Jo Stafford (born Jo Elizabeth Stafford, 12 November 1917, in Coalinga, Cal… Read Full Bio ↴Jo Stafford (born Jo Elizabeth Stafford, 12 November 1917, in Coalinga, California and died July 16, 2008 at Century City, California) was an American jazz and big band singer whose career spanned the late 1930s through the early 1960s. She was known especially as a fond favorite of name bandleaders during World War II and in the years immediately after. Stafford was greatly admired for the purity of her voice and was considered one of the most versatile vocalists of the era. Even now, hers are widely held as the supreme versions of jazz standards "It Could Happen to You" and "Blue Moon." She sang with male partners on occasion, including Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby. She was also considered a pioneer of modern musical parody, having won a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album in 1961 (with husband Paul Weston) for their album Jonathan and Darlene Edwards in Paris.

Candy
Jo Stafford Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Some say that love is sweet as a rose,
Some say it's honey and the bee,
Well sit right down and let me tell you
What my love is to me.

"Candy"
I call my sugar "Candy"
Because I'm sweet on "Candy"

And "Candy" is sweet on me

He/She understands me,
My understanding "Candy"
And "Candy"'s always handy
When I need sympathy
I wish that there were four of him/her
So I could love much more of him/her

He/She has taken my complete heart,
Got a sweet tooth for my sweetheart
"Candy"
Its gonna be just dandy
The day I take my "Candy"

And make him mine all mine
Mine

Overall Meaning

The song "Candy" by Jo Stafford explores the idea of love and compares it to candy. The lyrics are a playful and lighthearted way of expressing love and affection towards the beloved. The opening lines "Some say that love is sweet as a rose, Some say it's honey and the bee" sets the tone of the song as a comparison between love and sweetness. The singer of the song claims to call their lover "Candy" because they are sweet on Candy, and Candy is sweet on them. The repetition of the word "sweet" reinforces this comparison.

The song goes on to talk about the understanding and reliability that Candy provides. The singer explains that Candy understands them and is always there for them when they need sympathy. The line "I wish that there were four of him/her, so I could love much more of him/her" expresses the intense affection and desire that the singer has for Candy. The chorus "Candy, I call my sugar Candy, because I'm sweet on Candy and Candy is sweet on me" reinforces the sweet and playful comparisons of love and candy.

The song concludes with the singer expressing their desire to make Candy theirs completely. The phrase "Got a sweet tooth for my sweetheart" reinforces the comparison of love and candy. The song ends on an optimistic note with "It's gonna be just dandy, the day I take my Candy, and make him mine all mine, mine."

Line by Line Meaning

Some say that love is sweet as a rose,
Love can be compared to a rose because of its sweetness, delicacy, and beauty.

Some say it's honey and the bee,
Some say that love is like a bee and honey, because it is both sweet and can sting.

Well sit right down and let me tell you What my love is to me.
Let me tell you about the kind of love I have and how I feel about it.

"Candy" I call my sugar "Candy" Because I'm sweet on "Candy" And "Candy" is sweet on me
I refer to my loved one as 'Candy' because I am deeply in love with them and they reciprocate the same feelings for me.

He/She understands me, My understanding "Candy" And "Candy"'s always handy When I need sympathy
My partner 'Candy' understands me very well and is always there for me whenever I need support or empathy.

I wish that there were four of him/her So I could love much more of him/her
I love my partner 'Candy' so much that I wish there were more of them so that I could express my love even more.

He/She has taken my complete heart, Got a sweet tooth for my sweetheart "Candy"
My partner 'Candy' has completely captured my heart and I am madly in love with them.

