One of the most famous and influential jazz pianists of the 20th century, B… Read Full Bio ↴One of the most famous and influential jazz pianists of the 20th century, Bill Evans formed the acclaimed piano trio in 1959, along with bassist Scott LaFaro and drummer Paul Motian. Evans' focus in this trio was jazz standards and original compositions, with an emphasis on interplay among the band members that often bordered on collective improvisation and blurred the line between soloist and accompanist. This trio recorded four albums: Portrait in Jazz (1959), Explorations, Sunday at the Village Vanguard, and Waltz for Debby (all recorded in 1961). The latter two albums are live recordings drawn from the same recording date, and they are routinely named among the greatest jazz recordings of all time. After LaFaro's untimely death, Evans went into seclusion for nearly a year, then re-formed the trio. After that, the personnel of the trio (other than Evans) changed every few years.

Bassists included Scott LaFaro(1959-1961), Chuck Israels (1962-1965), Gary Peacock(1963), Teddy Kotick (1966), Eddie Gomez(1966-1977), and Marc Johnson(1978-1980).
On drums the trio had Paul Motian (1959-1962), Larry Bunker ( 1962-1965), Arnie Wise (1966, 1968), Joe Hunt (1967), Philly Joe Jones (1967, 1977-1978), Jack DeJohnette (1968), John Dentz (1968), Marty Morell (1968-1975), Eliot Zigmund (1975-1977), and Joe La Barbera (1978-1980).

Who Can I Turn To
Bill Evans Trio Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Who can I turn to when nobody needs me?
My heart wants to know and so I must go where destiny leads me
With no star to guide me and no one beside me
I'll go on my way and, after the day, the darkness will hide me
And maybe tomorrow I'll find what I'm after

I'll throw off my sorrow, beg, steal, or borrow my share of laughter
With you I could learn to, with you what a new day

But who can I turn to if you turn away?

With you I could learn to, with you what a new day
But who can I turn to if you turn away?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Bill Evans's "Who Can I Turn To?" express the fear and uncertainty of not knowing where to turn in times of trouble. The singer asks who they can turn to when they feel like nobody needs them, and acknowledges that they must follow their destiny, even if they don't have a guiding star to light their way. The singer is resigned to the fact that they will face darkness and sorrow, but leaves open the possibility that they may find what they're looking for tomorrow.

The final verse introduces a glimmer of hope, as the singer suggests that with someone by their side they could learn to find happiness in each new day. However, the fear of being abandoned by this person still lingers, and the singer wonders who they could turn to if this were to happen. The song encapsulates the universal struggle of feeling lost and alone, yet still hoping for a brighter future.

Line by Line Meaning

Who can I turn to when nobody needs me?
I am searching for someone to turn to when I am alone and have nobody to depend on.

My heart wants to know and so I must go where destiny leads me
I feel lost and uncertain about where to go next, but I will follow my destiny to find the answers.

With no star to guide me and no one beside me
I am navigating through life without a clear direction, and I have nobody by my side to offer support or guidance.

I'll go on my way and, after the day, the darkness will hide me
I will continue to move forward, and when night falls, I will be hidden from the world in darkness.

And maybe tomorrow I'll find what I'm after
Perhaps tomorrow, I will finally discover what it is that I am searching for.

I'll throw off my sorrow, beg, steal, or borrow my share of laughter
I am willing to do whatever it takes, even if it means begging or stealing, to escape from my sorrows and experience happiness.

With you I could learn to, with you what a new day
I believe that with you by my side, I could learn to experience life in a new and positive way.

But who can I turn to if you turn away?
However, if you were to abandon me, I would once again be left with nobody to turn to and would feel lost and alone once more.

With you I could learn to, with you what a new day
I hold onto the hope that with you, my life could change for the better, and each day would feel like a new beginning.

But who can I turn to if you turn away?
Still, I remain fearful that I will be left to face the challenges of life on my own once again, should you choose to leave me.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS