Dedicated To You
John Coltrane (1926 - 1967) Lyrics

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If I should write a book for you
That brought me fame and fortune too,
That book would be,
Like my heart and me,
Dedicated to you.

And if I should paint a picture too
That showed the loveliness of you,

My art would be,
Like my heart and me,
Dedicated to you.

To you,
Because your love is the beacon that lights up my way.
To you,
Because with you I know a lifetime could be just one heavenly day.

If I should find a twinkling star,
One half as wondrous as you are,
That star would be
Like my heart and me,
Dedicated to you.

To you,
Because your love is the beacon that lights up my way.
To you,
Because with you I know a lifetime could be just one heavenly day.

If I should find a twinkling star,
One half as wondrous as you are,
That star would be

Like my heart and me,
Dedicated to you.

Overall Meaning

In "Dedicated to You," John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman's delightful duet, the singer sings of dedication to their beloved, expressing unwavering affection through a series of imaginative declarations. The singer reveals that if they were to produce a book or a painting, their work would embody their heart and soul, reflecting their adoration for their loved one.

The lyrics in the first verse highlight that the singer values their love more than fame or fortune. If the singer were to achieve fame and fortune through writing, they would dedicate their success to their beloved. The second verse expresses the artistic prowess of the singer, and how they would dedicate their work to their lover's loveliness. The following verse further enhances the affection by asserting that the beacon of light that illuminates the singer's way is their lover's love.

The singer concludes the song by saying that if they ever come across a star that is as wondrous as their beloved, they would dedicate that star to their lover as well. The song beautifully expresses a deep, unwavering dedication to a lover whose love illuminates every aspect of the singer's life.

Line by Line Meaning

If I should write a book for you
In the event that I were to write a book for you

That brought me fame and fortune too,
A book that would bring me both notoriety and wealth

That book would be,
This book I write

Like my heart and me,
Would be a reflection of my genuine emotions

Dedicated to you.
To you, as a tribute to your influence on me.

And if I should paint a picture too
In the presence of painting a portrait of you

That showed the loveliness of you,
That demonstrated your beauty

My art would be,
My artistic creation

Like my heart and me,
A reflection of my genuine emotions

Dedicated to you.
To you, as a tribute to your influence on me.

To you,
For you, because of you