He began on organ, then switched to clarinet and later added saxophone. The first band he joined in 1918 was Charly Miller's band. In 1922 he attended the New England Conservatory of Music where he gave lessons to Harry Carney. From 1926 till 1931 he joined Charly Johnson 's band. Later on he worked with King Oliver, Fletcher Henderson, Claude Hopkins, and others.( Hot Lips Page ) In these years he made several recordings with King Oliver and Clarence williams. During 1941-1942 he played with the famous Jimmy Lunceford Orchestra. After that he started his own band and played at the "Red Mill" in New York. After NY he stayed for four years in California. From 1952 to 1992 he lived in Paris and in 1996 received the Legion of Honor by the French Ministry of Culture. He is known in part for the longevity of his career. He continued to perform regularly up to his 95th birthday. Waters became blind in 1992 due to cataract.
It Had To Be You
Benny Waters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wandered around and finally found the somebody who
Could make me be true, could make me feel blue,
And even be glad just to be sad thinkin' of you.
Some others I've seen might never be mean
Might never be cross or try to be boss,
But they wouldn't do.
With all your faults, I love you still,
It had to be you, wonderful you,
It had to be you.
It had to be you, it had to be you.
I wandered around and finally found somebody who
Could make me be true, could make me be blue,
And even be glad just to be sad thinkin' of you.
Some others I've seen might never be mean
Might never be cross or try to be boss,
But they wouldn't do.
For nobody else gave me a thrill.
With all your faults, I love you still.
It had to be you, wonderful you
It had to be you.
In Benny Waters's song "It Had To Be You", the lyrics reflect the emotions and thoughts of a person who has finally found the one they are meant to be with. The opening line, “it had to be you,” suggests that the person believes they were destined to find this particular individual. They wandered around, searching for someone who could make them feel genuine emotions and who they could be true with. The person has seen others who might have been pleasant but wouldn't have been able to satisfy the singer's yearning for the perfect relationship.
The second verse further reinforces the idea that nobody else could make the singer feel this way, due to the unique qualities of the individual they discovered. Despite any flaws they have, the person's love has grown stronger for them. This love affair brings both sadness and happiness to the singer, making them feel simultaneously blue but glad just to think of the person they love.
Overall, the song's lyrics might be interpreted as a depiction of real and profound love, true and enduring, and how it feels to find that one person who you feel a real and meaningful connection to. The song's melody adds more emotional impact to the lyrics, making it a timeless classic loved by many.
Line by Line Meaning
It had to be you, it had to be you.
Out of all the people in the world, it was destined to be you that I fell in love with.
I wandered around and finally found the somebody who
I searched for a long time until I found the person who completed me.
Could make me be true, could make me feel blue,
You have the ability to bring out my most honest self, and even when you make me sad, I feel grateful for the chance to think about you.
And even be glad just to be sad thinkin' of you.
Thinking about you, even if it makes me sad, still brings me joy because of how much I love you.
Some others I've seen might never be mean
I've observed other people who are never unkind.
Might never be cross or try to be boss,
They may never display anger or attempt to control others.
But they wouldn't do.
However, they could never replace you in my heart.
For nobody else gave me a thrill.
No one else excites and inspires me like you do.
With all your faults, I love you still,
Despite your imperfections, I still love you deeply.
It had to be you, wonderful you,
You are the one I was meant to be with, and I consider you a truly remarkable person.
It had to be you.
You were always the one for me, and I am grateful that our paths crossed.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Isham Jones, Gus Kahn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind