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.
Drinking Again
Dinah Washington Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I'm sitting here wishing that I could see you
That's why I'm drinking again
And thinking of when you loved me
I'm having a few, and wishing that you were here
I'm making the rounds, and buying the rounds, for strangers
Yes, I'm being a fool, just hoping that you'll appear
But who's gonna laugh, who's gonna laugh at a broken heart
That's why its better, drinking again
And thinking of when you left
Me
Can't you see I'm trying to make it on home
And ain't got nothing but a memory
Maybe I can borrow a smoke, maybe tell some joker a joke
But, who's got the nerve, the nerve to laugh at my broken heart
That's why it's better drinking again
And thinking of when you left
Me
I'm trying to make it up to home
With just a memory
I know you heard me the first time
I said I'm trying to make it on home
And ain't got nothing, nothing but a memory
The lyrics of Dinah Washington's song "Drinking Again" convey a sense of longing and despair as the singer struggles to come to terms with the loss of a lover. The song starts with the singer expressing her desire to be with her lover, followed by her decision to drink and indulge in alcohol. The reference to her "making the rounds" and buying drinks for strangers highlights her loneliness and the desperate hope that her lover will reappear.
The lyrics also suggest a sense of resignation as the singer acknowledges the futility of her actions but continues to drink nonetheless. She tries to distract herself by telling jokes and making small talk but realizes that no one can truly laugh at or understand the pain of a "broken heart". The repetition of the line "I'm trying to make it on home, and ain't got nothing but a memory" emphasizes the feeling of being lost and alone.
Overall, the lyrics of "Drinking Again" are a poignant representation of heartbreak and the coping mechanisms people use to deal with loss, even if they know those actions may not provide a lasting solution.
Line by Line Meaning
Ooh, it's almost two
It's late night and I'm quite desperate
And I'm sitting here wishing that I could see you
I wish I could be with you, but unfortunately that's not happening
That's why I'm drinking again
I'm drinking again to ease the pain of your absence
And thinking of when you loved me
I'm remembering the good times when you used to love me
I'm having a few, and wishing that you were here
Drinking a few and wishing that you were here with me
I'm making the rounds, and buying the rounds, for strangers
I'm going around the bar buying drinks for total strangers
Yes, I'm being a fool, just hoping that you'll appear
I know I'm acting foolish, but deep down I still hope to see you
Sure I can borrow a smoke, maybe tell some joker a joke
I may ask someone for a smoke or tell a joke to make others laugh
But who's gonna laugh, who's gonna laugh at a broken heart
Even though I'm trying to bring a smile to others, no one can understand the pain I'm feeling
That's why its better, drinking again
That's why I'm resorting to drinking again
And thinking of when you left Me
I'm trying to ease the pain by remembering when you left me
Can't you see I'm trying to make it on home
I just want to go home safe and sound
And ain't got nothing but a memory
All I have now is a painful memory that won't go away
Maybe I can borrow a smoke, maybe tell some joker a joke
I may try to find some temporary relief by talking to someone or telling a joke
But, who's got the nerve, the nerve to laugh at my broken heart
Even though I'm trying to make others laugh, no one has the courage to laugh at my broken heart
That's why it's better drinking again
That's why I'm drinking again
And thinking of when you left Me
And trying to forget the pain by remembering when you left me
I'm trying to make it up to home
I'm trying to make it back home safe and sound
With just a memory
All I have now is a painful memory
I know you heard me the first time
I hope you understood what I said earlier
I said I'm trying to make it on home
I'm trying to make it back home safely
And ain't got nothing, nothing but a memory
All I have now is this painful memory that won't go away
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Doris Tauber, Johnny Mercer
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Richard C Devine
She paints a picture so beautifully. You feel like you're sitting next to her at the bar.
And of course impecable in her singing. You don't hear much of this anymore.
Deacon Davis
Richard C Devine Her vocal reading of a song was superb
karen montoya
Que hermosa musica....hasta te dan ganas de haber nacido en esa epoca y poder haber escuchado eso en vivo.
Jim Caffrey
A great talent that left us too soon. Thank you Ms. Washington for your beautiful voice. You will live on forever.
SinatraFan1989
Simply the greatest female vocalist of all time. I love the way Dinah sings everything as if it were a question in this song.
Psychicoutlaw Chanel
The cadence, the creaminess of her voice...her best album, no backup singers, pure Dinah. She could and did sing anything but she was at her finest on this album, only one year before her death. Sadly missed. Thank you.
mrstanbmw
her diction is so clear, ennuciation of her words are so clear, the clearest voice i have ever heard
DaOrigTruthSeeker
Yes i picked up on that too. She was crystal clear.....Whitney Houston was also clear like this in the early years.
Eric Johnson
YES!!
Tim Mullens
she was very clear but she always sounded a bit nasal .-still great though.