Giuseppe (Joe) Venuti (September 16, 1903 – August 14, 1978) was a U.S. jaz… Read Full Bio ↴Giuseppe (Joe) Venuti (September 16, 1903 – August 14, 1978) was a U.S. jazz musician and violinist. Venuti claimed to have been born aboard a ship as his parents emigrated from Italy, though many believe he was simply born in Philadelphia. Considered the father of jazz violin, he pioneered the use of string instruments in jazz along with the guitarist Eddie Lang, a childhood friend of his. Through the 1920s and early 1930s, Venuti produced many recordings. He worked with Benny Goodman, the Dorsey Brothers, Bing Crosby, the Boswell Sisters and most of the other important white jazz and semi-jazz figures of the late 1920s and early 1930s. However, following Lang's early death in 1933, he began to slip off the radar. After a period of relative obscurity in the 1940s and 1950s, he was 'rediscovered' in the late 1960s and established a musical relationship with tenor saxophonist Zoot Sims, that was almost as fruitful as his previous collaboration with Lang. Venuti and Sims produced a number of very exciting recordings in 1974/75: an appropriate coda to the great violinist's career.

In the mid-1970s, Venuti performed and recorded, again in the limelight: good examples of his latter-day recordings are the Chiaroscuro CD's Joe Venuti and Zoot Sims (CR(D) 142) and Joe & Zoot & More (CR(D)126). He died in Seattle, Washington.

Venuti was also a legendary practical joker.

My One And Only Love
Joe Venuti Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

The very thought of you makes my heart sing
Like an April breeze on the wings of spring,
And you appear in all your splendor,
My one and only love.

The shadows fall and spread their mystic charms
In the hush of night while you're in my arms.
I feel your lips, so warm and tender,

My one and only love.

The touch of your hand is like heaven,
A heaven that I've never known.
The blush on your cheek whenever I speak
Tells me that you are my own.

You fill my eager heart with such desire.
Ev'ry kiss you give sets my soul on fire.

I give myself in sweet surrender,
My one and only love.

Overall Meaning

In Joe Venuti's song "My One and Only Love," the lyrics express an overwhelming feeling of love and adoration towards a significant other. The first and second stanzas describe the intensity of this love as comparable to an April breeze or the shadows in the hush of night. The third stanza expresses the physical sensations associated with being with the loved one, with the touch of their hand being like heaven and the warmth of their lips being tender. Finally, the last stanza conveys the depth of emotion and devotion felt towards the significant other, with every kiss given setting the soul on fire and eventually leading to sweet surrender.

The lyrics are an example of classic romantic love songs that convey a deep and true feeling of devotion towards a loved one. The use of imagery, such as the comparison to an April breeze or the shadows in the hush of night, further emphasizes the intensity of the emotion being conveyed. The repetition of "my one and only love" in the chorus highlights the importance and unique nature of this particular individual in the life of the singer.

Line by Line Meaning

The very thought of you makes my heart sing
Just thinking about you fills my heart with joy and happiness

Like an April breeze on the wings of spring,
You give me a fresh, rejuvenating feeling much like a gentle spring breeze

And you appear in all your splendor,
Whenever I think of you, I envision all of your magnificence and grace

My one and only love.
You are the only one I love deeply and truly with all my heart

The shadows fall and spread their mystic charms
When darkness surrounds us, it creates a magical ambiance

In the hush of night while you're in my arms.
When I hold you close in my arms, the silence of the night feels peaceful and serene

I feel your lips, so warm and tender,
Your lips against mine are so soft, gentle and full of emotion

My one and only love.
You are the one I have chosen to love forever and ever

The touch of your hand is like heaven,
Feeling your touch is heavenly, soothing and calming my body and soul

A heaven that I've never known.
This feeling is completely new to me and I have never experienced anything like this before

The blush on your cheek whenever I speak
Seeing your cheeks turn red when I talk to you lets me know that you belong to me

Tells me that you are my own.
Your blushing lets me know that you love me and belong only to me

You fill my eager heart with such desire.
You create a strong and adventuring desire within my heart to explore and cherish every moment we spend together

Ev'ry kiss you give sets my soul on fire.
Every time we kiss, it ignites a burning passion deep within my soul

I give myself in sweet surrender,
I completely surrender myself to you, entrusting my heart and soul to your care and love

My one and only love.
You are the only person I love, the singular source of joy and happiness in my life

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Guy B. Wood, Robert Mellin

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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