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.
I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
Dinah Washington Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I can weather the storm
What do I care how much it may storm
I've got my love to keep me warm
I cannot remember a worse December
Just watch the icicles form
What do I care if icicles form
Off with my overcoat off with my gloves
Who needs an overcoat I'm burning with love
My heart's on fire and the flame grows higher
So I will weather the storm
What do I care how much it may storm
I've got my love to keep me warm
I thought you ought to know my heart's on fire
The flame it just leaps higher
So I will weather the storm
Why do I care how much it storms
I've got my love
To keep me warm
I've got my love to keep me warm
In this song, Dinah Washington sings about how she has found love and doesn't need to worry about the stormy weather outside because she has her warm love to keep her company. The use of metaphors to describe the weather helps contrast the cold and dangerous outside with the warmth and safety inside. She notes that even though the icicles are forming, she doesn't care because she has the love she needs to keep her warm. The use of the word "storm" is also symbolic, with its negative connotation suggesting the challenges or obstacles in life, yet Dinah is able to rise above them.
The later lyrics of the song express even more passion, as she talks about her heart being on fire and the flame growing higher. This is a direct reference to her love for her partner, and how it warms her up even more in the face of the cold outside. She states that she doesn't care how much it storms, showing how her love is more important and can endure any challenge.
One can argue that this song is a message of hope that people can find something warm and comforting in their lives, even if the world around them is cold and harsh. The repetition of the line "I've got my love to keep me warm" reinforces the idea that love is a powerful force that can help us weather any storm.
Line by Line Meaning
The snow is snowing and the wind it is blowing
The weather is harsh, with snow and strong winds.
But I can weather the storm
Despite the tough conditions, I can handle it.
What do I care how much it may storm
I'm not bothered by how bad the storm gets.
I've got my love to keep me warm
I have the warmth of love to comfort me through the tough times.
I cannot remember a worse December
This is the worst December I can recall.
Just watch the icicles form
The cold weather is causing icicles to form.
What do I care if icicles form
The formation of icicles doesn't concern me.
Off with my overcoat off with my gloves
I'm removing my warm clothing because I'm feeling the heat of love.
Who needs an overcoat I'm burning with love
I don't need an overcoat because the warmth of my love is enough to keep me comfortable.
My heart's on fire and the flame grows higher
My love is passionate and intensifying.
So I will weather the storm
I will remain steadfast through any challenges.
I thought you ought to know my heart's on fire
I want you to be aware of how strongly I feel.
The flame it just leaps higher
My love continues to grow and become more intense.
Why do I care how much it storms
The severity of the storm doesn't matter to me.
I've got my love
My love is all I need.
To keep me warm
My love provides the warmth and comfort I need to endure any hardships.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Irving Berlin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
bettyjane007
This is the best version of I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm. I've been searching for this version for so many years. I grew up listening to her voice every Christmas as a child on the CD "Soundtrack for The Season" (1999) released by Hollywood Videos. Never occured to me to save the CD, look at the title of the CD or any of the songs either... But after intensive Googling, finally finding this makes me tear up with nostalgia and happiness.