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.
Smoke gets in your eyes
Dinah Washington Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My true love was true
I, I of course replied
Something here inside cannot be denied, oh no
They said, "Someday you'll find
All who are love are blind"
When your heart's on fire, you must realize
So I chaffed them and I gaily laughed
To think they could doubt my love
Yet today, my love has flown away
I am without my love
Now laughing friends deride
Tears I cannot hide, boo hoo
So I smile and say, "When a love flame dies
Smoke gets in your eyes
The lyrics of Dinah Washington's song "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" are about the pain of losing a love that was once true. The opening lines, "They ask me how I knew / My true love was true / I, I of course replied / Something here inside cannot be denied, oh no" captures the essence of being completely sure and confident of one's love for someone. The singer is so convinced of her love that she cannot deny the feelings inside her heart. However, as the song progresses, the mood changes and we hear the singer admitting that her love has flown away, leaving her with tears she cannot hide.
The second verse of the song talks about how people warned the singer that love is blind and that someday she will realize that all who are in love are blind. But the singer was confident in her love and "chaffed them and gaily laughed." However, as things fell apart, "laughing friends deride, tears I cannot hide." She puts up a brave face and says, "When a love flame dies, smoke gets in your eyes." This line is particularly significant as it describes how the fire of passion turns to smoke when the love is gone, impairing the vision and causing tears to flow.
Overall, the song is about the pain of losing someone you love, and not being able to control the emotions that come with it. The lyrics are simple yet convey a depth of emotions that can be felt by anyone who has experienced heartbreak.
Line by Line Meaning
They ask me how I knew
People ask me how I was sure
My true love was true
That my love for someone was genuine
I, I of course replied
I replied with confidence
Something here inside cannot be denied, oh no
My feelings were too strong to be ignored
They said, "Someday you'll find
They warned me that someday I'll realize
All who love are blind"
That love can make people overlook flaws and ignore warning signs
When your heart's on fire, you must realize
When you're in love, you need to be aware
Smoke gets in your eyes
That love can cloud your judgment
So I chaffed them and I gaily laughed
I made fun of their warning and laughed it off
To think they could doubt my love
To doubt the strength of my feelings
Yet today, my love has flown away
But now my love is gone
I am without my love
I'm left alone without the one I loved
Now laughing friends deride
My friends now make fun of me
Tears I cannot hide, boo hoo
I can't help but cry
So I smile and say, "When a love flame dies
So I pretend to be okay and say that
Smoke gets in your eyes
Love can make you blind and foolish
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Otto Harbach, Jerome Kern
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
M.Ángel López Segovia
They asked me how I knew
My true love was true
Oh, I of course replied
Something here inside cannot be denied
They said someday you'll find
All who love are blind
Oh, when your heart's on fire
You must realize
Smoke gets in your eyes
So I chaffed them and I gaily laughed
To think they could doubt my love
Yet today my love has flown away
I am without my love
Now laughing friends deride
Tears I can not hide
So I smile and say
When a lovely flame dies
Smoke gets in your eyes
Smoke gets in your eyes
C Truth
Style, tone, phrasing, elegance & passion. Class. Discovered this singer by accident. But I have to hear more. What a sound!
Timothy Hughes
This is the greatest version of "Smoke." Washington's soft yet unrestrained voice is like honey with a touch of lemon juice mixed in. All in all, this is a most soothing song with a superior arrangement.
Timothy Hughes
@Jim Sia I already have.
Jim Sia
Not so ,listen to Tony Williams
Ran Blake
For me this and Monk
lacouerfairy
I like the quicker tempo of Dinah's version more than the singers who drag it out into a slow ballad. And her voice is divine of course.
eyambrose
best rendition of this song, EVER!!!!!
Glen McGregor
Such an incredible lady. A voice you can recognize in an instant and love forever.
anniling
her voice is so unique and phenomenal love listening to her
M.Ángel López Segovia
They asked me how I knew
My true love was true
Oh, I of course replied
Something here inside cannot be denied
They said someday you'll find
All who love are blind
Oh, when your heart's on fire
You must realize
Smoke gets in your eyes
So I chaffed them and I gaily laughed
To think they could doubt my love
Yet today my love has flown away
I am without my love
Now laughing friends deride
Tears I can not hide
So I smile and say
When a lovely flame dies
Smoke gets in your eyes
Smoke gets in your eyes