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.

On the Street Where You Live
Etta Jones Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I have often walked down the street before
But the pavement always
Stayed beneath my feet before

All at once am I
Several stories high
Knowing I'm on the street where you live

Are there lilac trees
In the heart of town?
Can you hear a lark in any other part of town?

Does enchantment pour
Out of every door?
No, it's just on the street where you live

And oh, the towering feeling
Just to know somehow you are near
The overpowering feeling
That any second you may suddenly appear

People stop and stare
They don't bother me
For there's no where else on earth
That I would rather be

Let the time go by
I won't care if I
Can be here on the street where you live

People stop and stare
They don't bother me
For there's no where else on earth
That I would rather be

Let the time go by
I won't care if I

Can be here on the street where you live
Let me be on the street where you live

Overall Meaning

In Etta Jones's song "On The Street Where You Live," the lyrics express the singer's infatuation with someone who lives on a particular street. The song begins with the singer explaining that they have walked down this street many times before but, suddenly, everything feels different. The singer feels like they're several stories high and knows that they're on the street where the person they're infatuated with lives.

The singer goes on to describe the street, questioning if there are lilac trees or if they can hear a lark in any other part of town. The singer acknowledges that there's nothing particularly special about the street except for the fact that the person they're infatuated with lives there. The overpowering feeling of being near the person they like is described as "towering."

The song's bridge expresses the singer's feelings of excitement and anticipation that the person they like may "suddenly appear." The singer seems unfazed by people who stop and stare at them as they walk down the street because being on this particular street is where they want to be above all else. The song concludes with the singer reiterating that they want to be on this street, even if time passes by, as long as the person they like is there.

Overall, "On The Street Where You Live" is a song that captures the feeling of infatuation and the overwhelming pull that one person can have on someone else. The street serves as a physical manifestation of the attraction that the singer feels, and the song perfectly captures the feeling of being in love or infatuated with someone.

Line by Line Meaning

I have often walked down the street before
I have previously traveled down this street many times

But the pavement always stayed beneath my feet before
However, I never felt as if I was walking on air on this street. It was just a normal street to me

All at once am I several stories high
Suddenly, I feel like I am elated and as if I am soaring high in the sky

Knowing I'm on the street where you live
I understand that I am on the street where you reside

Are there lilac trees in the heart of town?
I have this inquisitive feeling about whether the heart of the town has lilac trees

Can you hear a lark in any other part of town?
I wonder if it is possible to hear a lark's song in other areas of town or not

Does enchantment pour out of every door?
I wonder if people in other areas of town feel as enchanted as I am on this street

No, it's just on the street where you live
I concluded that it is the presence of you on this street that makes it so enchanting

And oh, the towering feeling
The feeling I am experiencing is so overwhelming and elating

Just to know somehow you are near
The mere realization of your proximity is enough to make my heart swell with emotion

The overpowering feeling
The feeling is so overwhelming that it is close to becoming too much for me to handle emotionally

That any second you may suddenly appear
I cannot help but think that at any random moment, you might show up

Let the time go by
I do not care how long I have to stay here, time passing does not matter to me

I won't care if I can be here on the street where you live
It does not matter to me how long I have to be on this street as long as I can remain near your presence

People stop and stare
Individuals around me pause and gaze at me intently, but it does not bother me

They don't bother me
Their attention on me does not bother or irritate me

For there's nowhere else on earth that I would rather be
There is nowhere else in existence that I would rather be than here, on this street, in your presence

Let the time go by
Time can pass as long as I can keep being near you

I won't care if I can be here on the street where you live
As long as I can remain on this extraordinary street where you reside, time does not matter

Let me be on the street where you live
Please, let me continue to stay on this street with you

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Alan Jay Lerner, Frederick Loewe

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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