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.
My Song
Dinah Washington Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now you've gone
And hours seem like years
So darling I sing my song.
Your leaving made my heart beat low and slow
Now I wonder where did you go
Please tell me what is wrong
I still love you
Won't you please come back to me
Come back where you ought to be
Don't stay from me
Because you'll always be my own
I'll love till eternity
You meant it
That you would leave me here in tears
You're gone
And hours seem just like years
So darling I sing my song
I still love you
Won't you please come back
Come back where you ought to be
Don't stay from me
Because you'll always be my own
I'll love till eternity
I waiting to hear to you on the telephone
My arms are lonely since you've gone
That's why I sing my song.
The lyrics of Dinah Washington's song "My Song" convey strong emotions of heartbreak and longing for a lost lover. The singer opens with a direct reference to her lover's promise to leave her in tears, which they have now done, leaving her feeling like time has slowed down to a painful crawl. The singer then proceeds to describe the physical and emotional impact of the breakup on her heart, as it slows down and seems to beat weakly. She wonders about the whereabouts of her lover and wishes for an explanation of what went wrong.
Throughout the song, the singer expresses her deep love for her lost partner and pleads with them to come back to her, where they belong. She emphasizes that they are her own and promises to love them for eternity, despite the pain they've caused her. The chorus reveals the singer's use of music as a coping mechanism to relieve the loneliness and emptiness she feels in her arms since her lover's departure. Instead of wallowing in a puddle of tears, the singer sings "her song" in the hope that her lover will hear it and come back to her.
Line by Line Meaning
You told me you would leave me here in tears
You promised to break my heart
Now you've gone
You left me
And hours seem like years
Time moves slowly without you
So darling I sing my song.
I sing this song to ease my pain
Your leaving made my heart beat low and slow
Your departure filled me with sadness
Now I wonder where did you go
I am lost without you
Please tell me what is wrong
I need to know why you left
I still love you
My feelings for you have not changed
Won't you please come back to me
I want you to return to me
Come back where you ought to be
You belong by my side
Don't stay from me
Don't keep your distance
Because you'll always be my own
You will always have my love
I'll love till eternity
My love for you is everlasting
You meant it
You were serious about leaving me
That you would leave me here in tears
You planned to make me cry
You're gone
You have left me
And hours seem just like years
It feels like an eternity without you
So darling I sing my song
I find solace in singing
I waiting to hear to you on the telephone
I am hoping for your call
My arms are lonely since you've gone
I am lonely without you
That's why I sing my song.
I sing to fill this emptiness
Writer(s): Herbert Crichlow, Krister Volle Dag, Richard Abidin Breen, Conlon Sean Kieran, Jason Paul Brown, Robinson Scott James, Dobson Richard Neville, Jacob Schulze
Contributed by Penelope B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Kevin Norman
A woman who could brings tears to one's eyes. One of my favorites.
Kevin Norman
She was my Mother's favorite singers and Baby she was one of the best.