Its gonna be just dandy The day I take my "Candy" And make him mine all mine Mine
I can't wait for the day when I can make 'Candy' mine and spend the rest of my life with them.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MACK DAVID, JOAN WHITNEY, ALEX KRAMER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS

Genre not found

Artist not found

Album not found

Search results not found

Song not found

Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@dylangintherofficial

4y↑2

Wolfsky9 im 24

Its amazing how music transcends time

I have no one in my family who liked this music

I actually started listening to big band after seeing how common it was used in horror movies

Which i film make as well so

Maybe i lived before who knows

@sauquoit13456

4y↑10

Seventy five years ago today on April 6th, 1945 "Candy" by Johnny Mercer & Jo Stafford with the Pied Pipers peaked at #2 {for 2 weeks} on Billboard's 'Best Selling Popular Records'* chart, for the two weeks was at #2, the #1 record for both those weeks was "My Dreams Are Getting Better All The Time" by Les Brown with vocals by Doris Day...
Also at the time Les Brown's "Candy" was also at #2 on Billboard's Most-Played On The Air chart and at #3 on Billboard's Most-Played Juke Box Records chart...
* And from the 'For What It's Worth' department, the remainder of the Best Selling Popular Records' Top 10 on April 6th, 1945:
#3. "Rum and Coca-Cola" by the Andrew Sisters
#4. "My Dreams Are Getting Better All The Time" by Johnny Long and Dick Robinson
#5. "I'm Beginning To See The Light" by Harry James
#6. "My Dreams Are Getting Better All The Time" by the Phil Moore Four
#7. "Just A Pray Away" by Bing Crosby
#7. "There! 've Said It Again" by Vaughn Monroe
#8." "Dream" by the Pied Pipers
#9. "I'm Beginning To See The Light" by Duke Ellington
#10. "A Little On The Lonely Side" by Frankie Carle

All comments from YouTube:

@candicemacdonald3993

2y↑8

My parents loved this song so much they named their first born Candy
That was me! (DOB 1949)

@victormarrotti2575

2y↑1

Very sweet

@robt5818

18w↑1

I am brought here by Carl Amari and Hollywood360. Carl airs classic radio episodes, and last night he aired a Christmas episode of "Candy Matson" from 1949. This is the theme song that the organist plays on the unmistakable Hammond. I love this song, as well as everything else that Johnny Mercer wrote or performed.

@madamjaynie87

4y↑34

My sweet momma would play “Candy” on her record player in the bedroom; meanwhile we would be having a few cocktails and singing these Fantastic old song like Candy & Tangerine... Such wonderful memories..

@dylangintherofficial

3y↑6

My God those sound like beautiful memories

My parents abandoned me at 12 so I never got to have memories like that

@aljmann

3y↑3

@Dylan Ginther I am sorry Dylan. You need to aim to create your own happy memories 🎶😇

@stephaniestanley8041

2y↑2

Beautiful ❤️ memories

@jasminaraguz8905

3y↑4

Das ist so schön..,damals war meine Mutter grad 5 Jahre alt,..ich vermisse Sie so,..aber die Musik verbindet mich mit Ihr!🙏🌠💓

@mercerconsulting9728

2y↑5

Love this song. It has a way of capturing my heart, and Jo Stafford had the perfect voice for it.

@michaellazzeri2069

1y↑1

Ladies & Gents, this is music-------& singing--------the likes of which, we'll not see or hear, ever again. RIP, to all who made this record. ------MJL< 76 y/o

@Wolfsky9

4y↑10

Ohhhh my, how this takes me to my childhood, growing up to music like this. --------------Both Dad & Mom loved Johnny & Jo ------------class acts, both. ------------How the years have gone ----------------now, it's 2020, & I only wish i could go back to this better time.-------------------Wolfsky9, 73 y/o

@davidalen9279

4y↑2

Me too!

@stephaniestanley8041

5y↑24

I melt every time

@HLLKYCAT

3y↑2

I thought i was the only one.

@stephaniestanley8041

2y↑2

@H3LL0K177Y CAT it goes right to my ❤️

@joybreeden366

2y↑2

Love this arrangement.
Johnny was always perfect. This is so special...

@dylangintherofficial

4y↑13

Its probably one of my favourite duo songs with jo and johnny

Its so simple but effective as a song

The notes they picked add this air of romance and fun its adorable

@robertmoffit4898

3y↑32

Am 26 and love these old time music legends. Music actually has "style" if anyone gets my meaning

@eviljoe9548

Something we won't experience anymore . 26 as well.

@Wolfsky9

5y↑10

This song just takes me away to a time I can't know, but surely do wish I did--------the music of my Dad & Mom. --------------Jo was their favorite female singer, & this masterpiece clearly shows why. -----class-arrangement from Paul Weston. ---------------------------------WolfSky9, 72 y/o

@dylangintherofficial

4y↑2

@victormarrotti2575

3y↑2

Wolfsky9, I wished I was from that generation. Great music ,and especially during the war years

@Trombonology

5y↑19

I flipped for this one decades ago, playing it over and over again. Like the title, so sweet -- but not cloyingly so. Johnny and Jo always sounded so simpatico in their duets. Johnny said that when Jo recorded one of his songs, he considered it "done," while Jo named Johnny as her favorite lyricist; their artistic rapport is highly evident in this performance. Interestingly, "Candy" was, according to Paul Weston, the one song Johnny always said he wished he had written. ... Beautiful support from The Pipers, with Junie's lead really making an impact -- no mean feat, given the presence of the great Jo Stafford!

@stephaniestanley8041

5y↑7

Omg I've listened to this at least 500 times. Jo was amazing.

@Trombonology

5y↑4

@Stephanie Stanley She sure was!

@johntapp1411

4y↑10

Great typing song!! I can just hear myself bashing out another love letter to my girlfriend on a trusty old Underwood as I sip on an old world ginger ale. It doesn’t get any better than this.

@sauquoit13456

4y↑10

@cobrakai2872

5y↑15

My all around favorite song.

@michaellazzeri2069

1y↑1

For those who may not remember, this is called Singing -------in harmony.

@robinceuleers5595

1y↑1

This sounds sooo Disney like! Like a Disney classic short

@rubygracemoseley8144

Man..I haven’t heard this song in years….It was on one of the first cd’s I remember my dad ever playing…so beautiful and lovely…

@honeybunchesofstoats3017

4y↑10

Me and my boyfriend are going through his great grandma's vintage vinyls, all 78 rpm, to sell tomorrow. This is one he said he's keeping, because it makes him think of me 💕 istg I'm gonna marry him

@MrGGPRI

2y↑1

Nice clean-up of a 78 recording; keep up the great work on good music lost in a world of conflict....

@victormarrotti2575

3y↑1

A Great song

@lustermark

beautifull, thanks

@juanmanuelespinosavera6023

3y↑1

Only heard Manhattan Transfer' s version before, but this one is the real thing!

@cesymancillas5884

3y↑1

My Sweetheart, this song was the first one you sang to me softly the first u dedicated to me , & till this day I’m still crazy inlove with you , I think back on that day , you took my breath away with that kiss . You & I Let’s Make Forever True Checha 💋

@magnolerriccardo6840

48w

THIS song inspired Peppino Fumagalli in creating the famous Italian Aplliances Brand "Candy"

@Brunze

This should be in the next Fallout

@joeb5678

2y↑3

The movie bugsy brought me here

@7106798

3y↑1

Luv the Jazz Age of the 40s

@Wolfsky9

3y↑1

4/14/2021, i just did my taxes, & now i reward myself with real music, done by pros who knew how to do it right.-------------------------------WolfSky9, 74 y/o

@thedealer777

4y↑2

Sweet!

@ilovecody7514

4y↑2

True longing

@oxygen6371

❤

@Wolfsky9

4y↑1

Ohhhh yes ---------------REAL MUSIC. -------------------WolfSky9, 73 y/o

@Wolfsky9

5y↑2

Take me back to '46, please ! ------------------------WolfSky9, 72 y/o

@Wolfsky9

5y↑1

Ohhhhhh Miss Jo ! Your voice was so smooth------effortless-------& to my ears, you're #1, 4-Ever. -------------------------WolfSky9

@johntapp1411

4y↑2

Wolfsky9 if you were 72 years old 7 months ago, you would have been born in 1947–a year after 1946. Now I remember quite a number of old WWII veterans who did listen to this song, but they were 72, and alive, back thirty and forty years ago. But like you, we all have our hearts set on this kind of wonderful music. Let’s enjoy.