They weren't joined at the hip, yet Chet Atkins and Les Paul were far close… Read Full Bio ↴They weren't joined at the hip, yet Chet Atkins and Les Paul were far closer than many realize. Chet's half-brother Jimmy Atkins played rhythm guitar in the Les Paul Trio in the '40s. Both Chet and Les's playing reflected Belgian Gypsy jazz virtuoso Django Reinhardt's influence. They not only created records of monumental importance to guitarists in all genres, but their signature model electric instruments advanced guitar technology. In other words, ample common ground existed for these 1970s collaborations. The first, Chester & Lester, won the pair a Grammy in 1976; Guitar Monsters was the 1978 follow-up. Recorded in a loose, lighthearted atmosphere that bypassed country (except for the tongue-in-cheek "Give My Love to Nell"), these albums explored their roots in the big band era. In some cases, such as "It's Been A Long, Long Time" for Les and "Hot Toddy" for Chet, they revisited songs they recorded years earlier. Les, downplaying his electronic wizardry, proved that he didn't need it to dazzle. Chet, who'd come to favor sterile perfection over passion, unleashed his old intensity in the presence of a fellow virtuoso. --Rich Kienzle

It Had To Be You
Chet Atkins & Les Paul Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

It had to be you, it had to be you.
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.

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.

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.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Chet Atkins's song It Had to Be You express the idea of fate and the inevitability of finding the perfect match. The singer wonders around searching for the right person until he finally meets the somebody who could make him feel blue but also glad just to be sad thinking of her. The use of past tense verbs suggest that the singer has already found the love of his life, and it was destined to happen.

The singer compares his current love with other people he has seen who might never be mean, cross or try to be boss, but they wouldn't do. With all her faults, he still loves her and couldn't imagine being with anyone else. The song ends with the repetition of "It had to be you" reaffirming the idea of fate and that this person was meant to be.

Line by Line Meaning

It had to be you, it had to be you.
You are the only one who could make me feel this way.

I wandered around and finally found the somebody who
After searching for so long, I finally found the one who completes me.

Could make me be true, could make me feel blue,
You inspire me to be my authentic self and confront my sorrows.

And even be glad just to be sad thinkin' of you.
Even when I am sad, I find comfort in thinking of you.

Some others I've seen might never be mean
I have seen other people who are never unkind.

Might never be cross or try to be boss,
They may never be angry or try to control others.

But they wouldn't do.
Yet, they can never replace you in my heart.

For nobody else gave me a thrill.
No one else can excite me like you do.

With all your faults, I love you still,
Even with your flaws, I still love you unconditionally.

It had to be you, wonderful you,
You are truly remarkable, and it had to be specifically you.

It had to be you.
Without a doubt, it had to be you, and no one else.