Susannah McCorkle (1 January 1946 – 19 May 2001) was an American jazz singe… Read Full Bio ↴Susannah McCorkle (1 January 1946 – 19 May 2001) was an American jazz singer much admired for her direct, unadorned singing style and quiet intensity.

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.

No More Blues
Susannah McCorkle Lyrics

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Every day seems like a year
Sweetheart, when you are not near
All that you claim must be true
For I'm just the same as you

[Chorus]
Sometimes I'm happy, sometimes I'm blue
My disposition depends on you

I never mind the rain from the skies
If I can find the sun in your eyes
Sometimes I love you, sometimes I hate you
But when I hate you, it's 'cause I love you
That's how I am, so what can I do?
I'm happy when I'm with you

Stars are smiling at me from your eyes
Sunbeams now there will be in the skies
Tell me that you will be true
That will all depend on you

[Chorus]

Overall Meaning

In Susannah McCorkle's song "Can't Take You Nowhere," the lyrics convey the intensity of the singer's emotions towards their lover. The first stanza sets the tone for the song, explaining that every day feels like a year when the lover is not near. The singer conveys that they trust their lover, implying that their lover has made promises that they intend to keep. The second stanza is a chorus that highlights the intense fluctuation of the singer's emotions throughout the relationship. The chorus is very candid stating that their mood and overall disposition depend on the presence of their lover. The singer states that they don't mind the rain, but it's significant to note that it's because they can "find the sun in [their lover's] eyes." The chorus concludes by stating that even when the singer hates their lover, it's because they love them. They cannot deny their intense emotions towards their significant other.

The third stanza, which is a repeat of the first, emphasizes the importance of their lover's presence, speculating that the stars and sunbeams are shining brighter because they are with their significant other. They then conclude by asking their lover to be truthful, knowing that their overall happiness is dependent on their lover's honesty. To understand this song further, one has to note the strong emotions depicted through the lyrics. When the singer says, "sometimes I love you, sometimes I hate you" in the chorus, it's a common feeling that many people go through in a relationship. The song's layers touch on trust, loyalty, doubt, and deep love, encapsulated in beautifully written lyrics. The song's entire theme revolves around the subjectivity of affections, explaining how the singer's emotions depend on their lover.

Line by Line Meaning

Every day seems like a year
Without you, time drags on and feels interminable

Sweetheart, when you are not near
I only feel complete and happy when I am by your side

All that you claim must be true
I trust and believe everything you tell me

For I'm just the same as you
We are two peas in a pod, sharing the same feelings and experiences

Sometimes I'm happy, sometimes I'm blue
My mood is entirely dependent on your presence and attention

My disposition depends on you
My attitude and outlook are dictated by your behavior and treatment of me

I never mind the rain from the skies
As long as I have you, external circumstances don't matter

If I can find the sun in your eyes
Your love and affection are enough to brighten even the darkest days

Sometimes I love you, sometimes I hate you
My feelings for you are complex and often contradictory

But when I hate you, it's 'cause I love you
Even negative emotions towards you are rooted in my deep love and attachment

That's how I am, so what can I do?
I am helpless in the face of my overwhelming love for you

I'm happy when I'm with you
Simply being in your presence brings me joy and contentment

Stars are smiling at me from your eyes
Your eyes reflect the depth of your love for me

Sunbeams now there will be in the skies
Your love has the power to transform my world, bringing light and warmth to my life

Tell me that you will be true
I need reassurance of your unwavering commitment to our relationship

That will all depend on you
My trust and faith in you is entirely in your hands

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., CARLIN AMERICA INC
Written by: CLIFFORD GREY, IRVING CAESAR, VINCENT YOUMANS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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