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.
My Romance
Houston Person Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And climb that stairway to the stars
With love beside us to fill the night with a song
We'll hear the sound of violins
Out yonder where the blue begins
The moon will guide us as we go drifting along
Can't we sail away on a lazy daisy petal
Over the rim of the hill?
And settle high on the crest of a thrill!
Let's build a stairway to the stars
A lovely stairway to the stars
Houston Person's "My Romance" begins with the idea of building a stairway to the stars, which is a metaphor for achieving great heights in a romantic relationship. The singer desires to climb that stairway with their loved one and enjoy the night together while violins play in the background. The moon acts as a guiding force for the couple as they move forward in their journey.
As the song continues, the singer suggests the couple sail away on a lazy daisy petal or a little dream to reach a thrilling new level of intimacy. Ultimately, the song ends with a resolution to build a lovely stairway to the stars, emphasizing the singer's commitment to building a lasting and successful relationship.
Overall, "My Romance" is a romantic song that emphasizes the magic of love and the desire to reach new heights in a relationship. The metaphoric language used throughout the song creates a dreamy and imaginative atmosphere that perfectly captures the feelings of new love.
Line by Line Meaning
Let's build a stairway to the stars
Let's create a path towards our dreams and aspirations.
And climb that stairway to the stars
Let's make the effort to achieve and reach our goals.
With love beside us to fill the night with a song
Let's experience the warm and inviting presence of love while we pursue our ambitions.
We'll hear the sound of violins
As we progress in our journey, we'll encounter and enjoy beautiful and uplifting moments.
Out yonder where the blue begins
In the distant horizon where the sky meets the earth, there's hope and wonder to be found.
The moon will guide us as we go drifting along
Even in the darkness, we can be guided and inspired by the light of the moon.
Can't we sail away on a lazy daisy petal
Sometimes, the easiest way to escape the mundanity of life is to take a simple and carefree approach.
Over the rim of the hill?
Beyond the difficulties and obstacles that lie ahead of us?
Can't we sail away on a little dream
Perhaps, we can make our journey more enjoyable by imagining and pursuing smaller dreams along the way.
And settle high on the crest of a thrill!
When we finally achieve our ultimate goal, it will be an exhilarating and satisfying experience.
Let's build a stairway to the stars
Ultimately, let's keep striving and building towards our greatest dreams and aspirations.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Frank Signorelli, Matt Malneck, Mitchell Parish
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind