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 One and Only Love
Dakota Staton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like an April breeze on the wings of spring,
And you appear in all your splendor,
My one and only love.
The shadows fall and spread their mystic charms
In the hush of night while you're in my arms.
I feel your lips, so warm and tender,
The touch of your hand is like heaven,
A heaven that I've never known.
The blush on your cheek whenever I speak
Tells me that you are my own.
You fill my eager heart with such desire.
Ev'ry kiss you give sets my soul on fire.
I give myself in sweet surrender,
My one and only love.
The lyrics of Dakota Staton’s song My One and Only Love express the intense feelings of love and adoration towards a significant other. The very thought of this person makes the singer’s heart sing, bringing them joy and happiness as though they were experiencing a lively spring breeze. As the shadows fall and the night grows quiet, the singer finds comfort and solace in holding their loved one in their arms. The touch of their hand feels like heaven, and the tenderness of their lips warms the singer’s heart. The blush on their cheek is a sign of ownership, demonstrating that the singer is their one and only love.
The singer's eagerness for this person consumes them, and every kiss they share ignites their soul with passion. The desire they feel for their sweetheart fills up their heart, and the intensity grows with every moment they spend together. The passion and devotion the singer has for their loved one are undeniable, and they surrender to this love fully and unconditionally.
In summary, the song My One and Only Love expresses the depth of love and admiration that the singer has for their significant other. The lyrics paint a picture of a love that is all-encompassing, intense, and passionate.
Line by Line Meaning
The very thought of you makes my heart sing
Just thinking about you fills my heart with joy and happiness.
Like an April breeze on the wings of spring,
Your presence is as refreshing and invigorating as a gentle spring breeze.
And you appear in all your splendor,
Whenever I see you, I am in awe of your beauty and grace.
My one and only love.
You are the one and only person that I love.
The shadows fall and spread their mystic charms
As the night falls, it creates a magical and captivating atmosphere around us.
In the hush of night while you're in my arms.
In the quiet and peaceful night, I am blessed to be holding you close to me.
I feel your lips, so warm and tender,
Your lips are so gentle and passionate, and they make me feel so loved.
My one and only love.
You are my only true love in this world.
The touch of your hand is like heaven,
When you touch me, it feels like I am in heaven.
A heaven that I've never known.
Your touch is so unique and special that it takes me to places I never knew existed.
The blush on your cheek whenever I speak
Whenever I speak to you, your cheeks turn red with affection and love.
Tells me that you are my own.
Your blushing is a sign that you belong to me, and that makes me so happy.
You fill my eager heart with such desire.
My heart is full of longing and passion for you because you are the love of my life.
Ev'ry kiss you give sets my soul on fire.
Every time we kiss, it ignites a flame of desire and passion in my soul.
I give myself in sweet surrender,
I am willing to surrender myself completely to you, my love.
My one and only love.
You will always be the one and only love of my life.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: GUY B WOOD, ROBERT MELLIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Desperate Times
Dakota Staton's version brings back youthful memories!
Jackie Clark
Love this version!
direfranchement
After hearing Johnny Hartman and John Coltrane do this song, no other interpretation comes close. Dakota didn't have the tenderness for a song like this...she was too sassy and brassy. Love her singing The Late Late Show, Idaho, Cherokee...but she wasn't much of a ballad singer.
Sulevi Sydanmaa
HARTMAN s untouchable 1. Bedduhhh NOT touch. Belters r belters, Della, Sassy also