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.
Nature Boy
Etta Jones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There was a boy
A very strange enchanted boy
They say he wandered very far, very far
Over land and sea
A little shy and sad of eye
But very wise was he
And then one day
And while we spoke of many things
Fools and kings
This he said to me
"The greatest thing you′ll ever learn
Is just to love and be loved in return"
"The greatest thing you'll ever learn
Is just to love and be loved in return"
Nature Boy is a song composed by eden ahbez and popularised by Nat King Cole in 1948. The song tells the story of a "strange enchanted boy" who wanders far and wide, both over land and sea. The boy is described as "a little shy and sad of eye," but also very wise. Eventually, he meets the singer, and the two have a conversation in which the boy imparts some timeless wisdom: "The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return."
The lyrics of Nature Boy seem to be conveying a message about the importance of love and connection in our lives. The boy in the song, though unusual and maybe even slightly mysterious or otherworldly, is wise in the ways of the heart. He understands that love is the most important thing any of us can experience or give, and that we need to learn to both give and receive it in order to live a fulfilling life. The song's central message is simple, but profound: love is the greatest gift we can give and receive, and it is what truly makes life worth living.
Overall, Nature Boy is a song that invites us to reflect on the beauty and power of love. Its simple yet poignant message has resonated with listeners for decades, making it a timeless classic.
Line by Line Meaning
There was a boy
Once upon a time, there was a boy
A very strange enchanted boy
This boy was peculiar, as if under a spell
They say he wandered very far, very far
Rumors have it that he roamed to distant places
Over land and sea
Through mountains and oceans he traveled
A little shy and sad of eye
Despite his adventures, he still seemed reserved and troubled
But very wise was he
Nevertheless, he possessed great wisdom
And then one day
One fateful day
A magic day he passed my way
He crossed my path on a magical day
And while we spoke of many things
During our conversation on various topics
Fools and kings
From foolishness to royalty
This he said to me
He expressed to me
"The greatest thing you'll ever learn
"Out of all the lessons you could acquire
Is just to love and be loved in return"
The most valuable is to give and receive affection
Writer(s): Eden Ahbez
Contributed by Carter A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@robadr13
Been playing this repeatedly for the past 6 months. A revelation! :-)
@ratgoon4584
Beautiful , sounds so jazzy with a noticeable hint of island calipso and spanish vibes. ALL HAILS FROM THE MIDDLE EAST.
@mariadelourdes3380
Muitos gravaram essa belíssima música,Nature Boy, mas essa música ninguém canta como Nat King Cole!!
@maxwellfan55
The chords of this song ARE samba so this works, I like it, Etta treats it accordingly, and rather well.
@lionheartroar3104
Wow..this is stunning.
@GPerruciani
"Somewhere betrween Ella Fitzgerald and Dinah Washington," was how the bandleader Earl Hines described his singer Etta Jones. He could have said that she was somewhere between Billie Holiday and Ella Johnson as well, and yet, paradoxically, Etta Jones's style was unique.
Source: Independent co uk
@MrTrigger6
Bringing the learning to the beat.
@caponsacchi
I love Etta Jones (not James), esp. during her "Don't Go to Strangers" period (with Gene Ammons)s and here? don't know the alto player). Later, with Houston Person, she developed habits, devices, that sounded more raw than her early recordings for Prestige. I think of a Samba as much faster (like "Brazil"), close to many disco tempos. This rhythm is closer to a rhumba or mambo.
@MartaBtrp
Really great!
@LaNoteBlanche87
Une perle rare...