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.
Soft Winds
Dinah Washington Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The lyrics of Dinah Washington's song "Soft Winds" are quite straightforward in their message. It tells the story of a woman who is separated from her love and is asking the soft winds to carry her message of longing and sadness to him. She's on a blue sea, feeling lonely and sad since he left her, and her heart is empty without him. She implores the soft winds to find him wherever he is and bring him back home to her. The chorus repeats this plea, and the song ends with the same appeal for the soft winds to bring her love back to her.
The song is a beautiful ode to the power of nature and faith. The soft winds are a source of comfort and hope for the woman, and she trusts them to convey her heartfelt desires to her love. The imagery of the blue sea and the whispering winds evoke a sense of longing and melancholy, which is perfectly complemented by Dinah Washington's soulful voice. The song carries a message of love and faith, which is universal and relatable, making it enduring even after all these years.
Line by Line Meaning
Soft winds whisper
Gentle breezes murmur
Sweet words to my love
Tender phrases for my beloved
Soft winds, tell him
Whisper to him
The dreams I'm dreaming of
The visions that fill my sleep
He's gone too long
He's been away too much time
I'm on the blue sea
I'm sailing on the ocean
Find him, soft winds
Locate him, gentle breezes
And bring him back home to me
And return him to my arms
Blow, blow soft winds
Blow, blow, gentle breezes
Tell him, soft winds
Whisper to him, gentle breezes
I'm sad and lonely
I'm unhappy and alone
Since he left me
Since he departed from me
My heart is empty
My soul is void
And bring him right back to me [2x]
And firmly restore him to my bosom
Blow, blow, soft winds
Blow, blow, gentle breezes
And bring him back home to me
And return him to my loving care
Blow, blow, soft winds...
Blow, blow, gentle breezes...
Contributed by Joshua F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@patrickryan1515
Dinah Washington --GREAT arrangement, both instrumentally and especially vocally. Dinah Washington, an American Treasure if there ever was one. She never ceased to enlighten me as to the endless limits of musical greatness.
@conniegoldhahn8087
This song is dynamite. Got another CD for Mother's Day and this song was on there. I never heard this song before, but it blew me away. Love it
@alexoliver4222
Hello 👋 Connie
How are you doing today?
@jamessholtz6016
I've always loved this version. I wish I could have seen her live.
@secretidentitynetwork3085
One of my favorites. Right up there with Billiie in my opinion. Also Barbara Lewis, Patsy Cline, Alison Krauss. Happy Thanksgiving! I am thankful for great music!!!
@patrickryan1515
Thanks for including Barbara Lewis. Love so many of her hits and nonhits. Have you ever heard her sing "Come Home". Try it; it's here on YouTube -- Real ear candy.
@catandpiddle
just wonderful!
@kellylouiseize5247
I’ve always loved this song. She was dinahmyte
@jimstrickland9068
Another classic from The Great American Songbook!
@martineclectic1411
its wonderful