Ruth Lee Jones (born August 29, 1924 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama; died December … Read Full Bio ↴Ruth Lee Jones (born August 29, 1924 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama; died December 14, 1963 in Detroit, Michigan), better known by her stage name Dinah Washington and also as the Queen of the Blues, was an American Grammy award winning jazz singer best known for singing classic torch songs and her hit single What a Diff'rence a Day Makes. Her penetrating voice, excellent timing, and crystal-clear enunciation added her own distinctive style to every piece she undertook. While making extraordinary recordings in jazz, blues, rhythm and blues and light pop contexts, Washington refused to record gospel music despite her obvious talent in singing it, as she believed it wrong to mix the secular and spiritual.

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.

Sometimes I'm Happy
Dinah Washington Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Every day seems like a year
Sweetheart, when you are not near
All that you claim must be true
For I'm just the same as you

Sometimes I'm happy, sometimes I'm blue
My disposition depends on you
I never mind the rain from the skies

If I can find the sun in your eyes
Sometimes I love you, sometimes I hate you
But when I hate you, it's 'cause I love you
That's how I am, so what can I do?
I'm happy when I'm with you

Stars are smiling at me from your eyes
Sunbeams now there will be in the skies
Tell me that you will be true
That will all depend on you

Sometimes I'm happy, sometimes I'm blue
My disposition depends on you
I never mind the rain from the skies
If I can find the sun in your eyes
Sometimes I love you, sometimes I hate you
But when I hate you, it's 'cause I love you

That's how I am, so what can I do?
I'm happy when I'm with you

Overall Meaning

In Dinah Washington's song "Sometimes I'm Happy," the singer reflects on the ups and downs of her relationship. The first verse suggests that when she's away from her partner, each day seems like an eternity. However, she acknowledges that her feelings are mutual and that they share a strong connection. In the chorus, she admits that her happiness and sorrow are entirely dependent on her partner, and that her mood changes depending on the state of their relationship. She also divulges that sometimes she loves and sometimes she hates her partner, but even when she's angry, it's only because she loves them so much. The song ends with Washington longing for her partner to promise her that they will be faithful as their relationship moves forward.

The song's lyrics appear to describe a tumultuous relationship, in which Washington's feelings are constantly fluctuating. Her emotional state is entirely dependent on her partner, who she relies on for happiness. Even when she's angry, her love remains strong, further emphasizing the deep connection she has with her partner. Overall, the song highlights the importance of communication and trust in a relationship.

Line by Line Meaning

Every day seems like a year
The absence of your loved one sometimes makes a day feel like a year.

Sweetheart, when you are not near
The lyrics describe the feelings one feels when their sweetheart is not around.

All that you claim must be true
The lyrics emphasize the trust that exists between two people in a relationship.

For I'm just the same as you
The lyrics describe how both individuals in a relationship have similar feelings for each other.

Sometimes I'm happy, sometimes I'm blue
The lyrics describe how one's emotions depend on their interactions with their significant other.

My disposition depends on you
The lyrics describe how one's mood is influenced by the behavior of their partner.

I never mind the rain from the skies
The lyrics describe how the external environment does not matter as much as the presence of the loved one.

If I can find the sun in your eyes
The lyrics describe how the presence of the loved one can have a positive impact on one's mood.

Sometimes I love you, sometimes I hate you
The lyrics describe how one's feelings for their partner can be both positive and negative.

But when I hate you, it's 'cause I love you
The lyrics describe how intense emotions in a relationship can fluctuate between love and hate.

That's how I am, so what can I do?
The lyrics describe how one's emotions are a natural aspect of their personality and cannot be changed easily.

I'm happy when I'm with you
The lyrics describe how the presence of the loved one brings happiness and joy to an individual.

Stars are smiling at me from your eyes
The lyrics describe how the loved one's eyes can shine and sparkle like stars.

Sunbeams now there will be in the skies
The lyrics describe how the loved one's presence can bring light into the darkness.

Tell me that you will be true
The lyrics describe how trust and loyalty are important aspects of a healthy relationship.

That will all depend on you
The lyrics describe how the behavior of the loved one can influence the trust and loyalty in a relationship.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Peermusic Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Cloud9, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Clifford Grey, Irving Caesar, Vincent Youmans

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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