Carmen Mercedes McRae (1920-1994) was a U.S. jazz singer, songwriter, and p… Read Full Bio ↴Carmen Mercedes McRae (1920-1994) was a U.S. jazz singer, songwriter, and pianist.

McRae was born in Harlem, New York, on the 8th April 1920, and studied piano as a child. As a teenager she came to the attention of Teddy Wilson and his wife, the composer Irene Kitchings Wilson. Through their influence, one of McRae’s early songs, "Dream of Life", was recorded by Wilson’s longtime collaborator Billie Holiday.

By the late 1940s she was well known among the modern jazz musicians who gathered at Minton's Playhouse, Harlem’s most famous jazz club, where she was the intermission pianist. But it was while working in Brooklyn that she came to the attention of Decca’s Milt Gabler. Her five year association with Decca yielded twelve LPs.

The musicians she sang with include Benny Carter, Mercer Ellington, Count Basie, Sammy Davis Jr, Dave Brubeck, and Louis Armstrong. She was married once (and briefly), to drummer Kenny Clarke.

McRae died on the 10th November 1994.

A Song for You
Carmen McRae Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

There's no one more important to me
Darlin' can't you please see through me
Cause we're alone now and I'm singing this song for you

You taught me precious secrets of the truth withholding nothing
You came out in front and I was hiding
But now I'm so much better and if my words don't come together
Listen to the melody cause my love is in there hiding

I love you in a place where there's no space or time
I love you for in my life you are a friend of mine
And when my life is over
Remember when we were together
We were alone and I was singing this song for you

You taught me precious secrets of the truth withholding nothing
You came out in front and I was hiding
But now I'm so much better and if my words don't come together
Listen to the melody cause my love is in there hiding

I love you in a place where there's no space or time
I love you for in my life you are a friend of mine
And when my life is over
Remember when we were together

We were alone and I was singing this song for you
We were alone and I was singing this song for you

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Carmen McRae's "A Song For You" are a reflection on the singer's journey through life and music. She acknowledges having been to many places and having had the opportunity to sing in front of thousands of people, but now she's alone and dedicates this song to someone special. This person, whom she loves deeply, knows her in a way that no one else does. By recognizing the good and the bad in her, they have helped her become a better person, and she wants them to understand that they are the most important person in her life. She sings this song with a melody that holds all of her love, expressing her desire to reach a place where love transcends time and space.

The lyrics are deeply personal and sentimental, telling a love story that is both universal and unique. The song expresses the desire to be vulnerable with the person you love, to let them see the best and worst of you without judgment. It is a love song that is raw and honest, without any frills or pretense.

Line by Line Meaning

I've been so many places in my life and time
Throughout my life, I've had numerous experiences and visited many different locations.

I've sung a lot of songs I've made some bad rhymes
As a singer, I've performed many songs, some of which were not written well.

I've acted out my love in stages
In my performances, I've portrayed different versions of love.

With ten thousand people watching
During my performances, I've been watched by many people.

But we're alone now and I'm singing this song for you
Despite my past performances in front of large crowds, right now, it's just you and me, and I'm performing this song for you.

I know your image of me is what I hope to be
I understand that you have a certain perception of me, which aligns with the image I want to project.

I've treated you unkindly but darlin' can't you see
I may have mistreated you in the past, but I hope you can forgive me.

There's no one more important to me
Out of everyone in my life, you hold the most significance to me.

Darlin' can't you please see through me
I hope you can see past my mistakes and understand who I truly am.

Cause we're alone now and I'm singing this song for you
Once again, it's just the two of us, and I want to perform this song specifically for you.

You taught me precious secrets of the truth withholding nothing
You've shared with me important and valuable knowledge, never holding anything back.

You came out in front and I was hiding
You were bold and confident, while I was too shy to show my true self.

But now I'm so much better and if my words don't come together
I've improved and grown since then, but if I struggle to express myself verbally...

Listen to the melody cause my love is in there hiding
...the melody of this song will convey my love for you.

I love you in a place where there's no space or time
My love for you exists beyond the constraints of space and time.

I love you for in my life you are a friend of mine
I love you because you have been a true friend to me throughout my life.

And when my life is over
In the future, when my life comes to an end...

Remember when we were together
...I want you to remember the time we shared together.

We were alone and I was singing this song for you
In that moment, we were alone, and I was performing this song for you out of pure love and appreciation.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: AARON, JENKINS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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@teclainsolia3967

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I've been so many places in my life and time
I've sung a lot of songs I've made some bad rhymes
I've acted out my love in stages
With ten thousand people watching
But we're alone now and I'm singing this song for you
I know your image of me is what I hope to be
I've treated you unkindly but darlin' can't you see
There's no one more important to me
Darlin' can't you please see through me
'Cause we're alone now and I'm singing this song for you
You taught me precious secrets of the truth withholding nothing
You came out in front and I was hiding
But now I'm so much better and if my words don't come together
Listen to the melody cause my love is in there hiding
I love you in a place where there's no space or time
I love you for in my life you are a friend of mine
And when my life is over
Remember when we were together
We were alone and I was singing this song for you
You taught me precious secrets of the truth withholding nothing
You came out in front and I was hiding
But now I'm so much better and if my words don't come together
Listen to the melody cause my love is in there hiding
I love you in a place where there's no space or time
I love you for in my life you are a friend of mine
And when my life is over
Remember when we were together
We were alone and I was singing this song for you
We were alone and I was singing this song for you