She was the first American singer to record at Abbey Road Studios in England. Her fan base even included Asia and the Philippines. She had 7 top hits, including "Why Don't You Believe in Me?", "Your Cheating Heart," "Almost Always," and "Have You Heard?"
She married composer Tony Acquaviva in 1956. In 1964, she dropped out of the public eye to take care of him and did so until 1986, when Mr. Acquaviva passed away. She began to tour again in the 1990's. She was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Exactly Like You
Joni James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Not a real one, just a dream
A wonderful vision of us as a team
Can you imagine how I feel now
Love is real now, it's ideal
You're just what I wanted
And now it's nice to live
Paradise to live
I know why I've waited
Know why I've been blue
Prayed each night for someone
Exactly like you
Why should we spend money
On a show or two
No one does those love scenes
Exactly like you
You make me feel so grand
I want to hand the world to you
I hope you'll understand
Each foolish little scheme I'm schemin'
And dream I'm dreamin'
Now I know why mother
Taught me to be true
She meant me for someone
Exactly like you
In Joni James's song "Exactly Like You," the singer talks about a past in which she had a perfect partner, albeit only in her dreams. This partner was a wonderful vision of them being a team, but love was not yet real or ideal. However, the singer's present reality seems to have taken a 180-degree turn. She has found exactly what she has been looking for in a partner, and she is grateful to finally be living in paradise.
The singer then talks about why she has waited for so long and why she has been feeling blue. She has been praying each night for someone who is exactly like her current partner. The singer then questions why people should spend money on shows or movies when no one portrays love scenes as perfectly as her partner does. She feels so grand with her partner that she wants to hand the world to them, and she hopes they will understand all of the foolish little schemes and dreams she has about them.
Finally, the singer shares that she now understands why her mother taught her to be true - it was so that she could find someone exactly like her partner. The song is a beautiful ode to love that has finally been found in its ideal form.
Line by Line Meaning
I used to have a perfect sweetheart
I once had an ideal companion that was not real, but instead just a figment of my imagination
Not a real one, just a dream
This person I imagined was entirely formed by my own fantasies and wishing, and never existed as an actual human being
A wonderful vision of us as a team
My ideal companion and I had a complimentary, harmonious relationship and I longed for that to become a reality
Can you imagine how I feel now
Given that my dream has come to fruition and I have actually found the ideal partner, there is no way to fully express how happy I am with this outcome
Love is real now, it's ideal
After the false hope of my imagination, my current partner and the true love we share is perfect and better than anything I could have dreamed up
You're just what I wanted
My current partner is exactly what I had hoped and yearned for in a companion
And now it's nice to live
My life is now enjoyable and fulfilling
Paradise to live
Being with my ideal partner feels like heaven on earth
I know why I've waited
Now that I have found my ideal match, I understand why I remained patient and did not settle for a lesser partner
Know why I've been blue
The reason for my sadness and dissatisfaction before was because I did not have this perfect love in my life
Prayed each night for someone
I hoped and wished fervently for my ideal partner to manifest in my life
Exactly like you
My prayers were answered with my current partner, who fulfills all my desires and requirements in a companion
Why should we spend money
There is no need to spend on entertainment when I can bask in the glory of the amazing love I have found
On a show or two
Going to movies or plays would pale in comparison to the excitement and fulfillment my partner provides
No one does those love scenes
Even the most well-written and romantic love scenes in entertainment could not measure up to the wonderful romance I share with my partner
You make me feel so grand
Being with my partner elevates me to fantastic heights of joy and happiness
I want to hand the world to you
I feel such admiration and love for my partner that I would do anything for them and give them everything I have
I hope you'll understand
I hope my partner will see the genuine love and devotion I have for them
Each foolish little scheme I'm schemin'
I have grandiose ideas and plans for our future together, and while they may seem foolish to others, they are my heart's true desires
And dream I'm dreamin'
I have fantasies about our future together and cannot wait to experience them in reality
Now I know why mother
The reason my mother raised me with high standards for a partner and encouraged me to be patient was so I could find the ideal partner I have now
Taught me to be true
My mother instilled in me the importance of being genuine and honest in relationships, which helped me attract my ideal partner
She meant me for someone
My mother believed that I was meant to be with my ideal partner and encouraged me to believe that, too
Exactly like you
My current partner matches all of the criteria I could have hoped for, and they are exactly the person I had dreamed of finding
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Dorothy Fields, Jimmy Mchugh
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Fegen100
I have seen Joni in person many times over the years. She will always be my favorite singer.
Phillip Primrose