McCorkle was born in Berkeley, California. She studied modern languages at the University of California, Berkeley. McCorkle began singing professionally after hearing recordings of Billie Holiday in Paris in the late 1960s. She nearly became an interpreter at the European Commission in Brussels, but moved instead to London in 1972 to pursue a career in singing. While in the UK, she made two albums which, although well received, enjoyed only limited circulation.
In the late 1970s, McCorkle returned to the United States and settled in New York City, where a five-month engagement at the Cookery in Greenwich Village brought her to wider public attention and elicited rave reviews from critics.
During the 1980s, McCorkle continued to record; her maturing style and the darkening timbre of her voice greatly enhanced her performances. In the early 1990s, two of the albums McCorkle made for Concord Records, No More Blues and Sábia, were enormously successful and made her name known to the wider world. She was recorded by the Smithsonian Institution which at the time made her the youngest singer ever to have been included in its popular music series. McCorkle played Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher and Alice Tully Halls five times and Carnegie Hall three times, and was featured soloist with Skitch Henderson and the 80-piece New York Pops in a concert of Brazilian music.
Thanks to her linguistic skills, McCorkle translated lyrics of Brazilian, French, and Italian songs, notably those for her Brazilian album Sabia. McCorkle also had several short stories published and, in 1991, began work on her first novel. She published fiction in Mademoiselle, Cosmopolitan Magazine, and non-fiction in the New York Times Magazine and in American Heritage, including lengthy articles on Ethel Waters, Bessie Smith, Irving Berlin and Mae West.
McCorkle suffered for many years from depression and cancer, and took her own life at age 55 by leaping off the balcony of her highrise Manhattan apartment. She was alone in her home at the time. The police immediately entered her home after identifying her body and found no foul play. Suicide was ruled the cause of death.
Do Nothin
Susannah McCorkle Lyrics
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But they wouldn't hurt you, not much
Since everyone spread the story
With his own little personal touch
Do nothin' till you hear from me
Pay no attention to what's said
Why people tear the seam of anyone's dream
Do nothin' till you hear from me
At least consider our romance
If you should take the word of others you've heard
I haven't a chance
True I've been seen with someone new
But does that mean that I'm untrue
When we're apart the words in my heart
Reveal how I feel about you
Some kiss may cloud my memory
And other arms may hold a thrill
But please do nothin' till you hear it from me
And you never will
Do nothin' till you hear from me
Do nothin' till you hear from me
Pay no attention to what's said
Why people tear the seam of anyone's dream
Is over my head
Do nothin' till you hear from me
At least consider our romance
If you should take the word of others you've heard
I haven't a chance
True I've been seen with someone new
But does that mean that I'm untrue
When we're apart the words in my heart
Reveal how I feel about you
Some kiss may cloud my memory
And other arms may hold a thrill
But please do nothin' till you hear it from me
And you never will
The lyrics of Susannah McCorkle's song "Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me" convey a sentiment of cautiousness and mistrust of hearsay. The first stanza presents a situation where a rumor has been spread and gradually altered as it made its way from person to person. However, the rumor's validity is questionable, as it may or may not reflect reality. The song's protagonist insists that the listener should not act upon the rumor until they hear from her directly. She acknowledges that others could tear apart her dreams, but she refuses to let hearsay ruin her chance for love.
The chorus drives the point home as the singer urges her lover to consider their romance before giving credence to gossip. She acknowledges that she has been seen with someone new, but she argues that this does not necessarily make her untrue. The final line of the chorus, "And you never will," is a challenge to the listener to prove her wrong, to judge her solely on the facts and not rumors. The singer's request for patience and loyalty from her lover constitutes a plea for the listener to believe in her and their romance, despite whatever rumors may be circulating.
Overall, McCorkle's song carries an important message about the dangers of rumors and the importance of questioning hearsay. It encourages people to seek out the truth and encourages patience in a world where sensational rumors can quickly spread.
Line by Line Meaning
Someone told someone and someone told you
The spreading of rumors is a chain reaction that can't always be directly traced back to the source.
But they wouldn't hurt you, not much
The rumors should not be taken too seriously, as they likely won't cause any significant harm.
Since everyone spread the story
The spread of rumors is a collective effort.
With his own little personal touch
Each person adds their own embellishments and interpretations to the rumors they hear.
Do nothin' till you hear from me
Don't act on unfounded rumors, wait until you hear the truth from the source.
Pay no attention to what's said
Don't give rumors any undue attention or importance.
Why people tear the seam of anyone's dream
The motivation for spreading rumors is a mystery to the singer.
Is over my head
The singer can't understand why others would want to hurt her with rumors.
At least consider our romance
The singer hopes the listener will not believe rumors that could ruin their relationship.
If you should take the word of others you've heard
The singer implores the listener not to believe rumors without first checking with her.
I haven't a chance
If the listener believes the rumors, the singer's relationship is doomed.
True I've been seen with someone new
The rumors could be based on the fact that the singer has been seen with someone else.
But does that mean that I'm untrue
Just because she's seen with someone else does not necessarily mean she's being unfaithful.
When we're apart the words in my heart
The singer's true feelings can only be known when the two are together.
Reveal how I feel about you
The singer is deeply committed to the listener and no rumor will change that.
Some kiss may cloud my memory
While a new romantic encounter may be exciting, the singer's devotion to the listener will not falter.
And other arms may hold a thrill
Other romantic prospects may be tempting, but the singer remains steadfast in her commitment.
But please do nothin' till you hear it from me
The only reliable source of information is the singer herself, so the listener should not act on rumors.
And you never will
The listener will never hear anything negative from the singer about their relationship.
Do nothin' till you hear from me
The refrain is a repeated reminder to wait for the truth before taking action.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, MUSIC SALES CORPORATION
Written by: DUKE ELLINGTON, BOB RUSSELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind