Shirley Horn was born and raised in Washington, D.C.. Encouraged by her grandmother, an amateur organist, Horn began piano lessons at the age of four. Aged 12, she studied piano and composition at Howard University, later graduating from there in classical music. Horn was offered a place at the Juilliard School, but her family could not afford to send her there. Horn formed her first jazz piano trio when she was 20. Horn's early piano influences were Erroll Garner, Oscar Peterson and Ahmad Jamal, and moving away from her classical background, Horn later said that "Oscar Peterson became my Rachmaninov, and Ahmad Jamal became my Debussy." She then became enamored with the famous U Street jazz area of Washington (largely destroyed in the 1968 riots), sneaking into jazz clubs before she was of legal age.
Horn first achieved fame in 1960, through her association with Miles Davis. Davis' praise had particular resonance in two respects: because he was so highly respected as a musician, and because he rarely offered public praise for fellow musicians at that time. Horn had, though, recorded several songs with violinist Stuff Smith in 1959 both as a pianist and a singer. After her discovery by Davis, she recorded albums on different small labels in the early 1960s, eventually landing contracts with larger labels Mercury Records and Impulse Records. She was popular with jazz critics, but did not achieve significant popular success.
Quincy Jones attempted to make Horn into a pure vocalist in several recording sessions, something he later hinted may have been a mistake. Horn was also disturbed by the changes in popular music in the 1960s following the arrival of The Beatles. Largely rejecting efforts to remake her into a popular singer, she stated: "I will not stoop to conquer."[4] From the late-1960s, she concentrated on raising her daughter Rainy with her husband, Shepherd Deering (whom she had married in 1955), and largely limited her performances to her native Washington, D.C.
Miles Davis made a rare appearance as a sideman on Horn's 1991 album You Won't Forget Me. Although she preferred to perform in small settings, such as her trio, she also recorded with orchestras, as on the 1992 album Here's to Life, the title song (lyrics by Phyllis Molinary, music by Artie Butler) of which became her signature song. A video documentary of Horn's life and music was released at the same time as "Here's To Life" and shared its title. At the time, arranger Johnny Mandel commented that Horn's piano skill was comparable to that of the noted jazz great Bill Evans. A follow-up was made in 2001, named You're My Thrill.
Horn worked with the same rhythm section for 25 years: Charles Ables (bass) and Steve Williams (drums). Don Heckman wrote in the Los Angeles Times (February 2, 1995) about "the importance of bassist Charles Ables and drummer Steve Williams to Horn's sound. Working with boundless subtlety, following her every spontaneous twist and turn, they were the ideal accompanists for a performer who clearly will tolerate nothing less than perfection".
Her albums Here's to Life, Light Out of Darkness (A Tribute to Ray Charles) and I Love You, Paris all reached number one on the Billboard jazz charts.
Due to health problems in the early 2000s, Horn had to cut back on her performances. After 2002, a foot amputation (from complications of diabetes) led her to leave the piano playing to pianist George Mesterhazy. In late 2004, Horn felt able to play piano again, and recorded a live album for Verve, at Manhattan's Au Bar with trumpet player Roy Hargrove, which did not satisfy her.[citation needed] It remains unreleased except for tracks on But Beautiful - The Best of Shirley Horn.
A breast cancer survivor, she had been battling diabetes when she died of complications from the condition, aged 71. She is interred at Ft. Lincoln Cemetery in Washington, D.C.
Horn was nominated for nine Grammy Awards during her career, winning the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Performance at the 41st Grammy Awards for I Remember Miles, a tribute to her friend and mentor (the album's cover featuring a Miles Davis drawing of them both).
She was officially recognized by the 109th US Congress for "her many achievements and contributions to the world of jazz and American culture", and performed at The White House for several U.S. presidents. Horn was awarded an honorary Doctor of Music degree from the Berklee College of Music in 2002.
She was awarded the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters Award in 2005 (the highest honors that the United States bestows upon jazz musicians).
