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.
No more
Carmen McRae Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
love goes just so far
woke up this morning
and found
i didn't care for you no more no how
never felt so good before
you're down to my size
it's over and done
that look in your eyes don't bother me none
can take you or leave you alone
from my window skies ain't gray no more
not now
here's the day that i've been waiting for
got only one heart
one heart with no spares
must save it for loving somebody who cares
so you ain't gonna bother me
no more
no more
The lyrics of Carmen McRae's "No More" describe a turning point in a romantic relationship. The singer declares that their lover will no longer bother them because they have realized that their love only goes so far. They woke up one morning and found that they no longer cared for their lover in any way. This revelation has a positive effect on the singer as they never felt so good before. The singer's lover is now down to their size, and there is a sense of equality between them. The relationship is over and done, and the singer asks their lover, who was once highness on a throne, to step down from their pedestal. The look in their eyes no longer bothers the singer, and they can take them or leave them alone.
The singer is experiencing a newfound freedom, and this is reflected in the colorful imagery used in the lyrics. The skies outside their window are no longer gray, and the day they have been waiting for has arrived. The singer seems to have a newfound appreciation for their own heart and declares that they have only one heart with no spares. This indicates that they are no longer willing to waste their love on someone who does not care for them in the same way. In the end, the singer insists that their lover will no longer bother them, and they can move on to someone who truly cares for them.
Line by Line Meaning
You ain't gonna bother me no more
I am no longer affected by your actions or words.
love goes just so far
Love has its limits and it has reached its end with you.
woke up this morning
I have gained a new perspective on our situation.
and found
I have discovered something about myself.
i didn't care for you no more no how
I have lost all affection for you.
never felt so good before
I am happy and at peace with my decision.
you're down to my size
I no longer see you as superior to me.
it's over and done
Our relationship has come to an end.
so highness step down from your throne
You are no longer above me or more important than me.
that look in your eyes don't bother me none
Your attempt to manipulate me no longer affects me.
can take you or leave you alone
I am indifferent towards you and am able to move on.
from my window skies ain't gray no more
My outlook on life is brighter without you in it.
not now
At this point in time, you are no longer a part of my life.
here's the day that i've been waiting for
I am relieved that this day has finally come.
got only one heart
I have a limited capacity for love and cannot waste it on you.
one heart with no spares
I cannot afford to give my love to someone who does not deserve it.
must save it for loving somebody who cares
I will only give my love to someone who appreciates and reciprocates it.
so you ain't gonna bother me
Your presence or absence will no longer affect me.
no more
I have moved on and am done with our relationship.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MAUREEN MCDONALD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind