Etta Jones (November 25, 1928 – October 16, 2001) was an American jazz sing… Read Full Bio ↴Etta Jones (November 25, 1928 – October 16, 2001) was an American jazz singer whose critical success and relative commercial obscurity (she never had a hit record) earned her a reputation in her lifetime as a "jazz musician's jazz singer".

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.

I'll Never Be Free
Etta Jones Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Each time I hold somebody new
My arms grow cold aching for you
No one can take your place, darling, in my embrace
I'll never be free

And when my lips burn with desire
No other kiss can put out the fire
Though I may try and try, no one can satisfy

This longing in me

No, I'll never be free from your smile so tender
Sweet surrender in your eyes
How can I be free when I still remember
How you could thrill me with a sigh?

Just like a chain bound to my heart
Your love remains when we're apart
Each kiss I gave to you made me a slave to you
I'll never be free

How can I be free when I still remember
How you could thrill me with a sigh?

Just like a chain bound to my heart
Your love remains when we're apart
Each kiss I gave to you made me a slave to you

I'll never be free
No, I'll never be free

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "I'll Never Be Free" by Etta Jones express the singer's inability to move on from a past love. The opening lines of the song reveal that despite holding somebody new, the singer's arms still ache for their lost love. The chorus further emphasizes the singer's sense of entrapment within their unrequited love: "No one can take your place, darling, in my embrace / I'll never be free." The use of the word "never" emphasizes the permanent nature of the singer's longing.

The second verse builds on the themes of desire and unfulfillment. The singer describes how, despite experiencing desire for others, no other kiss can put out the fire within them. This creates a sense of hopelessness, as the singer recognizes that their longing cannot be satisfied by anyone else. The pre-chorus emphasizes the lasting impact of the past relationship on the singer, stating "No, I'll never be free from your smile so tender / Sweet surrender in your eyes." This shows how the past relationship still holds power over the singer, despite their attempts to move on.

The final verse builds on the metaphor of the "chain bound" to the singer's heart. This chain represents the lasting impact of the past relationship, and how each kiss given to the lost love has made the singer a slave to them. The repetition of "I'll never be free" serves as a refrain, emphasizing the permanent nature of the singer's entrapment. Overall, the lyrics of "I'll Never Be Free" capture the feelings of longing and entrapment that come with unrequited love.

Line by Line Meaning

Each time I hold somebody new
Whenever I try to move on and hold someone else, I am reminded of you

My arms grow cold aching for you
Even though someone else is in my arms, my heart and thoughts long for you

No one can take your place, darling, in my embrace
No one else can fill the void that you left in my life and in my heart

I'll never be free
I will always be tied and bound by the memories, love and longing for you

And when my lips burn with desire
When I feel intense longing and desire for love and connection

No other kiss can put out the fire
No other kiss can satisfy or quell this burning need for you

Though I may try and try, no one can satisfy
Despite my efforts, no one can fulfill the love and connection I had with you

This longing in me
This deep desire and yearning for you that never disappears

No, I'll never be free from your smile so tender
The memory of your loving and gentle smile will always be with me and affect me

Sweet surrender in your eyes
Your eyes held so much love and surrender, I surrendered myself completely to you

How can I be free when I still remember
As long as I have memories of our love, I cannot be free from the hold you have on me

How you could thrill me with a sigh?
The slightest intimacy with you thrilled and overwhelmed me

Just like a chain bound to my heart
My love for you is like a powerful chain that ties me down emotionally and mentally

Your love remains when we're apart
Even though we are physically apart, your love lingers with me and seeps into everything I do

Each kiss I gave to you made me a slave to you
Every kiss was an addiction that made me feel helpless and constantly longing for you

I'll never be free
I cannot break free from the hold of my love and the memories of our time together

Lyrics © DistroKid, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Bennie Benjamin, George David Weiss

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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