EveryThing Must Change
Shirley Horn Lyrics
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Nothing stays the same
Everyone must change
No one stays the same
The young become the old
And mysteries do unfold
Cause that's the way of time
There are not many things in life
You can be sure of
Except rain comes from the clouds
Sun lights up the sky
And hummingbirds do fly
Winter turns to spring
A wounded heart will heal
But never much too soon
Yes everything must change
The young become the old
And mysteries do unfold
Cause that's the way of time
Nothing and no one goes unchanged
There are not many things in life
You can be sure of
Except rain comes from the clouds
Sun lights up the sky
And butterflies do fly
Rain comes from the clouds
Sun lights up the sky
And music
And music
Makes me cry
The song, "Everything Must Change," by Shirley Horn, is a poignant reflection on the inevitability of change. The lyrics emphasize how change affects every aspect of life and how it impacts all individuals, whether young or old. The first verse acknowledges that nothing stays the same; everything must change, and everyone must adjust to these changes. The second verse highlights how the young eventually become old, and the secrets of life unravel with time. This suggests that change should not be feared, but instead, embraced as it offers new experiences, knowledge, and growth.
The chorus emphasizes that there are very few things in life that we can be sure of and that some aspects will always remain the same, such as the sun lighting up the sky, rain coming from the clouds, and music's power to evoke emotions, like crying. The song's lyrics remind us that while change is an inevitable part of life, certain fundamental truths and constants will always remain, such as the beauty of nature and the power of music to touch our soul.
Overall, the song is a beautiful yet melancholic reflection on the passing of time and the inevitability of change. It reminds us to embrace change and not fear it and highlights how life's constants can provide comfort and stability amidst the ever-changing nature of the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Everything must change
Life is always changing, and we must accept the inevitability of change.
Nothing stays the same
All things are in constant flux, and nothing remains constant or unchanged.
Everyone must change
Every person must adapt to change in order to survive, grow, and thrive.
No one stays the same
No person can remain the same for long, as life and experience inexorably transforms us all.
The young become the old
Youthful vigor, energy, and idealism inevitably give way to aging bodies and the wiser, more sophisticated, but often more cynical perspective of older age.
And mysteries do unfold
As we age and accumulate experience, we begin to unravel the mysteries of life and the universe, but there is always more to discover and learn.
Cause that's the way of time
Time is the driving force behind all change and causality in the universe, and we must all yield to it.
Nothing and no one goes unchanged
No entity, no matter how small or large, can avoid the transformative effects of time and change.
There are not many things in life you can be sure of
There are few certainties in this unpredictable, ever-changing world, and we must learn to live with uncertainty and ambiguity.
Except rain comes from the clouds
One of the few reliable constants in life is that water evaporates from the earth and returns to it in a cycle, replenishing the planet's water supply and nourishing all life.
Sun lights up the sky
Another predictable constant is that the sun rises and sets each day, providing warmth, light, and energy to sustain life on earth.
And hummingbirds do fly
Throughout it all, birds and other creatures go about their business of living, reminding us of the natural beauty and resilience of life.
Winter turns to spring
Seasons come and go, each with its own unique character and rhythms, but always leading into the next.
A wounded heart will heal
Even emotional pain and heartbreak eventually fade with time and can be overcome.
But never much too soon
Though healing is possible, the process often takes longer than we would like or expect.
Rain comes from the clouds
Reiterating the earlier point that life's constants include the cycles of water and rain that sustain us all.
Sun lights up the sky
Again emphasizing the consistent, cyclical nature of the world and the reliable, comforting presence of the sun that we rely on.
And butterflies do fly
Nature's beauty and vibrancy persist, reminding us of the resilience and determination of life to keeps moving forward, even in the face of constant change and turbulence.
Music makes me cry
The beauty and power of music is such that it can evoke strong emotions, transporting us to times and places past or present, bringing forth joy, pain, or nostalgia, and reminding us of the ineffable, intangible wonder of existence.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BENARD IGHNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind