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.
Easy To Love
Dakota Staton Lyrics
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In thinking such a thing could be
That you could ever care for me
I'm sure you hate to hear
That I adore you, dear
But grant me
Just the same
For love
You'd be so easy to love
So easy to idolize
All others above
So worth the yearning for
So swell to keep every home fire burning for
We'd be so grand at the game
So carefree together
That it does seem a shame
That you can't see
Your future with me
Cause you'd be oh, so easy to love
The lyrics to Dakota Staton's song "Easy To Love" speak of unrequited love and the difficulty of accepting that the object of one's affections may never feel the same way. The song begins with the singer acknowledging that they are "just wasting precious time" by hoping that the person they are in love with could ever care for them in return. The singer fears that the person they love will never reciprocate their feelings, but cannot help themselves from continuing to love them regardless. They know that expressing their love will likely not be well-received, but find comfort in it nonetheless.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the ease with which the object of the singer's affection could be loved. They are "so easy to idolize" and are "worth the yearning for." The singer imagines a life with this person, in which they are "carefree together" and "grand at the game." However, they are aware that these fantasies may never come to fruition as the person they love cannot see a future with them.
Line by Line Meaning
I know too well that I'm just wasting precious time
I understand that there is no use in spending time thinking about something that's impossible.
In thinking such a thing could be
I thought of a possibility which is unlikely and unachievable.
That you could ever care for me
I had assumed that you would be interested in me, which is an unrealistic expectation.
I'm sure you hate to hear
I am certain that you won't appreciate to hear what I have to say.
That I adore you, dear
I have a deep affection for you, which is not reciprocated.
But grant me
However, I ask for one thing from you.
Just the same
Regardless of the situation, I feel the same way about you.
I'm not entirely to blame
I am not entirely responsible for feeling this way.
For love
It's natural to develop certain feelings.
You'd be so easy to love
I think you are someone who is approachable and likable.
So easy to idolize
You are someone who is admirable and can be looked up to.
All others above
You are better than anyone else in my eyes.
So worth the yearning for
I deeply desire you and it's worth going through this feeling.
So swell to keep every home fire burning for
Having you in my life would be a source of joy and contentment.
We'd be so grand at the game
Together, we would accomplish great things.
So carefree together
Being together would mean being free from worries and stress.
That it does seem a shame
It's regretful that what could be is not a possibility.
That you can't see
You don't realize the potential we could have together.
Your future with me
Our future together is something I believe could be wonderful.
Cause you'd be oh, so easy to love
Once again, you are someone who can be easily loved and appreciated.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Cole Porter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind