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).
So I Love You
Shirley Horn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My love for you
Should have ended long ago
I wish I didn't need your kiss
Why must your kiss
Torture me as long as this
With some new tender friend
Smiling by now
With my heart on the mend
But when I try
Something in my heart says no
You're still there
I wish I didn't love you so
(repeat *)
I wish I didn't love you so
The lyrics of Shirley Horn's song "I Wish I Didn't Love You So" express the painful truth of being in love with someone who has caused a lot of hurt and disappointment. The singer is grappling with their feelings of love and desire for their former partner, while recognizing that holding onto these feelings is causing them more pain. The repeated phrase "I wish I didn't" emphasizes the singer's longing to let go of their feelings and start anew. They express the belief that their love should have ended "long ago," indicating that they have been holding onto these feelings for a long time, even though they know they are not healthy.
The singer also admits that being kissed by their former partner is a form of torture, as it deepens their feelings of love and longing. They describe the struggle to move on and find happiness with a new partner, while acknowledging that their heart is not ready to let go of the past. The final repetition of the chorus drives home the point that the singer is still deeply in love despite their best efforts to move on.
Overall, the lyrics of "I Wish I Didn't Love You So" are a poignant and relatable expression of the pain and complexity of love, particularly when it becomes tangled up with past hurt and disappointment.
Line by Line Meaning
I wish I didn't love you so
I regret having feeling of love for you.
My love for you
The affectionate emotion I have towards you.
Should have ended long ago
It would have been better if it had ended a long time ago.
I wish I didn't need your kiss
I regret being dependent on your kiss.
Why must your kiss
What makes your kiss so potent?
Torture me as long as this
Suffering from the consequences of your kiss.
I might be smiling by now
I would have been happy at this point.
With some new tender friend
In the company of a new intimate partner.
With my heart on the mend
In the process of restoring my emotional health.
But when I try
However, when I make an effort to move on.
Something in my heart says no
My heart resists trying to heal.
You're still there
You occupy a definite space in my life.
I wish I didn't love you so
I lament being in love with you.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Frank Loesser
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@robertellam2590
The Most underrated Jazz Artist of them all x RIP
@paulbrewer2374
Shirley was the greatest.
@pjparkervocalist
sent to me once by someone I loved
@spadge1able
this is another awesome recording full of all that is the best of romantic singing.none better than this i would like to think.splendid TROS1.more please.alby (spadge1able)
@spadge1able
the depth of feeling is captivating. splended beyond belief,another great upload thankyou TROS1. alby(spadge1able)
@sopranosd
Love this.
@baldrad1
...stunning...
@JACEYFALK
lovely
@beforeourveryeyes
This song was written by Carroll Coates. Thank you, Shirley Horn and thank you for posting.
@TheReturnOfStephan1
You're quite welcome.
It's a very moving piece.