Erroll Louis Garner was born on 15th June 1921 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and began playing the piano at the age of three. At the age of seven he began appearing on radio station KDKA in Pittsburgh with a group called the Candy Kids. By the age of eleven he was playing on the Allegheny riverboats. At the age of fourteen in 1937 he joined local saxophonist Leroy Brown.
He played locally in the shadow of his older pianist brother, Linton Garner, and moved to New York in 1944. He briefly worked with the bassist Slam Stewart, and though not a bebop musician, in 1947 he played with Charlie Parker on the famous "Cool Blues" session. Although his admission to the Pittsburgh music union was initially refused because of his inability to read music, they eventually relented in 1956 and made him an honorary member. Garner is credited with having a superb memory for music; after attending a concert by the Russian pianist Emil Gilels, Garner returned to his apartment and was able to play a large portion of the performed music.
His 1955 recording Concert by the Sea ranks among his very best work. Ironically this recording of a performance at an army base in Carmel, California, featuring Eddie Calhoun on bass and Denzil Best on drums, was made using relatively primitive sound equipment, but Garner's inventiveness and swing made its point in each tune. Other notable works include 1951's Long Ago and Far Away and 1974's Magician, both of which see Erroll perform a number of classic standards in his own style. Often the trio was expanded to add Latin percussion, usually a conga, with electric results.
What made Erroll easy to recognise were his trademark introductions, that seemed to make no sense but broke dramatically into his exposition of the tune he was to play, and the guitar strumming sound of his left hand, playing crotchet accompaniment to his rich-sounding right hand. This approach suggests that he was influenced by the iconic rhythm guitar work of Count Basie's long time guitarist, Freddie Green. But discerning listeners could find that while his even-four left hand was a fixture, it was far from being the only rhythmic approach he took to playing.
It Had to Be You
Erroll Garner Lyrics
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I wandered around and finally found the somebody who
Could make me be true, could make me feel blue,
And even be glad just to be sad thinkin' of you.
Some others I've seen might never be mean
Might never be cross or try to be boss,
But they wouldn't do.
With all your faults, I love you still,
It had to be you, wonderful you,
It had to be you.
It had to be you, it had to be you.
I wandered around and finally found somebody who
Could make me be true, could make me be blue,
And even be glad just to be sad thinkin' of you.
Some others I've seen might never be mean
Might never be cross or try to be boss,
But they wouldn't do.
For nobody else gave me a thrill.
With all your faults, I love you still.
It had to be you, wonderful you
It had to be you.
The lyrics of It Had to be You speak of a love so powerful and distinctive that the singer simply had to find this person. The song is incredibly romantic, filled with passion and adoration. Garner sings about wandering around, searching for someone to make him feel true emotions, and he finally finds that person. This person could make him feel blue, but he appreciates the feeling because it reminds him of his lover. He goes on to explain how other people he had seen might not have the qualities he was looking for, how no one else had ever given him a thrill like his lover did, and that he loves his lover despite all their flaws.
The song’s lyrics are not only about romantic love, but they are also about loving someone for who they are, even if that person is flawed. It is about acceptance and finding perfection in imperfection. The song captures the essence of a perfect relationship, where the good outweighs the bad, where passion and affection join together to create something beautiful.
Line by Line Meaning
It had to be you, it had to be you.
You are the only person that could make me feel this way.
I wandered around and finally found the somebody who
I searched for a long time until I found the right person.
Could make me be true, could make me feel blue,
You make me be honest and vulnerable.
And even be glad just to be sad thinkin' of you.
Thinking of you makes me happy, even if it's sad at the same time.
Some others I've seen might never be mean
Other people I've met are never rude or harsh.
Might never be cross or try to be boss,
They never try to control or dominate me.
But they wouldn't do.
But they're not right for me.
For nobody else gave me a thrill.
Nobody else excites me or makes me feel alive like you do.
With all your faults, I love you still,
Even with your imperfections, I still love you.
It had to be you, wonderful you,
You are the perfect person for me and I love you.
It had to be you.
There was no one else who could make me feel this way, it just had to be you.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Isham Jones, Gus Kahn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind