Dakota Staton (June 3, 1930 – April 10, 2007) was an American jazz vocalist… Read Full Bio ↴Dakota Staton (June 3, 1930 – April 10, 2007) was an American jazz vocalist who found international acclaim with the 1957 No. 4 hit, "The Late, Late Show". She was also known by the Muslim name Aliyah Rabia for a period due to her conversion to Islam as interpreted by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.

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.

The Best Thing for You
Dakota Staton Lyrics

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Please let me say from the start
I don't pretend to be smart
I just suggest what I think best
Having your int'rest at heart

I only want what's the best thing for you
And the best thing for you would be me
I've been convinced after thinking it through

That the best thing for you would be me

Ev'ry day
To myself I say
Point the way
What will it be

I ask myself what's the best thing for you

And myself and I seem to agree
That the best thing for you would be me

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Dakota Staton's song The Best Thing for You express a selfless love that aims to do everything for the benefit of their significant other. The singer conveys their opinion that they are the best option for their beloved and tries to convince them of this idea. In the first verse, the singer introduces the song's intention in a humble manner. They express their intention to suggest what's best for their partner rather than impose their point of view. The singer assures the beloved that they only have their best interest in mind. They then go on to convey their thoughts that they believe that they are the right choice for the partner, and they can provide them with the best service.

In the chorus, the singer further reinforces their opinion, stating that they are convinced after thinking it through that they are the best thing for their beloved. The repetition of the line 'the best thing for you would be me' emphasizes the singer's point of view. The singer takes it upon themselves to determine what's best for their beloved, and they conclude that they are the answer.

The second verse conveys the singer's commitment to their thinking. They say to themselves every day that they must point their beloved towards the best thing that they can offer, which, according to themselves, is the singer. The singer then acknowledges that even they seem to agree with the idea. Staton captures the selflessness and the depth of the singer's love while keeping the song light in delivery.

The Best Thing for YouDakota Staton Lyrics

The Best Thing for You
Dakota Staton Lyrics