Born in the Homewood neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, she attended George Westinghouse High School and studied music at the Filion School of Music in Pittsburgh. Later she performed regularly in the Hill District, a jazz hotspot, as a vocalist with the Joe Westray Orchestra, a popular Pittsburgh orchestra. She next spent several years in the nightclub circuit in such cities as Detroit, Indianapolis, Cleveland and St. Louis. While in New York, she was noticed singing at a Harlem nightclub called the Baby Grand by Dave Cavanaugh, a producer for Capitol Records. She was signed and released several singles, her success leading her to win Down Beat magazine's "Most Promising Newcomer" award in 1955. In 1958, Staton wed Talib Dawud, a black Antigua-born Ahmadi Muslim trumpeter and noted critic of Elijah Muhammad. She subsequently converted to Islam and used the name Aliyah Rabia for some time. The marriage ultimately ended in divorce.
She released several critically acclaimed albums in the late 1950s and early 1960s, including: The Late, Late Show (1957), whose title track was her biggest hit, In the Night (1957), a collaboration with pianist George Shearing, Dynamic! (1958) and Dakota at Storyville (1961), a live album recorded at the Storyville jazz club in Boston. In the mid-1960s Staton moved to England, where she recorded the album Dakota ′67. Returning to the US in the early 1970s, she continued to record semi-regularly, her recordings taking an increasingly strong gospel and blues influence. She suffered a stroke in 1999, after which her health deteriorated. Staton died in New York City aged 76 in 2007.
Don't Get Around Much Anymore
Dakota Staton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Heard they crowded the floor
Couldn't bear it without you
Don't get around much anymore
Though I'd visit the club
Got as far as the door
They'd have asked me about you
Darling, I guess my mind's more at ease
But nevertheless why stir up memories?
Been invited on dates
Might have gone but what for?
Awf'lly diff'rent without you
Don't get around much anymore
The lyrics in Dakota Staton's song, Don't Get Around Much Anymore, paint a vivid picture of loneliness and longing. The opening lines give an insight into the singer's resignation to their present state, as they lament not attending the Saturday dance due to the pain of being without their lover. The following line of "heard they crowded the floor" creates a sense of jealousy mixed with regret, as it implies that they would have enjoyed themselves if their lover was there.
The tone shifts in the second stanza as the singer recounts an attempt to visit the club. However, they did not make it past the door as they knew they would be asked about their lover, bringing up unwanted memories. The final stanza suggests that the singer has attempted to move on, having been invited on dates, but they do not see the point of going out without their lover, as things are "awf'lly diff'rent without you." The mention of "stir[ring] up memories" implies that the singer is aware that trying to find a replacement will only lead to frustration and further heartbreak.
Don't Get Around Much Anymore's lyrics are a strong testament to the power of love and the devastating effects of losing it. The singer is unable to forget their lover, and their memories remain a potent force in their life. It is a song that resonates with anyone who has lost a lover or a significant other.
Line by Line Meaning
Missed the Saturday dance
I didn't go to the Saturday dance
Heard they crowded the floor
I heard that the floor was crowded
Couldn't bear it without you
I couldn't stand being there without you
Don't get around much anymore
I don't go out much anymore
Though I'd visit the club
I thought about going to the club
Got as far as the door
I only got as far as the door
They'd have asked me about you
People would have asked me about you
Don't get around much anymore
I don't go out much anymore
Darling, I guess my mind's more at ease
I feel more relaxed without you
But nevertheless why stir up memories?
But why bring up memories?
Been invited on dates
I've been invited on dates
Might have gone but what for?
But what's the point?
Awf'lly diff'rent without you
It's very different without you
Don't get around much anymore
I don't go out much anymore
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Duke Ellington, Bob Russell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind