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.
Second Time Around
Etta Jones Lyrics
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Just as wonderful with both feet on the ground
It's that second time you hear your love song sung
Makes you think perhaps that love, like youth, is wasted on the young
Love's more comfortable the second time you fall
Like a friendly home the second time you call
Who can say what brought us to this miracle we've found?
There are those who'll bet love comes but once, and yet
Who can say what brought us to this miracle we've found?
There are those who'll bet love comes but once, and yet
I'm oh, so glad we met the second time around
In Etta Jones's song "Second Time Around," she sings about the beauty of rediscovering love after experiencing it once before. The song's opening line, "Love is lovelier the second time around," sets the tone for the rest of the lyrics that describe the feeling of falling in love again. Jones sings about how love is just as wonderful the second time around, and that it's more comfortable because you've fallen before and know what to expect.
The second verse describes how hearing your love song sung for the second time can make you feel like love is a young person's game, wasted on youth who don't fully understand its power. The line "Love's more comfortable the second time you fall" is particularly poignant, showcasing how falling in love again can feel like coming home to a friend.
The song's closing lines sum up the sentiment of the song perfectly when Jones sings, "There are those who'll bet love comes but once, and yet I'm oh, so glad we met the second time around." These lyrics remind us that love is unpredictable, and it's possible to find it again unexpectedly with the right person.
Line by Line Meaning
Love is lovelier the second time around
Love is more beautiful when it is experienced for the second time.
Just as wonderful with both feet on the ground
It is equally wonderful the second time even when approach it more practically and logically.
It's that second time you hear your love song sung
The second time you hear a love song, it feels more personal and emotional.
Makes you think perhaps that love, like youth, is wasted on the young
After experiencing love a second time, one realizes that young people might not be able to appreciate it fully due to their lack of understanding and experience.
Love's more comfortable the second time you fall
After falling in love the second time, it is more comfortable because you know what to expect and have learned from past experiences.
Like a friendly home the second time you call
Love feels warm and welcoming like returning to a familiar place when you are back together for the second time.
Who can say what brought us to this miracle we've found?
Nobody knows exactly how or why they found each other again, but they are grateful for their second chance at love.
There are those who'll bet love comes but once, and yet
Some people believe that you only experience true love once in a lifetime, but...
I'm oh, so glad we met the second time around
The singer is expressing her joy and gratitude for finding love again and experiencing it with someone for the second time.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: ARTHUR L. PORTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind