William "Count" Basie (August 21, 1904– April 26, 1984) was a jazz pianist,… Read Full Bio ↴William "Count" Basie (August 21, 1904– April 26, 1984) was a jazz pianist, organist, composer, and bandleader.

As a pianist, he had a distinctive and influential style (the song title "Splanky" is an onomatopoetic reference to the sound of his playing), equally at home in the barrelhouse and the concert hall. Willie "The Lion" Smith, James P. Johnson, and Fats Waller were among his influences.

As a bandleader, he created an organization (built upon the remains of Bennie Moten's Kansas City Orchestra) that was a favorite both of dancers and of vocalists such as Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, and, of course, Billie Holiday. Equally important, it kept many musicians employed through lean years. Many jazz musicians of note built their chops and earned their bread and butter in Basie's organization.

In addition to Basie, the swinging "All American Rhythm Section" of his orchestra included greats such as Walter Page (bass), Jo Jones (drums), and Freddie Green (guitar). It was the greatest, most swinging rhythm sections in the history of jazz. Chief among its vocalists were, first, Jimmy Rushing and, later, Joe Williams. Over the years it boasted sidemen and soloists like Herschel Evans (tenor sax), Lester Young (tenor sax), Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis (tenor sax), Buddy Tate (tenor sax), Illinois Jacquet (tenor sax), Earle Warren (alto sax), Jack Washington (alto & baritone sax), Harry "Sweets" Edison (trumpet), Buck Clayton (trumpet), Thad Jones (trumpet), Snooky Young (trumpet), Benny Morton (trombone), Benny Powell (trombone), and Dicky Wells (trombone).

Basie also collaborated with artists such as Zoot Sims and Oscar Peterson, and recorded with ensembles large and small, including the Count Basie Trio, the Count Basie Sextet, and the Kansas City Seven. Notable arrangers included Eddie Durham (who helped shape the Basie Orchestra's sound) and Neal Hefti.

There Will Never Be Another You
Count Basie Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

This is our last dance together
Tonight soon will be long ago
And in our moment of parting
This is all I want you to know

There will be many other nights like this,
And I'll be standing here with someone new,
There will be other songs to sing, another fall, another spring,

But there will never be another you.

There will be other lips that I may kiss,
But they won't thrill me like yours used to do,
Yes, I may dream a million dreams,

But how can they come true,
If there will never ever be another you.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Count Basie's song "There Will Never Be Another You" convey a bittersweet sense of farewell and a longing for something that can never be replicated. The first stanza sets the stage for the final moments of a dance, as the singer reflects on the transience of time and the fleeting nature of our experiences. As he prepares to part ways with his dance partner, he speaks directly to her, expressing what he wants her to remember: that despite the passing of time, there will always be something special about the moments they shared together.

The second stanza acknowledges the inevitability of change and new experiences, as the singer anticipates moving on to new people and new songs. However, he also recognizes that these new experiences will never quite measure up to what he had with his current partner. While he may find new lips to kiss and new dreams to dream, he knows that there will never be another person quite like her.

Overall, the song is a poignant reflection on the beauty and fragility of human connection. Despite the fleeting nature of our experiences, there are some memories that we carry with us forever, and some people who will always hold a special place in our hearts.

Line by Line Meaning

This is our last dance together
This is the end of our time together.

Tonight soon will be long ago
This night will soon be a distant memory.

And in our moment of parting
As we say goodbye,

This is all I want you to know
I have one final message for you.

There will be many other nights like this,
There will be many more nights of music and celebration.

And I'll be standing here with someone new,
I will be with someone else.

There will be other songs to sing, another fall, another spring,
There will be more music, more seasons.

But there will never be another you.
But no one can replace you.

There will be other lips that I may kiss,
I will kiss other people.

But they won't thrill me like yours used to do,
But no one will excite me like you did.

Yes, I may dream a million dreams,
I may have many aspirations.