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).
Just A Little Lovin'
Shirley Horn Lyrics
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Will go a long way
Well you made me happy
The rest of my days
Why don't you put your arms around me,
And I'll be your slave
'Cause just a little lovin' will go a long way
Ever since time began love has ruled the world
I met you and now I know you're the girl for me
Why don't you come on home and you'll plainly see
That just a little lovin'
Will go a long way
And you make me happy
The rest of my days
Why don't you put your arms around me
And I'll be your slave
'Cause just a little lovin'
Will go a long way
I don't believe you really know how much I love you
If you did you'd come on back and make my dreams come true
Your eyes, your lips, your lovin' kiss seem to linger here
Well you'll forgive but please don't forget that just a little lovin'
Will go a long way
Well you make me happy girl,
The rest of my days
Why don't you put your arms around me yeah
And I'll be your slave
'Cause just a little lovin'
Will go a long way
Shirley Horn's song "Just A Little Lovin' Will Go A Long Way" is a love song that emphasizes the power of love in making things right. The song emphasizes how a little bit of love can go a long way in bringing joy, happiness, and peace to people's lives. Horn sings about how love has ruled the world since time immemorial, and how it has been the source of life's greatest joys and sorrows.
The singer addresses her lover, asking him to put his arms around her and make her his slave. She assures him that just a little love from him will make her happy for the rest of her days. The song expresses the depth of the love the singer has for her lover and how much she hopes he can see it and reciprocate. The simplicity of the lyrics means anyone can easily understand the message that love conquers all.
Line by Line Meaning
Just a little lovin,' yeah
Even a small amount of love can make a big difference
Will go a long way
It can have a lasting impact
Well you made me happy
You brought joy into my life
The rest of my days
For a long time
Why don't you put your arms around me,
Embrace me with your love
And I'll be your slave
I'll be devoted to you
'Cause just a little lovin' will go a long way
Even a little bit of love can have a big impact
Ever since time began love has ruled the world
Love has always been a powerful force
Even adam set the pace and started it a whirl
Even Adam in the bible started the trend of love
I met you and now I know you're the girl for me
You're the one I love and want to spend my life with
Why don't you come on home and you'll plainly see
If you come home, you'll understand how much I love you
I don't believe you really know how much I love you
I feel like you don't understand the depth of my love
If you did you'd come on back and make my dreams come true
If you understood, you would come back and make me happy
Your eyes, your lips, your lovin' kiss seem to linger here
I still have memories of your physical affection
Well you'll forgive but please don't forget that just a little lovin' will go a long way
After I apologize, I hope you can remember that my love can make a huge impact
Well you make me happy girl,
You bring happiness into my life
Why don't you put your arms around me yeah
Please show me your love and affection
And I'll be your slave
I'll do anything for you out of love
'Cause just a little lovin'
Even a small amount of love
Will go a long way
Can have a lasting impact
Lyrics © Blanco Y Negro Publishing, S.L., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: EDDY ARNOLD, ZEKE CLEMENTS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind