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.
Misery
Dinah Washington Lyrics
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I can see the end is coming
Closer - I can hear it calling
(Beating away at me)
Touching every soul in fear
Comforting from far and near
How I wish you all the best
Angry and I'm feeling so (scared)
Only 'cause I want to face all these fears
I close my eyes
(I'm drifting out far away)
Angry and I'm feeling so...
Only 'cause I want to face all these fears
I close my eyes
(To sleep off this misery)
Hello darkness there inside
Blacking out the light of day
Stick your heart out open wide
Let it go and find its way
Looking through the hole of time
(You'll never get away)
Touching every soul in fear
(And all of your misery)
Looking through the hole of time
(You'll never get away)
Closer - I can hear it calling
(Beating away at me)
The lyrics of Dinah Washington’s song “Misery” describe the feeling of impending doom and sadness. The singer asserts that she can see the end coming, and that it is coming closer each day. The beating sounds that she hears serve as a reminder of her mortality. The singer also wishes everyone the best, despite her own struggles with misery.
The second verse of the song delves deeper into the singer’s emotions. She is angry and scared, but she wants to confront her fears. She shuts her eyes as she drifts away, hoping to sleep off her misery. The third verse talks about darkness, which is a metaphor for sadness, enveloping her. It blots out the light of day, but she urges everyone to let go of their hearts and find their own paths.
Line by Line Meaning
Looking through the hole of time
Reflecting on the past and foreseeing the future
I can see the end is coming
Realizing that the end is near
Closer - I can hear it calling
The end is getting closer, and its presence is becoming more evident
(Beating away at me)
It's causing discomfort, unease, and angst
Touching every soul in fear
Affecting everyone who is afraid
Comforting from far and near
Trying to soothe and support them, even from a distance
How I wish you all the best
Expressing a desire for others' well-being, despite her own struggles
(In all your misery)
Even though she is living in misery
Angry and I'm feeling so (scared)
She is frustrated and frightened by her situation
Only 'cause I want to face all these fears
She chooses to confront her fears to overcome them
I close my eyes
She's shutting out the external world
(I'm drifting out far away)
She's trying to escape mentally
Angry and I'm feeling so...
Repeating the sentiment of frustration and fear
Only 'cause I want to face all these fears
Reiterating that she's willing to confront her fears
I close my eyes
Again, shutting out the external world
(To sleep off this misery)
She's trying to sleep to escape her suffering
Hello darkness there inside
Addressing the emotional darkness within her
Blacking out the light of day
This emotional darkness is affecting her ability to feel joy or positivity
Stick your heart out open wide
Opening up her heart to vulnerability
Let it go and find its way
Allowing herself to release her fear and pain and relinquish control
Looking through the hole of time
Repeating the opening sentiments about reflecting and predicting the future
(You'll never get away)
That the inevitability of the end is inescapable
Touching every soul in fear
Reiterating that her struggle is affecting others who are afraid
(And all of your misery)
Again, that she's living in misery, despite trying to comfort others
Looking through the hole of time
Repeated for emphasis
(You'll never get away)
The unrelenting certainty of the end
Closer - I can hear it calling
Repeating the feeling of the approach of the end
(Beating away at me)
It's causing discomfort, unease, and angst for her, intensifying as the end draws nearer
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GUY JEAN MICHEL COUTURIER, LUDOVIC PHILIPPE KOHLER, LUDOVIC PHILIPPTE KOHLER, WILLIAM MARTIN, WILLIAM H. MARTIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind