The One I Love Belongs To Somebody Else
Earl Hines & Harry "Sweets" Edison Lyrics


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When days are long and nights are lonely
And all my daydreams have gone astray
I think about the one and only
Who's bound to find me some golden day

The one I love is coming along some day
And I'll have none except the one I love
He/She may be near or ever so far away
But I'll have none except the one I love

And though our meeting is left to chance
Until our meeting
I still will have my dream romance




And through the night I pray to the moon above
To please be kind and find the one I love

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Earl Hines and Harry "Sweets" Edison's song "The One I Love Belongs to Somebody Else" convey feelings of loneliness and yearning for a significant other. The singer reflects on their daydreams being unfulfilled and pining for the one they love. Despite the uncertainty of when they will meet, the singer is resolute in their commitment to waiting for the one they love, even if it means being alone in the meantime. The song touches on themes of hope, patience, and faith that suggest the singer believes in the power of destiny to bring them together with their loved one.


One interesting fact about this song is that it was first recorded by Isham Jones and His Orchestra in 1924, making it nearly a century old! The song has since been covered by a variety of artists and has become a staple of the jazz repertoire. Interestingly, the song has also featured in a number of films, including the 1935 movie "Broadway Melody of 1936" and the 1962 film "The Manchurian Candidate". Additionally, the song was included in the 2000 film "Wonder Boys" and the popular TV series "Mad Men".


Another interesting fact is that "The One I Love Belongs to Somebody Else" was written by Gus Kahn and Isham Jones, who were a prolific songwriting duo in the 1920s and 1930s. They are also known for writing the hit songs "I'll See You in My Dreams" and "It Had to Be You". Additionally, the song incorporates elements of jazz, which was still a relatively new genre at the time of its composition. The use of horns and the piano in the song adds to its jazzy feel.


Line by Line Meaning

When days are long and nights are lonely
During times of despair and isolation


And all my daydreams have gone astray
And all my hopes and aspirations have faded away


I think about the one and only
I reflect on the person who holds all of my affection


Who's bound to find me some golden day
Who will inevitably come into my life and bring happiness


The one I love is coming along some day
The person I love will come into my life soon


And I'll have none except the one I love
I will accept no one else but the person I love


He/She may be near or ever so far away
They could be close by or very far away


But I'll have none except the one I love
Regardless of the distance, I will only choose the person I love


And though our meeting is left to chance
Even though we haven't yet met by fate


Until our meeting
Until we have the opportunity to come together


I still will have my dream romance
I will still hold onto my relationship desires and fantasies


And through the night I pray to the moon above
And at night I plead to a higher power for assistance


To please be kind and find the one I love
To allow fate to bring the person I love into my life




Lyrics © HAL LEONARD CORPORATION , Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRONISLAW KAPER, GUS KAHN, WALTER JURMANN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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