Billy Eckstine (8 July 1914 – 8 March 1993), born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvan… Read Full Bio ↴Billy Eckstine (8 July 1914 – 8 March 1993), born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA as William Clarence Eckstein. He changed the spelling to Eckstine after a club owner said the original spelling was "too Jewish".

Eckstine was an American jazz singer and bandleader who also played trumpet, valve trombone, and guitar. He also performed briefly as Billy X. Stine. His nickname was Mr. B. Although best known as a singer, his openness to new music made him a strong influence on modern jazz, particularly bebop, as he gave employment to many of the musicians who founded the style.

After singing with the Earl Hines band from 1939 to 1943 he led his own band from 1944 to 1947. The band featured at various times a large number of rising jazz stars, including:

Saxophones: Gene Ammons, Dexter Gordon, Sonny Stitt, Lucky Thompson, Charlie Parker, Wardell Gray, Budd Johnson, Leo Parker
Trumpets: Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Kenny Dorham, Fats Navarro
Drums: Art Blakey
Singers: Lena Horne, Sarah Vaughan

Eckstine later formed an octet, then went solo, becoming a popular ballad singer while remaining an important figure in jazz. His huge, distinctive baritone made him one of the first African American singers to have mainstream success. He was the composer of the blues classic "Jelly, Jelly" and also recorded the R&B top hit "Stormy Monday Blues" in 1942 (not to be confused with T-Bone Walker's 1947 "Call It Stormy Monday (But Tuesday Is Just As Bad)"). Most of his success as a singer came with ballads, including "Everything I have is Yours", "Blue Moon", "Caravan," "Prisoner of Love," "You Go to My Head," and "That Old Black Magic". His last hit was "Passing Strangers", a duet with Sarah Vaughan released in 1957.

Eckstine was a style leader and noted sharp dresser. He designed and patented a high roll collar that formed a B over a Windsor-knotted tie, which became known as a Mr. B. Collar. In addition to looking cool, the collar expanded and contracted without popping open, which allowed his neck to swell while playing his horns. The collars were worn by many a hipster in the late 1940s and early 1950s.

In 1984, Eckstine recorded his final album, I Am A Singer, featuring beautiful ballads arranged and conducted by Angelo DiPippo.

Nobody's Heart
Billy Eckstine Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Nobody's heart belongs to me
Hiegh ho, who cares
Nobody writes his songs for me
No one belongs to me

That's the least of my cares
I may be sad at times
And disinclined to play

But it's not bad at times
To go your own sweet way

Nobody's arms belong to me
No arms feel strong to me

I admire the moon as a moon, just a moon
Nobody's heart belongs to me today

Overall Meaning

The song "Nobody's Heart" by Billy Eckstine is a melancholic yet cathartic ballad about feeling emotionally detached and indifferent. The repetition of the phrase "nobody's heart belongs to me" evokes a sense of loneliness and isolation. The singer seems to have accepted their situation and is not seeking pity, as is evident in the lines "that's the least of my cares" and "no one belongs to me." Despite feeling sad at times, the singer finds solace in solitude, as expressed through the lines "it's not bad at times to go your own sweet way."

The verse "nobody's arms belong to me, no arms feel strong to me" further reinforces the idea of detachment and lack of emotional connection. However, the final line "nobody's heart belongs to me today" hints at a flicker of hope that perhaps someday, somebody will love and belong to the singer. Overall, the song conveys a sense of resignation yet a quiet determination to keep going and find happiness in oneself.

Line by Line Meaning

Nobody's heart belongs to me
I do not possess anyone's affection

Hiegh ho, who cares
I am not bothered by this fact

Nobody writes his songs for me
I do not have a personal songwriter

No one belongs to me
I do not have any personal connections

That's the least of my cares
This is not a major concern for me

I may be sad at times
I occasionally feel sorrowful

And disinclined to play
I'm not always in the mood for recreational activities

But it's not bad at times
It's not always a bad thing

To go your own sweet way
To chart your own path

Nobody's arms belong to me
I do not have anyone's embrace

No arms feel strong to me
I do not feel physically supported by anyone