Ross is one of the early practitioners of a singing style known as vocalese, which involves the setting of original lyrics to an instrumental jazz solo. Her 1952 treatment of saxophonist Wardell Gray's "Twisted" is a classic example of vocalese. "Twisted" is perhaps her most famous song.
She recorded seven albums with Lambert, Hendricks & Ross between 1957 and 1962. Annie left the group in 1962 and in 1964 opened her own nightclub in London. Annie's Room featured performances by such jazz luminaries as Joe Williams, Stuff Smith, Blossom Dearie, Anita O'Day, Jon Hendricks, and Erroll Garner as well as Annie herself.
Ross is also an accomplished actress and has appeared in a number of films: Superman III (1983), Throw Mama From The Train (1987), Pump Up the Volume (1990), Blue Sky (1994), Short Cuts (1993).
I Didn't Know About You
Annie Ross Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Usual laughs, not often, but loud
And in the world that I knew
I didn't know about you
Chasing after a ring, on a merry-go-round
Just havin' my fun, where it could be found
And yet what else could I do?
Now I know
I've spent the loneliest yesterdays, every day
In your arms
I know for once in my life, I'm livin'
Had a good time, every time I went out
Romance was a thing I kidded about
How could I know about love?
I didn't know about you
Now I know
I've spent the loneliest yesterdays, every day
In your arms
I know for once in my life, I'm livin'
Had a good time, every time I went out
Romance was a thing I kidded about
How could I know about love?
I didn't know about you
"I Didn't Know About You" is a classic jazz standard from 1941, composed by Duke Ellington with lyrics by Bob Russell. The song reflects on the singer's previous carefree life before discovering love and experiencing a profound change in perspective. The song's opening lines, "I ran around with my own little crowd, Usual laughs, not often, but loud" describes the life of the singer before meeting the person they fell in love with, which was then followed by the line "And in the world that I knew, I didn't know about you," highlighting their ignorance of true love before experiencing it.
Further in the song, the singer reminisces on their past experiences with the lines, "Chasing after a ring, on a merry-go-round, just havin' my fun, where it could be found. And yet what else could I do? I didn't know about you." These lines depict the sense of aimlessness and lack of direction felt while trying to find satisfaction in shallow and fleeting pleasures. The chorus, which appears twice in the song, stresses the significance of the love that has brought about the change in the singer's life, as they sing "Now I know, I've spent the loneliest yesterdays, every day in your arms. I know for once in my life, I'm livin'."
Overall, "I Didn't Know About You" is a poignant and heartfelt reflection on the transformative power of love. The song serves as a reminder that it is easy to dismiss love as a game and a joke until it becomes a profound force in one's life.
Line by Line Meaning
I ran around with my own little crowd
I spent my days with my group of friends, sticking to our usual routine.
Usual laughs, not often, but loud
We didn't laugh all the time, but when we did, it was boisterous and hearty.
And in the world that I knew
Within my limited perspective and experiences,
I didn't know about you
I hadn't yet met you, or experienced the love and joy that you brought into my life.
Chasing after a ring, on a merry-go-round
I was caught up in a never-ending cycle of pursuing material possessions and temporary pleasures.
Just havin' my fun, where it could be found
I didn't have any real purpose or direction, just seeking enjoyment haphazardly.
And yet what else could I do?
I was ignorant and unaware of the more meaningful and fulfilling things in life, so what other options did I have?
Now I know
Following my encounter with you,
I've spent the loneliest yesterdays, every day
I realize that I have lived many days feeling empty and alone, despite being surrounded by people and activities.
In your arms
But when I am with you, I feel a warmth and security that overcomes that loneliness.
I know for once in my life, I'm livin'
With you, I finally feel truly alive and fulfilled, experiencing the depth and beauty of love that I never knew was possible.
Had a good time, every time I went out
Before I met you, I enjoyed myself when I went out with friends and engaged in frivolous activities.
Romance was a thing I kidded about
But I never took love and relationships seriously, often making jokes about them.
How could I know about love?
I had never experienced true love before, so I didn't understand how fulfilling and transformative it could be.
I didn't know about you
But now that I have you, I know the incredible depth of love and happiness that you bring into my life.
Contributed by Jordyn V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.