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.
Love Walked In
Etta Jones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Love walked right in and brought my sunniest day
One magic moment and my heart seemed to know that love said hello
Though not a word was spoken
One look, and I forgot the gloom of the past
One look and I had found my future at last
One look and I had found a world completely new
One magic moment and my heart seemed to know that love said hello
Though not a word was spoken
One look and I had found a world completely new
When love walked in with you
The opening lines of Etta Jones’s “Love Walked In” present an image of love as a transformative force that can dispel darkness and loneliness. The notion of the light of love entering a person’s life is a common theme in popular love songs, but it is put forth a bit more tangibly here as something that can physically drive away shadows. The second line reinforces this idea of love providing light by describing it as bringing a sunnier day. This image of light and warmth contributes to the song’s overall sense of hope and optimism.
The chorus of the song focuses on the moment when love enters a person’s life, drawing attention to the fact that often we only realize the importance of a moment after it has passed. The language used here emphasizes the almost magical quality of that moment, as if the arrival of love is a mystical event that can alter one’s entire existence. The line “One magic moment and my heart seemed to know that love said hello” implies that love can speak to a person’s heart in a way that transcends language, and that there are moments when the heart can understand something that the mind cannot.
The final verse reiterates the idea that love can open up a whole new world of possibility for someone. The use of the word “completely” in the line “One look and I had found a world completely new” is significant, as it suggests that love is not just a small addition to a person’s life, but rather something that can transform every aspect of it. Overall, “Love Walked In” presents love as a powerful and transformative force that can bring light to the darkest places and introduce a person to a whole new world of experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Love walked right in and drove the shadows away
Love entered and removed the darkness around me.
Love walked right in and brought my sunniest day
Love entered and made my day extremely bright and happy.
One magic moment and my heart seemed to know that love said hello
In one miraculous moment, my heart instantly recognized that I was being approached by love, even though no words had been exchanged.
Though not a word was spoken
Despite the lack of communication through verbal means.
One look, and I forgot the gloom of the past
After just one glance, I was able to forget all the sadness and despair of my past.
One look and I had found my future at last
In that single glance, I was able to find the hope and promise of my future.
One look and I had found a world completely new
With just one look, my perception of the world around me had completely shifted.
When love walked in with you
When you appeared and brought love with you.
One magic moment and my heart seemed to know that love said hello
In one miraculous moment, my heart instantly recognized that I was being approached by love, even though no words had been exchanged.
Though not a word was spoken
Despite the lack of communication through verbal means.
One look and I had found a world completely new
With just one look, my perception of the world around me had completely shifted.
When love walked in with you
When you appeared and brought love with you.
Lyrics © RALEIGH MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: GORDON CLIFFORD, HARRY BARRIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind