Person grew up in Florence, South Carolina, and first played piano before switching to tenor saxophone. He studied at South Carolina State College where he was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame in 1999.
In the United States Air Force, he joined a service band stationed in West Germany, and played with Don Ellis, Eddie Harris, Cedar Walton, and Leo Wright. He later continued his studies at Hartt College of Music in Hartford, Connecticut.
He first became known for a series of albums for Prestige Records in the 1960s. Contrary to popular belief, he was never married to the vocalist Etta Jones, but did spend many years as her musical partner, recording, performing and touring, and for much of his career this association was what he was best known for. They first met playing in organist Johnny Hammond's band.
There are more than 75 albums recorded by Houston Person as a bandleader, on Prestige, Westbound, Mercury, Savoy, and Muse Records, and he has most recently been recording on HighNote Records. He has recorded with Grant Green, Charles Brown, Bill Charlap, Charles Earland, Lena Horne, Etta Jones, Lou Rawls, Horace Silver, Dakota Staton, Billy Butler, Richard "Groove" Holmes and others.
Good Morning Heartache
Houston Person Lyrics
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Good morning heartache, thought we said goodbye last night
I turned and tossed until it seemed you had gone
But here you are with the dawn
Wish I'd forget you, but you're here to stay
It seems I met you when my love went away
Now everyday I start by saying to you
Stop haunting me now
Can't chase you no how
Just leave me alone
I've got those Monday blues
Straight through Sunday blues
Good morning heartache, here we go again
Good morning heartache, you're the one who knew me when
Might as well get used to you hanging around
Good morning heartache, sit down
Stop haunting me now
Can't chase you no how
Just leave me alone
I've got those Monday blues
Straight through Sunday blues
Good morning heartache, here we go again
Good morning heartache, you're the one who knew me when
Might as well get used to you hanging around
Good morning heartache, sit down
The song "Good Morning Heartache" is a melancholic ballad that perfectly captures the heartbreak that comes with a lost love. The song begins with the singer acknowledging the presence of heartache in his life, calling it an "old gloomy sight" and expressing his regret at not being able to forget it. The lyrics imply that this isn't the first time the singer has had to face heartache, as he speaks to it as an old friend who knows him well. The singer manages to convey the hopelessness of his situation, stating that he can't seem to shake heartache from his life no matter how hard he tries. The chorus is a cry to be left alone, but heartache seems to follow him wherever he goes, a constant partner in his life. He resigns himself to this fact, realizing that he has to get used to the sad reality of heartache never leaving him alone.
The instrumental accompaniment to the song is a slow and soulful jazz melody, giving the song a very emotional feel. The way in which the singer holds certain notes and phrases, in combination with the music, makes the song seem sadder than the lyrics alone would suggest. Houston Person's saxophone solos only add to the despair, as the sound of the instrument is almost synonymous with jazzy melancholy.
Line by Line Meaning
Good morning heartache, you old gloomy sight
Starting the day with sadness and despair, just like every other day
Good morning heartache, thought we said goodbye last night
Trying to escape from this feeling but can't seem to shake it off
I turned and tossed until it seemed you had gone
Unable to sleep at night because of the heartache but eventually it seemed to fade away
But here you are with the dawn
Yet again waking up feeling the same way as yesterday
Wish I'd forget you, but you're here to stay
Wishing to move on from this feeling but realizing that it won't go away easily
It seems I met you when my love went away
This feeling of heartache started when the singer's love left
Now everyday I start by saying to you
Acknowledging the heartache every single day
Good morning heartache, what's new
Starting the day with this feeling and wondering if there's anything new to add to it
Stop haunting me now
Pleading for the heartache to go away
Can't chase you no how
Trying to run away from the feeling but can't seem to escape it
Just leave me alone
Asking the heartache to go away and not come back
I've got those Monday blues
Feeling down and sad just like how people feel on Mondays
Straight through Sunday blues
Feeling this sadness and heartache every day without any relief
Good morning heartache, here we go again
Just like every morning, starting the day with this feeling
Good morning heartache, you're the one who knew me when
The heartache has been there for a long time and knows the singer well
Might as well get used to you hanging around
Realizing that this feeling won't go away and accepting it as a constant presence
Good morning heartache, sit down
Talking to the feeling as if it were a person and asking it to calm down
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Ervin Drake, Dan Fisher, Irene Higginbotham Padellan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind