He played with Cootie Williams, Lucky Millinder, Andy Kirk, Louis Armstrong, and Count Basie, as well as leading his own bands and making many recordings as a leader. He played in the swing, bop, hard bop, Latin jazz, and soul jazz genres. Some of his recordings of the 1940s also could be classified as rhythm and blues.
In the 1950s, he played with Sonny Stitt and soul jazz with organist Shirley Scott, while from 1960 to 1962 he and fellow tenor saxophonist Johnny Griffin led a quintet. From the mid-60s, Davis and Griffin also performed together as part of the Kenny Clarke - Francy Boland Big Band, along with other, mainly European jazz musicians.
His playing influenced Harry Gibson profoundly. Famous for his habit of tossing the saxophone in the air and catching it on completion of a solo, he did this to show that he was a master of the instrument, not the other way round...
Possessor of a cutting and immediately identifiable tough tenor tone, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis could hold his own in a saxophone battle with anyone. Early on, he picked up experience playing with the bands of Cootie Williams (1942-1944), Lucky Millinder, Andy Kirk (1945-1946), and Louis Armstrong. He began heading his own groups from 1946 and Davis' earliest recordings as a leader tended to be explosive R&B affairs with plenty of screaming from his horn; he matched wits successfully with Fats Navarro on one session. Davis was with Count Basie's Orchestra on several occasional (including 1952-1953, 1957, and 1964-1973) and teamed up with Shirley Scott's trio during 1955-1960. During 1960-1962, he collaborated in some exciting performances and recordings with Johnny Griffin, a fellow tenor who was just as combative as Davis. After temporarily retiring to become a booking agent (1963-1964), Davis rejoined Basie. In his later years, Lockjaw often recorded with Harry "Sweets" Edison and he remained a busy soloist up until his death. Through the decades, he recorded as a leader for many labels, including Savoy, Apollo, Roost, King, Roulette, Prestige/Jazzland/Moodsville, RCA, Storyville, MPS, Black & Blue, Spotlite, SteepleChase, Pablo, Muse, and Enja. ~ Scott Yanow, Rovi
I Only Have Eyes For You
Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can't see anyone but you
Sha bop sha bop
Are the stars out tonight
I don't know if it's cloudy or bright
I only have eyes for you dear
But I can't see a thing in the sky
I only have eyes for you
I don't know if we're in a garden
Or on a crowded avenue
You are here and so am I
Maybe millions of people go by
But they all disappear from view
And I only have eyes for you
The lyrics of Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis's song I Only Have Eyes For You may seem simple at first glance, but a closer look reveals a depth of feeling and an intensity of love that is rare in many modern love songs. The singer of the song is so in love with the person they're singing to that they see nobody else, even when they're surrounded by a crowd of people or looking up at the stars. They're blinded by their love and nothing else matters.
The lines "Are the stars out tonight/I don't know if it's cloudy or bright" illustrate this perfectly. The singer is so focused on the object of their affection that they don't care about anything else in the world, not even the beauty of the stars. The moon and sky are similarly unimportant to them. All that matters is the person they're in love with.
At the same time, there's a sense of uncertainty and anxiety in the song that makes it all the more affecting. The singer doesn't know where they are or what's happening around them, and it's clear that they're so lost in love that they're almost out of touch with reality. The line "Maybe millions of people go by/But they all disappear from view" is particularly powerful, as it shows just how all-consuming the singer's love has become.
Line by Line Meaning
My love must be a kind of blind love
The love I have for you is so strong that it makes me blind to other people.
I can't see anyone but you
You are the only one that captures my attention and love at this moment.
Sha bop sha bop
This line is a nonsensical syllable used as filler in the song.
Are the stars out tonight
I am not sure about the presence of stars in the sky tonight.
I don't know if it's cloudy or bright
I am not sure if the sky is filled with clouds or if it is clear.
I only have eyes for you dear
My undivided attention is focused on you, and you are the only one that matters to me.
The moon may be high
The moon could be in the sky very high up, but I wouldn't know.
But I can't see a thing in the sky
I am so focused on you that nothing else in the sky matters to me.
I only have eyes for you
You are the only one that my eyes are fixated on, and nothing else matters.
I don't know if we're in a garden
I am unsure of our physical location, and it doesn't matter because as long as you are here, nothing else is important.
Or on a crowded avenue
We could be in a crowded place, but that doesn't matter since I am only focused on you.
You are here and so am I
We are both here, and that is all that matters because we can be together.
Maybe millions of people go by
Billions of people could be around us, but I am not aware, since my attention is solely focused on you.
But they all disappear from view
Everyone in the background fades away and is no longer of importance because you are the only one who matters.
And I only have eyes for you
My complete attention and love are bestowed upon you, and you are the only thing that matters in this moment.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: AL DUBIN, HARRY WARREN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind