initial melody is simultaneously creating that "enfolding."

The first verse is recapitulated, the voice weaves new wide-ranging arpeggios among the tune. The coda expands the theme first developed in the subdominant key. The harmony gradually modulates upward as the voice obsesses on one high note (i.e., as an inverted pedal point). The voice suddenly rushes upward to its highest peak as the poet once more entreats the lover to "draw nigh to me."

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