He recorded a number of popular albums with fellow trombonist Kai Winding, as well as many solo albums, and was a sideman on many classic jazz recordings. Several of his compositions, including "Wee Dot," "Lament," and "Enigma" are considered jazz standards. He was part of the Third Stream movement in jazz music in the late 1950s and early 1960s and wrote a number of large-scale works which incorporated elements of both classical and jazz music.
In his early twenties he developed a remarkable, flawless technique and was the first trombonist to rise to the challenge of bebop music, remaining unchallenged at the forefront of modern jazz throughout his career. In 1970 he ceased performing in public for most of 17 years, before a comeback in the late 1980s. From the mid fifties on, he was a perennial polling favorite in jazz circles, even winning Down Beat's "Trombonist of the Year" during years he wasn't active. Voted into Down Beat's Hall of Fame in 1995, J. J. Johnson's recording career spanned 54 years, from 1942 to 1996.
He has long been regarded as the greatest trombonist of the post-Swing Era, a pervasive influence on other jazz musicians, and one of jazz's legendary figures.
You Belong To Me
J.J. Johnson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gee baby, I been so alone and blue,
Since you've been gone
Seems that every little thing that I do,
My heart still cries for you.
All the dreams that I dream, never come true – life is always blue.
Why you don't call me anymore?
Not even the mailman, ever knocks on my door anymore.
Baby since you been gone, every little thing has went wrong.
Now why shouldn't I miss you when I love you, when you all that I own?
Baby since you've been gone, my nights all pass so slow.
There was nothin' I could do to be happy.
My life don't seem worthwhile anymore, I have no place to go.
Since you been gone, I've walked and cried all night long.
But some sweet day, your heart will break when I'm gone.
[Rest of lyrics half spoken:]
Baby, you know since you've been gone,
So many nights have I walked and cried all night long.
You know dear, it seems to me that you've taken my love, just to use it as a song.
But I'll find a way, someday.
There must be somebody who's willing to be lovin' and true.
And your ways of livin' and my kind of lovin', will never do.
Baby, how could you be so mean to me, after I've been so kind and true?
How could you make my poor heart cry and suffer,
When I even give up my dear little mother an' dad, only to be with you?
Now your ways of livin', I know you don't mean to be true.
And your ways of livin' and my kind of lovin',
Don't belong to you.
The song "You Belong to Me" by J.J. Johnson is a heartfelt depiction of the pain and longing experienced after a breakup. The singer's voice is full of sorrow as he laments the absence of his lover. He mentions that he has been singing a song all day, possibly indicating that he has been trying to distract himself from the pain of their separation. Despite this, he is unable to escape the overwhelming feelings of loneliness and despair that come with missing someone who was once a significant part of his life.
The second stanza of the song highlights the singer's deep longing for his lover. He talks about how every little thing he does reminds him of his partner and how his heart still cries for them. He also mentions that all his dreams never come true anymore, indicating that his efforts to move on and find happiness without his lover have been in vain. The third stanza talks about the physical absence of his lover, with the lyrics mentioning how the telephone never rings and how the mailman never knocks on his door. This further emphasizes the emptiness and isolation he feels since his lover left.
The final section of the song highlights the singer's resolve to move on and find someone who can love him truly. He acknowledges that his lover's ways of living and his kind of loving are not compatible with each other. He mentions that he has been kind and true to his lover and questions how they could be so mean to him. The song ends with the singer acknowledging that their paths are no longer meant to be intertwined and that he must look for a new love who is willing to be loving and true.
Line by Line Meaning
All day, I been hummin' a song.
I've been missing you all day, and feeling down and blue.
Gee baby, I been so alone and blue, Since you've been gone
I feel really lonely and sad without you.
Seems that every little thing that I do, My heart still cries for you. All the dreams that I dream, never come true – life is always blue.
No matter what I do, I can't stop thinking about you and feeling sad. Even my dreams can't make me happy anymore.
You know my telephone, baby. Why you don't call me anymore? Not even the mailman, ever knocks on my door anymore.
I wonder why you never call or come over anymore, and even things like the mailman don't visit me like they used to.
Baby since you been gone, every little thing has went wrong. Now why shouldn't I miss you when I love you, when you all that I own?
Everything in my life has been messed up since you left, and it makes sense that I miss you so much because you're the most important thing to me.
Baby since you've been gone, my nights all pass so slow. There was nothin' I could do to be happy. My life don't seem worthwhile anymore, I have no place to go.
My nights are really long and boring without you, and nothing seems to make me happy anymore. I feel like I have no purpose or direction in life.
Since you been gone, I've walked and cried all night long. But some sweet day, your heart will break when I'm gone.
I've been so upset and emotional since you left that I've spent entire nights walking and crying. But one day, you'll realize what you're missing and regret leaving me.
Baby, you know since you've been gone, So many nights have I walked and cried all night long. You know dear, it seems to me that you've taken my love, just to use it as a song.
I've been so sad and heartbroken since you left that I've spent many nights walking and crying. It feels like you only used my love for you as inspiration for a song, without really caring about me.
But I'll find a way, someday. There must be somebody who's willing to be lovin' and true. And your ways of livin' and my kind of lovin', will never do.
I know I'll find someone who will love me back and be true to me. Our different lifestyles and attitudes towards love aren't compatible.
Baby, how could you be so mean to me, after I've been so kind and true? How could you make my poor heart cry and suffer, When I even give up my dear little mother an' dad, only to be with you?
I don't understand how you could be so cruel to me, when I've always treated you kindly and honestly. Even my own family wasn't as important to me as being with you, but you still hurt me.
Now your ways of livin', I know you don't mean to be true. And your ways of livin' and my kind of lovin', Don't belong to you.
I know you don't intend to live your life this way, but your lifestyle and my way of loving aren't compatible. We're just not meant to be together.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: LONNIE JOHNSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind