Washington was born Ruth Jones in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. As she was growing up in Chicago, she played piano and directed her church choir. Later, she studied in Walter Dyett's renowned music program at DuSable High School. For a while, she split her time between performing in clubs as Dinah Washington while singing and playing piano in Salle Martin's gospel choir as Ruth Jones.
Washington began performing in 1942 and soon joined Lionel Hampton's band. In 1943, she began recording for Keynote Records and released "Evil Gal Blues", her first hit. By 1955, she had released numerous hit songs on the R&B charts, including "Baby, Get Lost", "Trouble in Mind", "You Don't Know What Love Is" (arranged by Quincy Jones), and a cover of "Cold, Cold Heart" by Hank Williams. In 1958 she made a well-received appearance at the Newport Jazz Festival.
With "What a Diff'rence a Day Makes" 1959, Washington won a Grammy Award for Best Rhythm and Blues Performance; the song was her biggest hit, reaching #8 on the Billboard Hot 100. The commercially driven album of the same name, with its heavily reliance on strings and wordless choruses, was slammed by jazz and blues critics as being far too commercial, not keeping with her blues roots. Despite this, the album was a huge success and Washington continued to favor more commercial, pop-oriented songs rather than traditional blues and jazz songs. She also dealt in torch songs; her rendition of The Platters' "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" was well-regarded.
She was married seven times, and divorced six times while having several lovers, including Quincy Jones, her young arranger. She was known to be imperious and demanding in real life, but audiences loved her. In London she once declared, "...there is only one heaven, one earth and one queen...Queen Elizabeth is an impostor", but the crowd loved it.
Dinah Washington died from an accidental overdose of diet pills and alcohol at the age of 39 in 1963.
Close To You
Dinah Washington Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Every time you are near?
Just like me, they long to be
Close to you
Why do stars fall down from the sky
Every time you walk by?
Just like me, they long to be
On the day that you were born
and the angels got together
And decided to create a dream come true
So they sprinkled moon dust
in your hair
And starlight in your eyes
Like they do
That is why all the guys in town
Follow you all around
Just like me, they long to be
Close to you
If only for a minute
I'd settle for an hour
And if you could stay just for one day
That would make me so happy happy baby
See, it won't hurt to give our love a try
Girl don't you pass me by
'Cause I'm that kind of guy
who's going to love and treat you like a queen
That is why all the girls in town
Follow you all around
Just like me, they long to be
Close to you
Come a little closer baby
Lay your head up on my shoulder baby
Boy you know I can't deny it
You done already set my soul on fire
Just like me, they long to be
Close to you
"Dinah Washington's Close to You" is a song that describes the strong attraction someone feels towards another person. Dinah compares herself to the birds and stars that appear when this person is near because, just like them, she too longs to be close to this person. The lyrics create an image of a person who is so alluring that they seem to have been created perfectly by the angels who sprinkled moon dust in their hair and starlight in their eyes. This person's beauty is so captivating that everyone in town follows them around, and Dinah wishes she could be close to them even if for a moment.
The lyrics also talk about the desire for a deeper connection, for love and companionship. Dinah yearns for the person to give her a chance, to give their love a try. She sings of wanting to be close to this person, to hold them and have them lay their head on her shoulder. She assures them that she will love and treat them like a queen, and hopes that they will see her as someone who is worthy of their attention.
Line by Line Meaning
Why do birds suddenly appear
What is the reason that birds always seem to appear when you are near?
Every time you are near?
Is it because they, like me, want to be close to you?
Why do stars fall down from the sky
What is the explanation for stars falling from the sky?
Every time you walk by?
Is it because they, like me, long to be near you?
On the day that you were born
When you were born, the angels gathered together
And the angels got together
They decided to make a dream come true
And decided to create a dream come true
So they sprinkled moon dust in your hair and starlight in your eyes, just like they do
So they sprinkled moon dust
The angels put moon dust in your hair
in your hair
As well as starlight in your eyes
And starlight in your eyes
To make sure you were special and shone bright
That is why all the guys in town
That is why all the men in town
Follow you all around
Like me, they long to be near you
If only for a minute
If it could just be for a moment
I'd settle for an hour
I would be satisfied with an hour
And if you could stay just for one day
If only you could be here with me for a day
That would make me so happy happy baby
It would bring me so much joy, my beloved
See, it won't hurt to give our love a try
Please consider giving our relationship a chance
Girl don't you pass me by
Please don't ignore me, my dear
'Cause I'm that kind of guy
Because I am the type of man
Who's going to love and treat you like a queen
Who will love and cherish you as the queen you are
That is why all the girls in town
That is why all the women in town
Follow you all around
Like me, they long to be near you
Come a little closer baby
Move a little bit nearer to me, my love
Lay your head up on my shoulder baby
Rest your head upon my shoulder, my love
Boy you know I can't deny it
You know I can't keep my feelings hidden
You done already set my soul on fire
You have already set my heart ablaze with your love
Just like me, they long to be
The women feel the same as me
Close to you
They want to be close to you, my love
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Burt Bacharach, Hal David
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@chula2268
Qué preciosidad de voces, y de tema!! 😍
@JazzizCafeLoveJazz
Wow! Thanks for sharing! Esta versión de "(They Long to Be) Close to You", hecha por Dinah Washington y Lionel Hampton, pasa por ser una de las primeras grabaciones de este tema ya que la cantante murió en diciembre de 1963, por lo que también es una de las últimas de la diva. Fue el cantante y actor Richard Chamberlain el primero en lanzarla como sencillo, pero el tema no se convierte en el éxito que es hoy en día hasta 1970 con la versión de The Carpenters. #JazzVocals
@flone9872
Thanks for posting this original song, let people know the origin of the song and pay greatly respect.
@marianoaisa206
Love it
@MaxCaneCorso208
My favorite 😍
@antd8259
Wow. Didnt know,she,sang this!
@AljoniMusiCo
Interesting track and mix.
@Ecgwald
Thank you for this. Dinah died just a few months after this was recorded.
@ThandoSikwila8
I'VE BEEN LOOKING EVERYWHERE FOR THIS I LOVE YOU
@speakertreatz
thanks very much for uploading