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.
If I Had You
Dinah Washington Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I could be glad all of the while
I could change the grey skies to blues
If I had you
I could leave the old days behind
Leave all my pals, I'd never mind
I could start my life all a new
If I had you
Sail the mighty ocean wide
I could cross the burning desert
If I had you by my side
I could be a king, dear, uncrowned
Humble or poor, rich or renowned
There is nothing I couldn't do
If I had you
I could show the world how to smile
I could be glad all of the while
I could change the grey skies to blues
If I had you
I could leave the old days behind
Leave all my pals, I'd never mind
I could start my life all a new
If I had you
I could climb the snow capped mountains
Sail the mighty ocean wide
I could cross the burning desert
If I had you by my side
I could be a king, dear, uncrowned
Humble or poor, rich or renowned
There is nothing I couldn't do
"If I Had You" is a love song written by Ted Shapiro, Jimmy Campbell, and Reg Connelly. The song was first recorded by Al Bowlly in 1930. Dinah Washington and Quincy Jones recorded the song in 1956 on their album, The Swingin' Miss "D". The song is a declaration of love where the singer reveals the extent to which having someone special can change their life. The song is filled with optimism and hope for the future, a future made bright and possible by the presence of the one they love.
The opening lines "I could show the world how to smile, I could be glad all of the while" suggest that the singer's life would be incomplete without the person they're singing to. The rest of the song continues to outline the possibilities that love can bring, from being able to leave the past behind to accomplishing great feats. The singer's desire for their love is clear: they want to climb mountains, sail oceans, cross deserts - all with their special someone by their side. The lyrics "I could be a king, dear, uncrowned, Humble or poor, rich or renowned, There is nothing I couldn't do if I had you" is a testament to the power of love and how it can make everything possible.
Overall, "If I Had You" is a song about the transformative power of love. The singer is willing to leave everything behind for their love, and in return, love will fill their life with joy and possibility. The song's melody and lyrics work together to create a sense of optimism and hope for the future, a future made bright through the simple act of being in love.
Line by Line Meaning
I could show the world how to smile
I would have the ability to spread joy and happiness around the world.
I could be glad all of the while
I would be constantly happy and content.
I could change the grey skies to blues
I would have the power to transform sadness and gloom into happiness and joy.
If I had you
If I had you in my life as a partner, companion, and love.
I could leave the old days behind
I would be able to let go of the past and move on.
Leave all my pals, I'd never mind
I wouldn't care about leaving behind my friends because having you is worth it.
I could start my life all a new
I could begin a new chapter in my life and leave the old one behind.
I could climb the snow capped mountains
I would have the strength and courage to overcome any obstacle, no matter how difficult.
Sail the mighty ocean wide
I would have the freedom to explore the world and all it has to offer.
I could cross the burning desert
I would be able to conquer any challenge, no matter how daunting or perilous.
If I had you by my side
If I had you as my partner and helper, united in our efforts to conquer the world.
I could be a king, dear, uncrowned
I would have the power and authority to rule over my own life, and lead it in the direction I choose.
Humble or poor, rich or renowned
My social or economic status wouldn't matter as long as I had you by my side.
There is nothing I couldn't do
With your support and love, I would have the confidence to achieve anything I set my mind to.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: GORDON MILLS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ethan Fanshel
My personal favorite - no offense to so many other great singers- but Dinah strikes such a nice balance between bluesy and more elegant styles- and she swings in any style at any tempo. Is this a Quincy Jones session?
Russell Ellison
It was Quincy Jones arrangement. I bought it when i was in high school in the 50's along with "Sarah" by Sarah Vaughn and those two albums have stayed with me ever since. Two really great jazz vocals.
George Kaplan
I don't know, it's a collection...
Thomas Lombardo
The entire album was arranged by Quincy Jones. One of her very best. This song did not appear on the album when it was first released in 1955. It was released many years later on the album Dinah Washington: The Jazz Sides.
A Good Music Is Worth More Than a Friends.
Wonderful !
fred price
She is wonderful. Jimmy Cleveland knocks me out.