She is noted for her elegant interpretations of standards, ballads, and blues. Her characteristic inflections have sometimes prompted comparisons to stylistic devices employed by Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald. Jones' recordings, particularly her debut record (Don't Go To Strangers, 1960), have earned wide admiration in a new generation of listeners.
She had three Grammy nominations, for the Don't Go to Strangers LP in 1960, Save Your Love for Me in 1981, and My Buddy in 1999.
Jones had a musical partnership of more than thirty years with tenor sax player Houston Person, who received equal billing with her. He also produced her albums and served as her manager.
Jones was born in Aiken, South Carolina, and raised in Harlem. She died at the age of 72 from cancer. She was survived by her husband, John Medlock, and a granddaughter.
the Masquerade Is Over
Etta Jones Lyrics
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And my dreams are drifting away
Your eyes don't shine like they used to shine
And the thrill is gone when your lips meet mine
I'm afraid the masquerade is over
And so is love, and so is love
They were once inspired, now they're just routine
I'm afraid the masquerade is over
And so is love, and so is love
I guess I'll have to play Pagliacci
And get myself a clown's disguise
And learn to laugh like Pagliacci
With tears in my eyes
You look the same, you're a lot the same
But my heart says "no, no, you're not the same"
I'm afraid the masquerade is over
And so is love, and so is love
I guess I'll have to play Pagliacci
And get myself a clown's disguise
And learn to laugh like Pagliacci
With tears in my eyes
You look the same, you're a lot the same
But my heart says "No, no, you're not the same"
I'm afraid the masquerade is over
And so is love, and so is love
The song "I'm Afraid The Masquerade Is Over" by Etta Jones speaks about a relationship that has lost its spark and is now coming to an end. The lyrics talk about how the blue horizon, which represents a happy future, is now turning grey, and how dreams are slipping away. The singer further notes that the shine in their lover's eyes is gone, and the thrill is no longer there when they kiss. The masquerade mentioned in the song refers to the false representation of love that the couple has been living, and now that the masks are off, love has also come to an end.
The line "play Pagliacci and get myself a clown's disguise" is a reference to the Italian opera "Pagliacci" by Ruggero Leoncavallo. The plot of the opera revolves around a clown named Canio who plays the role of Pagliacci and is heartbroken when he realizes that his wife has been unfaithful to him. The reason the singer uses this reference is that she is also heartbroken and needs to pretend to be happy, just like Pagliacci does in the opera. The reference to laughter with tears in her eyes reflects the bitter-sweet feeling she has towards the end of her relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
My blue horizon is turning grey
My once bright future is getting dimmer
And my dreams are drifting away
My aspirations for the future are slipping out of reach
Your eyes don't shine like they used to shine
You don't show the same excitement or interest towards me anymore
And the thrill is gone when your lips meet mine
There's no longer a spark or passion when we kiss
I'm afraid the masquerade is over
I fear our act of pretending to still be in love is coming to an end
And so is love, and so is love
Our love is ending along with the game of pretending
Your words don't mean what they used to mean
What you say doesn't hold the same weight or emotion as it once did
They were once inspired, now they're just routine
Your words used to come from the heart, now they're just part of a rehearsed script
I guess I'll have to play Pagliacci
I'll have to act like a clown to cover up my heartache
And get myself a clown's disguise
I'll have to put on a false front to hide my pain
And learn to laugh like Pagliacci
I'll have to force a smile and fake happiness
With tears in my eyes
Despite my façade, I'll still be hurting deep down
You look the same, you're a lot the same
You appear identical to how you were, but I can tell you've changed
But my heart says "No, no, you're not the same"
My intuition tells me that you're not the person you used to be
I'm afraid the masquerade is over
I'm worried our cover-up of a failing relationship is ending
And so is love, and so is love
Our love is ending with the act of pretending being over
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Allie Wrubel, Herbert Magidson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind