Childhood and rise to success
Born to Solomon and Anna Stein Shore, Jewish immigrants from Russia, she lived in Winchester, Tennessee. When she was two years old, she was stricken with polio (infantile paralysis), a disease that was not handled well at the time. Thankfully, her parents cared enough to provide intensive care for her, and she recovered and overcame the disease. However, she suffered from having a slightly deformed foot and limp, which did not physically impede her. She performed at a night club when she was only 14 years old.
When her mother died unexpectedly of a heart attack, Dinah went to Vanderbilt University, where she participated in many events and activities. She graduated from the university in 1938. She decided to get back into pursuing her career in singing, so she went to New York to audition for orchestras and radio stations. In many of her auditions, she sang the popular song "Dinah." When disc jockey Martin Block could not remember her name, he called her the "Dinah girl," and soon after the name stuck, becoming her stage name. She eventually was hired as a vocalist at radio station WNEW, where she sang with Frank Sinatra. She also recorded and performed with the Xavier Cugat orchestra. Eventually, she got her recording contract with RCA Victor records in 1940.
Career in the 1940s and 1950s
While recording on RCA Victor's Bluebird label, she released her first recording, "Yes, My Darling Daughter" and it became a major hit for her. Dinah's singing came to the attention of Eddie Cantor, and he signed her as a regular on his popular radio show, "Time to Smile", in 1940. Dinah credits him for teaching her self-confidence, comedic timing and the ways of connecting with an audience.
She was a featured vocalist on The Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street and soon became a successful radio and music star with her own radio show in 1943, "Call to Music". Also in 1943, she appeared in her first movie, "Thank Your Lucky Stars". The movie starred Eddie Cantor, and she soon went to another radio show, "Paul Whiteman Presents". During this time, America had been actively involved in World War 2 and Dinah became a popular favorite with the troops, similar to the popularity of Bing Crosby. She was having major record hits, like "I will Walk Alone" and "Blues In the Night", one of her first of many number-one hits to come. To support the troops overseas, who adored her singing, she participated in USO tours to Europe. She met a young actor ready to go into military service named George Montgomery. They married on December 3, 1943. Despite their marriage, Montgomery soon went into service. When he returned from the service, they settled in San Fernando, California. In 1948, their first child was born, a daughter named Messina, and they also adopted a son in 1954 named John David and then moved to Beverly Hills.
Dinah continued appearing in radio shows throughout the 1940s. She performed in radio shows like "Birds Eye-Open House" and "Ford Radio Show". One of her most popular recordings was "Baby It's Cold Outside" with Buddy Clark. The song was covered by many other artists, Ella Fitzgerald for example. Other hits followed this success like "Buttons and Bows" and "The Gypsy". She was a regular with Jack Smith on his radio show on CBS, which ran for 15 minutes. She went into many more movies. As an actress, Shore appeared in many musical films, such as "Belle of the Yukon" and "Up in Arms" (both in 1944), and "Till the Clouds Roll By" (1946). She was also featured in numerous TV movies and series. She lent her musical voice to two Disney films: "Make Mine Music" (1946) and "Fun and Fancy Free" (1947). In early 1946, she moved to another label, Columbia Records. In 1950 she made her television show debut on "The Ed Wynn Show" and also made a guest appearance on Bob Hope's first television show. After being on many other people's television shows, she got her own, "The Dinah Shore Show" in 1951. She did two fifteen minute shows a week for NBC. She won her first Emmy for the show in 1955. The show was sponsored by Chevrolet automobiles. The sponsor's theme song ("See the USA in your Chevrolet") became the singer's signature piece. She continued to appear in Chevrolet advertising through the 1950s.
Later career
From 1970 through 1980, Shore hosted two daytime programs, "Dinah's Place" (1970-1974) on NBC and "Dinah!" (later "Dinah and Friends") in syndication from 1974 through 1980. On her show "Dinah!", she once had the misfortune of interviewing the comedian Andy Kaufman in his Tony Clifton guise. He took deliberate offense at her questions and eventually tipped a pan of eggs over her head. This happened live on the air in front of a huge TV audience and Shore's producers cut to an impromptu commercial as Kaufman was escorted out of the studio.
TV screenshot image
Shore, with her Dixie drawl and demure manner, was always identified with the South, and guests on her shows often commented on it.
Shore won nine Emmys, a Peabody Award and a Golden Globe.
Shore guest starred on "Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special", calling Pee-wee on his picturephone and singing "The 12 Days of Christmas". Throughout the special, Pee-wee walks past the picture phone, only to hear her going past the original 12 days ("...on the 500th day of Christmas...")
Personal life
Shore was married to actor George Montgomery from 1943 to 1962 and had a daughter, Melissa Ann (known today as Melissa Montgomery-Hime, executor of the Dinah Shore Trust and the owner of the rights to most of Shore's television series). Shore later adopted a son, John David 'Jody' Montgomery. After her divorce from Montgomery, she briefly married Maurice Smith. In the early 1970s, Shore had a long and happy public romance with actor Burt Reynolds, who was 20 years her junior. The relationship gave Shore an updated, sexy image, and took some of the pressure off Reynolds in maintaining his image as a ladies' man.
Death and legacy
Dinah Shore died in Beverly Hills, California of ovarian cancer at age 77 (5 days before her 78th birthday). Her ashes were divided and she has two burial sites. Half were interred in the Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery in Culver City, California and the other half interred at Forest Lawn Cemetery (Cathedral City) near her beloved second home in Palm Springs, California.
Shore's legacy resonates posthumously, with a 1998 album featuring the arrangement skills of Andre Previn combined with the re-releasing of some of her classic recordings like 'April in Paris', and 'My Funny Valentine', garnering moderate success.
It Had To Be You
Dinah Shore Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Could be, should be, making me glad
Why am I blue? It's up to you to explain
I'm thinking maybe, baby, I'll go away
Someday, someway, you'll come and say
It's you I need, and you'll be pleading in vain
It had to be you
I wondered around
And finally found somebody who
Could make me be true
Could make me feel blue
And even be glad, just to be sad
Thinking of you
Some others I've seen, might never be mean
Might never be cross, or try to be boss
But they wouldn't do
For nobody else gives me a thrill
With all your faults dear, I love you still
It had to be you
Wonderful you
It had to be you
For nobody else gave me a thrill
With all your faults dear, I love you still
It had to be you
Wonderful you
It had to be you
The song "It Had To Be You" is a beautiful love ballad sung by Dinah Shore. The first verse begins with the singer expressing her frustration with being in love, as it makes her feel blue. She wonders why this is the case and what the other person can do to explain it. However, she also acknowledges that she may eventually leave the relationship, hoping that someday the person will come to her realizing that they need her just as much as she needs them.
The chorus then follows, where the singer proclaims that it had to be the person she is in love with. She previously wandered around until she finally found someone who could not only make her feel blue but also make her feel glad just to be sad, as she thinks of them. She declares that even though this person has faults, she still loves them passionately.
In the last section of the song, the singer explains how she's met several people in the past, but none of them could give her the thrill that this particular person does. She sums up her feelings by saying that it had to be this person in her life, and she considers them wonderful.
All in all, the song speaks to the depth and complexity of love, how it can bring both happiness and sadness and how it can be challenging to understand the emotions that accompany such a powerful feeling.
Line by Line Meaning
Seems like dreams like I always had
My dreams have always been the same
Could be, should be, making me glad
My dreams should make me happy, but they don't
Why am I blue? It's up to you to explain
I am feeling sad and it's your job to tell me why
I'm thinking maybe, baby, I'll go away
I'm considering leaving
Someday, someway, you'll come and say
At some point in the future, you'll come to me
It's you I need, and you'll be pleading in vain
You'll beg for my love, but it won't work
It had to be you
You were the only one who could make me feel this way
It had to be you
There was no one else it could have been
I wondered around
I searched and wandered around for a long time
And finally found somebody who
And eventually I found someone
Could make me be true
You make me feel like I can be my true self
Could make me feel blue
You make me feel both happy and sad
And even be glad, just to be sad
I am happy just to have thoughts of you, even if they make me sad
Thinking of you
You're always on my mind
Some others I've seen, might never be mean
Other people I've met might not be cruel
Might never be cross, or try to be boss
They might not be angry or controlling
But they wouldn't do
But they aren't good enough for me
For nobody else gives me a thrill
No one else excites me like you do
With all your faults dear, I love you still
Despite your flaws, I still love you
It had to be you
You were always the one for me
Wonderful you
You're amazing
It had to be you
There was no other option
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Isham Jones, Gus Kahn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Rivercastle
Seems like dreams like I always had
Could be, should be, making me glad
Why am I blue? It's up to you' to explain'
I'm thinking maybe'baby'I'll go away
Someday someway You'll come and say
It's you I need'and you'll be pleading' in vain'
It had to be you
It had to be you
I wondered around
And finally found'somebody who
Could make me be true'. Could make me feel blue
And even be glad, just to be sad,
Thinking of you
Some others I've seen might never be mean
Might never be cross, or try to be boss
But they wouldn't do'
For nobody else'gives me a thrill
With all your faults dear I love you still
It had to be you
Wonderful you
It had to be you
(Humming melody)
For nobody else gave me a thrill
With all your faults dear, I love you still
It had to be you
Wonderful you
It had to be you
@mitina4608
Seems like dreams like I always had,
Could be, should be, making me glad.
像是經常作的夢，
總能、應該、讓我開心。
Why am I blue? It's up to you, to explain.
我為何憂鬱？這要靠你，來解釋。
I'm thinking maybe, baby, I'll go away.
我在想，或許，寶貝，如果我離開了，
Someday, someway, you'll come and say
某天，某種情況下，你會來對我說：
It's you I need, and you'll be pleading, in vain.
「我需要的是你」。
但你的懇求將會徒勞無功。
It had to be you
非你莫屬
It had to be you
非你莫屬
I wandered around
我晃蕩四處
And finally found, somebody who
而最後找到一個
Could make me be true,
Could make me feel blue
能夠讓我真心，又能夠讓我牽掛
And even be glad, just to be sad,
Thinking of you
甚至，慶幸擁有那掛念你的感傷
Some others I've seen might never be mean
那些我曾見過的人，他們也不壞
Might never be cross, or try to be boss
也許從來不曾發脾氣，或是總要當老大
But they wouldn't do,
但是他們就是不夠格
For nobody else, gives me a thrill
沒有任何人，帶給我這種顫動
With all your faults dear I love you still
連同你的那些缺點，親愛的，我還是愛你
It had to be you
非你莫屬
Wonderful you
美好的你
It had to be you
非你莫屬
@spicey6646
One of the Great Voices almost forgotten today.Very hard even finding her recordings.Thanks for uploading this.
@Retroscoop
The first is true, the second part of the comment: eBay USA lists pages and pages of records and CDs. It's exactly the first part of your comments that explains it. Since she's largely forgotten, there's not much bidding going on on DS items. I guess it will take a fancy Hollywood movie with George Clooney and Angela Jolie to renew at least some interest in her career. Same is true for Sunny Gale, almost forgotten, and just a little bit extra publicity thanks to a movie which used the song "Did you ever see a dream walking"... But now, on eBay USA, once again no bidders on items for this great singer....
@spicey6646
+Benoit Vanhees Thanks for the info.
@ericdreizen1463
Not forgotten by ME. Not forgotten by anyone who loves real music. To me, she'll be front & center forever!
@denniserrolhawley2762
Eric Dreizen I see this matter exactly as you do!!!!
@susantraversy9813
I got about 40 of her Victor 45s this week and have 10 of her Bluebird 78s.
@liberte5847
Merci beaucoup from Paris France 👍 👍 👍
@markherron1407
Madeline Greene brought me here! Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas ⛄🎄 Go HUG someone today IF they're been vaccinated or not 🚫 Blessings and Hugs 💖💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕!
@ronaldcammarata3422
Dinah Shore was a big star.
@tammie1078
Just found her today, I Like her voice