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.
Someone To Watch Over Me
Susannah McCorkle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Still were often told, seek and ye shall find
So I'm going to seek a certain lad I've had in mind
Looking everywhere, haven't found him yet
Hes the big affair I cannot forget
Only man I ever think of with regret
I'd like to add his initial to my monogram
There's a somebody I'm longing to see
I hope that he turns out to be
Someone who'll watch over me
I'm a little lamb who's lost in the wood
I know I could always be good
Someone who'll watch over me
Although he may not be the man some
Girls think of as handsome
To my heart he carries the key
Won't you tell him please to put on some speed
Follow my lead, oh, how I need
Someone to watch over me
The song Someone to Watch Over Me is a romantic ballad about longing for love and feeling lost without it. The lyrics suggest that love is often elusive and can be difficult to find; however, the singer remains steadfast in her search for a certain man that she has in mind. She reflects upon the fact that she has not yet found him but acknowledges that she cannot forget him - he is always on her mind.
The line "I'd like to add his initial to my monogram" suggests that the singer is so infatuated with this man that she would like to incorporate his name into her own. This desire for connection and intimacy is further emphasized in the next line, "Tell me, where is the shepherd for this lost lamb?" The singer is yearning for someone to guide and protect her through the uncertainties of life, and she believes this man could be the one to watch over her.
The final verse is a plea for this man to acknowledge her feelings and reciprocate her love. The singer recognizes that he may not be conventionally attractive, but he holds the key to her heart nonetheless. The line "oh, how I need someone to watch over me" is a poignant expression of vulnerability and loneliness. The song is a beautiful portrayal of the human desire for love and companionship, and it has resonated with listeners for many years.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a saying old says that love is blind
An old saying suggests that love is not always rational and may inspire people to overlook the flaws of the person they love.
Still were often told, seek and ye shall find
Despite the saying that love is blind, it is often suggested that we should actively search for love and we will eventually find it.
So I'm going to seek a certain lad I've had in mind
The singer has a particular person in mind and is actively searching for them.
Looking everywhere, haven't found him yet
Despite searching, the artist has not yet found the person they are looking for.
He's the big affair I cannot forget
The person the artist is looking for holds a significant place in their heart and mind.
Only man I ever think of with regret
The singer only has one person in mind that they regret not being able to find.
I'd like to add his initial to my monogram
The singer wants to signify their connection to the person they are searching for by adding their initial to their personal monogram.
Tell me, where is the shepherd for this lost lamb?
The artist is feeling lost and is seeking someone to guide them.
There's a somebody I'm longing to see
The artist has a strong desire to see a particular person.
I hope that he turns out to be
The artist is hoping that the person they are looking for will live up to their expectations.
Someone who'll watch over me
The singer is looking for someone to protect and care for them.
I'm a little lamb who's lost in the wood
The artist feels vulnerable and helpless without the guidance of the person they are looking for.
I know I could always be good
The singer is willing to be obedient and well-behaved if they can find someone to watch over them.
Someone who'll watch over me
The singer reiterates their desire to find someone to care for them.
Although he may not be the man some
The person the singer is looking for may not fit the stereotypical idea of what is considered attractive.
Girls think of as handsome
Other girls may not find the person the artist is searching for to be physically desirable.
To my heart he carries the key
The person the artist is searching for holds the key to their heart and emotions.
Won't you tell him please to put on some speed
The singer is eager for the person they are searching for to hurry and come to them.
Follow my lead, oh, how I need
The singer is requesting that the person they are searching for follow their lead and be the one to watch over them.
Someone to watch over me
The artist emphasizes their desire to find someone to protect and care for them.
Lyrics © O/B/O CAPASSO, Broma 16, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ira Gershwin, George Gershwin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind