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.
You'd Better Go Now
Dakota Staton Lyrics
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Because I like you much too much,
You have a way with you;
You ought to know now
Just why I like you very much,
The night was gay with you!
There's the moon above
In your eyes there's love,
And the way I feel it must be Spring!
I want you so now,
You have lips I love to touch;
You better go now,
You better go because I like you much too much.
There's the moon above
And it gives my heart a lot of swing;
In your eyes there's love,
And the way I feel it must be Spring!
I want you so now,
Have lips I love to touch;
You better go now,
You better go because I like you much too much,
You better go because I like you much too much.
The lyrics to Dakota Staton's song "You'd Better Go Now" convey a sense of conflicting emotions and a desire for emotional distance. The singer is expressing their feelings towards someone they like very much but feel overwhelmed by. They feel that this person has a certain charm or charisma that affects them deeply, and they believe it is important for this person to understand the depth of their feelings.
The lyrics suggest that the night spent with this person was lively and enjoyable, with a hint of romanticism. The mention of the moon above and the swinging feeling in the singer's heart reflects a sense of excitement and passion. The singer sees love in the eyes of the person they are addressing and notes that it feels like the beginning of a blossoming romance, evoking the symbol of Spring as a time of new beginnings and rejuvenation.
However, despite these intense emotions, the singer offers a conflicting message. They indicate a strong desire to be with this person, expressing a longing for their touch. However, they counteract this by insisting that the person should go now. This suggests that the singer is aware of the overwhelming nature of their feelings, acknowledging that they might be too much for the other person to handle. There is an underlying hesitancy or fear that these strong emotions may lead to a vulnerable and potentially hurtful situation.
The repeated emphasis on the need for the other person to go is a way for the singer to protect themselves emotionally. They recognize that their feelings are intense and might lead to vulnerability, so they try to establish a distance. Despite their strong affection, they feel it would be better for the other person to leave, potentially to prevent any potential hurt or complications.
Overall, the song's lyrics explore a complex mix of intense emotions, infatuation, and self-preservation. The singer acknowledges their deep attraction and desire for this person, but their overwhelming feelings lead them to encourage the person to leave, suggesting that their affections might be too much to handle. It is a bittersweet plea for distance, reflecting the duality of love and the fear of emotional vulnerability.
Line by Line Meaning
You better go now
I think it would be wise for you to leave at this moment
Because I like you much too much
My affection for you is far too intense
You have a way with you
There are certain qualities about you that captivate me
You ought to know now
It's important for you to understand
Just why I like you very much
The reasons why I hold such strong feelings for you
The night was gay with you!
Our time together was filled with joy and delight
There's the moon above
The presence of the moon in the sky
And it gives my heart a lot of swing
Elevates my emotions and fills me with happiness
In your eyes there's love
I can see genuine affection in your eyes
And the way I feel it must be Spring!
The intensity of my emotions implies a rejuvenation, like the arrival of Spring
I want you so now
I desire you deeply at this very moment
You have lips I love to touch
The sensation of kissing your lips brings me great pleasure
You better go now
It would be best if you departed
You better go because I like you much too much
Your presence stirs such strong emotions within me that it's necessary for you to leave
You better go because I like you much too much
Your presence stirs such strong emotions within me that it's necessary for you to leave
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BICKLEY REICHNER, IRVIN GRAHAM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind