Donaldson attended North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in Greensboro in the early 1940s. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy during World War II and was trained at the Great Lakes bases in Chicago, where he was introduced to bop music in the lively club scene there. At the war's conclusion, he returned to Greensboro, where he worked club dates with the Rhythm Vets, a combo composed of A and T students who had served in the U.S. Navy. The band recorded the soundtrack to a musical comedy featurette, "Pitch a Boogie Woogie," in Greenville, North Carolina, in the summer of 1947. The movie had a limited run at black audience theatres in 1948 but its production company, Lord-Warner Pictures, folded and never made another film. "Pitch a Boogie Woogie" was subsequently restored by the American Film Institute in 1985 and re-premiered on the campus of East Carolina University in Greenville the following year. Donaldson and the surviving members of the Vets performed a reunion concert after the film's showing. In the documentary made on "Pitch" by UNC-TV, "Boogie in Black and White", Donaldson and his musical cohorts recall the film's making—he originally believed that he had played clarinet on the soundtrack. A short piece of concert footage from a gig in Fayetteville, North Carolina, is included in the documentary.
Donaldson's first jazz recordings were with the Charlie Singleton Orchestra in 1950 and then with bop emissaries Milt Jackson and Thelonious Monk in 1952, and he participated in several small groups with other jazz luminaries such as trumpeter Blue Mitchell, pianist Horace Silver and drummer Art Blakey.
In 1953, he also recorded sessions with the trumpet virtuoso Clifford Brown, and Philly Joe Jones.
He was a member of Art Blakey's Quintet and appeared on some of their best regarded albums, including the two albums recorded at Birdland in February 1954 Night at Birdland.
Donaldson has recorded in the bop, hard bop, and soul jazz genres. For many years his pianist was Herman Foster.
He was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame on October 11, 2012.
It's You Or No One
Lou Donaldson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How did I guess that the long loneliness was past.
I merely looked at you and I knew that I knew.
It's you or no one for me
I'm sure of this each time we kiss
Now and forever and when forever's done
You'll find that you are still the one
Please don't say no to my plea
'Cause if you do then I'm all through
There's this about you
My world's an empty world without you
It's you or no one for me
Please don't say no to my plea
'Cause if you do then I'm all through
There's this about you
My world's an empty world without you
It's you or no one for me
For me
In Lou Donaldson's song "It's You or No One," the lyrics convey a sense of certainty and emotional attachment towards a particular person. The opening lines express a deep intuition and foreknowledge that the warmth and happiness experienced in this relationship will endure. It implies that the singer had a sense of longing or loneliness before encountering this person, but now, by simply looking at them, they know that their search for companionship and love is over.
The chorus reinforces this strong conviction, stating that it's this person or no one for the singer. Each kiss they share reaffirms this belief, and the connection between them is so profound that it's expected to last even beyond eternity. The plea not to reject their love is rooted in the singer's understanding that without this person in their life, their world would be empty and devoid of happiness.
Overall, "It's You or No One" speaks to a deep and unwavering commitment to a specific person. The lyrics suggest a profound emotional connection and the belief that this relationship is the one the singer has been searching for, making it an essential part of their existence.
Line by Line Meaning
How did I know that the warmth of the glow would last.
Through an intuitive sense, I understood that the feeling of warmth and happiness within me would endure in the presence of your love.
How did I guess that the long loneliness was past.
I had a premonition that the prolonged emptiness and solitude I felt in my heart would finally come to an end.
I merely looked at you and I knew that I knew.
By simply laying my eyes upon you, I instantly recognized with certainty that you were the one I had been searching for.
It's you or no one for me
In matters of love and companionship, there is no other person who can satisfy my soul and bring me true happiness besides you.
I'm sure of this each time we kiss
With every affectionate kiss we share, my confidence in our bond grows stronger, leaving no doubt in my heart.
Now and forever and when forever's done
In the present and throughout eternity, even beyond the concept of forever, you will remain the one who holds my heart.
You'll find that you are still the one
Even as time passes, you will discover that you are still the sole person who ignites my passion and completes me.
Please don't say no to my plea
I implore you not to reject my earnest request, as the consequences would be devastating for me.
'Cause if you do then I'm all through
If you were to decline, it would signify the end of my hopes and dreams, leaving me utterly defeated and broken.
There's this about you
There is something truly special and extraordinary about you, something that sets you apart from anyone else.
My world's an empty world without you
Without your presence, my existence would be devoid of purpose and joy, a desolate and hollow existence.
It's you or no one for me
I reiterate and emphasize that you are the one and only person who holds the key to my heart and my happiness.
For me
These feelings and declarations are solely directed at you, as you are the one who has captivated my heart.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jule Styne, Sammy Cahn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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