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.
My Funny Valentine
Dakota Staton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You make me smile with my heart
Your looks are laughable, un-photographable
Yet, you're my favorite work of art
Is your figure less than Greek?
Is your mouth a little weak?
When you open it to speak
But, don't change a hair for me
Not if you care for me
Stay little valentine, stay
Each day is Valentine's Day
Is your figure less than Greek?
Is your mouth a little weak?
When you open it to speak
Are you smart?
But, don't change a hair for me
Not if you care for me
Stay little valentine, stay
Each day is Valentine's Day
In Dakota Staton's rendition of "My Funny Valentine", she captures the bittersweet essence of the song perfectly. "My Funny Valentine" refers to a person who is not traditionally beautiful, yet still has their own unique charm and beauty. The song's opening lines, "my funny valentine, sweet comic valentine, you make me smile with my heart," suggest that the singer is fond of this person, despite their less-than-perfect physical appearance. The song is a ballad about being in love with someone who is flawed but lovable.
As the song progresses, the singer asks if their valentine's figure is less than Greek, if their mouth is a little weak, and if they are smart when they speak. The questions highlight society's unrealistic beauty standards and the singer's preference for their valentine's idiosyncrasies. The lyric "yet, you're my favorite work of art" further emphasizes this point. The final lines, "stay little valentine, stay, each day is Valentine's Day," are a declaration of the singer's love and desire for their valentine to always remain the same.
Line by Line Meaning
My funny valentine, sweet comic valentine
You may not be conventionally attractive or perfect, but you still hold a special place in my heart and make me happy. You are like a charming companion, always ready with a witty comment or a funny joke.
You make me smile with my heart
You bring me joy in a way that goes beyond just making me laugh. Your presence and personality bring warmth to my heart that nothing else can compare.
Your looks are laughable, un-photographable
You are not someone who would be considered a model, as you don't fit the societal standards for what is considered attractive. However, to me, you are unique and beautiful in a way that cannot be captured in a photograph.
Yet, you're my favorite work of art
You are something special to me, something I appreciate and enjoy. You hold a special place in my heart like a favorite piece of artwork that I can always admire.
Is your figure less than Greek?
Do you have a body type that is not considered ideal or perfect? This line is asking if the person is self-conscious or unhappy with their appearance.
Is your mouth a little weak?
This line is asking if the person has a slight speech impediment or if they are self-conscious about how they speak.
When you open it to speak, are you smart?
This line is acknowledging that the person may not have the most conventionally attractive voice or speech patterns, but asking if they have intelligence and substance behind their words.
But, don't change a hair for me, not if you care for me
I love you just the way you are, and I don't want you to change yourself or your appearance to please me. Your individuality and personality are more important to me than societal standards or expectations.
Stay little valentine, stay. Each day is Valentine's Day
Stay with me and don't change because every day with you feels like Valentine's Day. You make me happy and loved, and I appreciate you every day.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
truthis outthere
Simply beautiful voice why she didn't get her recognition so sad, but her voice lives on
murp h
Totally agree _ good comment
Charles V Grife
I've been listening to Dakota Station for 65 years and I'm still just as thrilled as I was then.
TheSoundsage
I discovered her singing Cherokee here on Youtube( the"Dynamic!" 1958 (Capitol recording)and I still cannot figure out how she had the breath control to belt out that memorable last note! Talk about attitude!
Ariane Lindemute
Que doidera! Muito original a interpretação dela! ❤️✨
Nora Charles
Incomparable ✡
murp h
Like so many wonderful vocalists she seems to be passed over. Fact remains if you listen to this you wonder why she's not ranked among the best ____ she should be !!