Baker began on drums, but switched to trumpet during his teens. He started his career on riverboats and played with Don Redman in the mid-1930s. He also worked with Teddy Wilson and Andy Kirk before joining Duke Ellington. He married Kirk's pianist Mary Lou Williams and though the two separated shortly thereafter, they never officially divorced.
Baker worked on and off in Duke Ellington's Orchestra from 1942 to 1962. He also worked with Johnny Hodges's group in the early 1950s during the period when Hodges was not a member of Ellington's orchestra.
I Didn't Know What Time It Was
Shorty Baker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yesterday, perhaps
Danced with Jim and Paul
And kissed some other chaps
Once I was young
But never was naive
I thought I had a trick or two
And now I know I was naive
I didn't know what time it was
Then I met you
Oh, what a lovely time it was
How sublime it was too
I didn't know what day it was
You held my hand
Warm like the month of May it was
And I'll say it was grand
Grand to be alive, to be young
To be mad, to be yours alone
Grand to see your face, feel your touch
Hear your voice say, "I'm all your own"
I didn't know what year it was
Life was no prize
I wanted love and here it was
Shining out of your eyes
I'm wise and I know what time it is now
Grand to be alive, to be young
To be mad, to be yours alone
Grand to see your face, feel your touch
Hear your voice say, "I'm all your own"
I didn't know what year it was
Life was no prize
I wanted love and here it was
Shining out of your eyes
I'm wise and I know what time it is now
The song "I Didn't Know What Is Love" is a beautiful jazz ballad performed by Shorty Baker and Doc Cheatham. The lyrics are a reflection on the singer's experiences with love and the changes that have occurred since meeting their current partner. The first two stanzas describe the singer's youth when they thought they had everything figured out, but now they realize how naive they were. Then the focus shifts to the present moment and how meeting their partner has changed their entire perspective on life. The chorus "I didn't know what time it was, then I met you" emphasizes the idea that the singer's life had no direction before meeting their partner. The second stanza of the chorus further emphasizes how much the singer's life has changed since meeting their partner.
The final stanza of the song concludes by reflecting on how the singer wanted love but didn't know how to find it until it was right in front of them. The repetition of "I didn't know what year it was, life was no prize" emphasizes the idea that the singer felt lost before finding their partner. The final line "I'm wise and I know what time it is now" signifies the singer's newfound wisdom and understanding of love. Overall, the message of the song is that love can change people's lives for the better and bring them a sense of wisdom they lacked before.
Line by Line Meaning
Once I was young
At one point in the past, I was youthful and energetic
Yesterday, perhaps
It may have been a long time ago, but to me it feels like only yesterday
Danced with Jim and Paul
I used to dance with two gentlemen named Jim and Paul
And kissed some other chaps
I also kissed a few other men, just for fun and excitement
But never was naive
Despite my youthful nature, I was never foolish or gullible
I thought I had a trick or two
I believed that I had some special skills or knowledge that others lacked
Up my imaginary sleeve
Though in reality I didn't really have any special tricks or abilities
And now I know I was naive
Looking back, I realize that I was actually quite inexperienced and immature
I didn't know what time it was
I was unaware of how truly wonderful life could be
Then I met you
But when I met you, everything started to change
Oh, what a lovely time it was
Being with you was simply delightful, and I cherished every moment
How sublime it was too
In fact, it was so wonderful that it's hard to describe using words alone
You held my hand
You took my hand in yours and I felt an instant connection
Warm like the month of May it was
The warmth of your touch made me feel as though it was a beautiful, sunny day in May
And I'll say it was grand
I simply must express how truly amazing it all was
Grand to be alive, to be young
It was a truly wonderful thing to be alive and to be young, and to be with you
To be mad, to be yours alone
I was crazy about you, and I belonged entirely to you
Grand to see your face, feel your touch
Seeing your face and feeling your touch made me feel so incredibly happy and content
Hear your voice say, "I'm all your own"
Hearing you say that I belonged to you made me feel incredibly special and loved
Life was no prize
Before meeting you, life didn't seem all that wonderful or exciting
I wanted love and here it was
But then I found love, and it was everything I had been searching for
Shining out of your eyes
Your eyes were filled with love and I could see it shining bright
I'm wise and I know what time it is now
Now I am wiser and I understand how amazing and special love can truly be
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., IMAGEM MUSIC INC
Written by: LORENZ HART, RICHARD RODGERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kris Krukemeyer
this is by far the best