The One I Love
Tommy Dorsey And His Orchestra With Frank Sinatra Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

When days are long and nights are lonely
And all my daydreams have gone astray
I think about the one and only
Who's bound to find me some golden day

The one I love is coming along some day
And I'll have none except the one I love
He/She may be near or ever so far away

But I'll have none except the one I love

And though our meeting is left to chance
Until our meeting
I still will have my dream romance

And through the night I pray to the moon above
To please be kind and find the one I love

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra's song The One I Love convey the pain and loneliness felt by someone whose daydreams have been shattered. The singer pines for the one person who can make their life meaningful again. The repeated refrain, "I'll have none except the one I love," serves as a reminder of the depth of their love and commitment. The singer is optimistic that one day their true love will come into their life, either near or far away. Despite the uncertainty of when they will meet, the singer holds onto the hope of their dream romance. The final lines of the song reveal the desperation of the singer, praying to the moon above to find their soulmate.

The song relates to the common theme of romantic longing and unrequited love. The lyrics emphasize the importance of finding and holding on to a true love, even if it means waiting a lifetime. The orchestra's arrangement adds to the sentimentality of the piece, with its use of slow, sweeping movements and the sound of the solo trumpet carrying the melody. The song speaks to a universal truth that many can relate to, making it a timeless classic.

Line by Line Meaning

When days are long and nights are lonely
During times when the days feel endless and the nights are lonesome

And all my daydreams have gone astray
And all the fantasies I have imagined for my future have deviated from my hopes and desires

I think about the one and only
I contemplate the existence of the one and only person that I truly love

Who's bound to find me some golden day
Who is bound to discover a fortunate occasion to cross paths with me one day

The one I love is coming along some day
The one I have deep and affectionate feelings for is eventually going to appear in my life one day

And I'll have none except the one I love
And once they arrive, no one else will matter to me except for the one I love

He/She may be near or ever so far away
This person may either be within my reach or far away across a great distance

But I'll have none except the one I love
Nonetheless, no one else will be able to capture my heart besides them

And though our meeting is left to chance
While there is an aura of uncertainty when it comes to us potentially meeting each other

Until our meeting
Up until that moment we come across each other unnoticed

I still will have my dream romance
I will continue to maintain my idealistic and sentimental image of what a perfect romance should be like

And through the night I pray to the moon above
During the night, I pray to the celestial body up above

To please be kind and find the one I love
Asking that the moon be willing to bestow me the gift of helping me eventually discover the one I love

Lyrics © HAL LEONARD CORPORATION , Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRONISLAW KAPER, GUS KAHN, WALTER JURMANN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

@philippejenvrin2741

4y↑8

The American song in 40's,Wonderfull !!😊😊😊

@rickeydavis9517

4y↑28

This has become one of my alltime favorites. I can't just listen once, buf over and over. Tommy is indescribable. Frank and the Pied Pipers are just plan great!

@Magic_dawn

2y↑2

i really can't describe how perfect this is .

@irenekent4335

5y↑10

He was such a smooth with a great
Voice

@orchardist6559

5y↑20

Sensational arrangement which was the hallmark of the wonderful TommyDorsey. Thank you.

@keytesofessex

6y↑13

I just love it

@drewsagar2634

4y↑5

Thought I was familiar w/ most of TD & FS recordings . Never heard this one . Expanding my Horizons . Another Great upload by Konidolfine ! Thanks

@nilanjana7278

2y↑6

back when becoming a musician required talents.frank is smooth as velvet

@peterfarrar9015

1y↑1

The immaculate Frank Sinatra's smooth as silk & perfect timing & interpretation, delivered in cohesion with the rythm arrangement of Tommy Dorsey's superb orchestra of the sparkling wonderful romantic ballad, "The One I Love", despatched this musical episode to the stars in the blue & the angels loved his performance. Golden words of heavenly thoughts by Peter E. Farrar.

@sammypus

10y↑29

A loverly presentation of great music of a wonderful era.
I also enjoyed the pied pipers

@konidolfine

10y↑1

Thank you !!

@bhsisthebest

11y↑6

Beautiful, so many beautiful and surprising tiny details in Sy Oliver's arranging!

@williamhenry9609

4y↑11

Frank's voice so smooth as silk. Great orchestral arrangements too !

@erikoz9584

6y↑7

Wow .Way before my time. I'll tell that was talent. WOW just incredible and beautiful.

@CODENAMEMGTOW33

5y↑18

His voice was incredible!

@helaina400

2y↑2

This was about 1940 and Frank was about 25. He was hired as “the boy singer” with the TD band not as the lead singer of the Pied Pipers though he did sing with them occasionally.

@paulmyres7730

5y↑16

Also featured on this recording is one of the worlds greatest drummers, Buddy Rich, he is pictured with Tommy and Frank at about the 2:42 point, behind his kit. Buddy stated that he and Frank were room mates for a year, when they first joined Tommy Dorsey's band, while in their late teens and early 20s

@pclinn

4y↑4

My then 19 yr old father, Ray Linn(trumpet) joined Tommy Dorsey in 1939.

@moldyoldie7888

3y↑1

@pclinn Your father was listed as a trumpet player in the old RCA album "That Sentimental Gentleman." I see there is a Wikipedia page on him. Have you written about him?

@esmeephillips5888

2y↑1

TD, Buddy and Sinatra were still together in 1942 when they featured in "Ship Ahoy', starring Eleanor Powell and Red Skelton. Sinatra croons 'Poor You', which in the fashion of the time is then sent up by both Red and Virginia O'Brien.The 'boy singer' is uncredited.

Eleanor said she had to keep lending Frank money bc he always lost when he and Buddy played cards.

@Trombonology

13y↑15

Thanks for posting this one. I've always felt this was one of Sy Oliver's greatest arrangements for TD -- such a different treatment of the song and a really wonderful showcase for Sinatra and The Pipers and the mighty Dorsey band.

@clivequickelberge5795

I just never tire of listening to "all of me" by Gypsy jazz cover. The lead guitarist is spell binding

@seanohare5488

1y↑3

Perhaps the best song of the Dorsey Sinatra duo it rocks

@monicabella7894

13w

Blue Moon

@silverdub2545

7y↑13

Just brilliant. What a superb band, with terrific singing by Frank Sinatra and by the Pied Pipers led by the impeccable Jo Stafford. This is a real treasure. Thanks for posting it.

@oldbiff8194

8y↑24

This brings a tear to my eyes. Not sure why , but I wish I could have seen this live.

@nicolasbouyiouclis4726

2y↑1

I'll second that..

@gfitz6001

@Nicolas Bouyiouclis : if you had seen it live , you’d probably be dead by now. Or so old and senile, you couldn’t remember it. Lol.

@SheridanJazz

4y↑9

I have to confess I'm a Goodman fan first and foremost, but this is pretty unbeatable. ***

@johnjay7255

3y↑1

Same!

@hudentdw2

10y↑18

Nice tune I listened a thousand times and still as wonderful as the first time!!!

@betheall4822

6y↑10

Beautiful music, Buddy Rich was 22 I believe when this was recorded, great piece of music history. Thank you.

@joebiden7064

4y↑2

And rooming with Sinatra I believe

@moldyoldie7888

2y↑1

@Joe Biden For a while, anyway. What did they do when Buddy got under Frank's skin?

@paulpaulc4523

7y↑41

Tommy was a wizard with the trombone......

@scotnick59

5y↑1

YES

@olivealbers2478

5y↑1

One and only actually, for he used only the best players in his band.

@jessicapattinson526

Kirk Barkley very
Minj,jnkjb pp

@patocallao5423

3y↑1

Musik wie sie es nie mehr geben wird. Danke

@Dobie_Gillis

10y↑29

Thanks for this recording. This was Frank early in his career as he was the lead singer in the Pied Pipers and part of the Dorsey orchestra.

@czar14617

12y↑8

frank really rocked the house

@ew1usnr

8y↑12

Big band is great. Frank sounds so smooth. He is great. This is really nice. Thanks for providing this.

@joeoverby7039

5y↑5

THIS WAS A CLASSIC!JOE OVERBY ATLANTA GA

@NancyDrewe

2y↑1

The intro reminds me a bit of Make Me Know It. Thanks for this great Sinatra song.

@obifox6356

21w

Sy Oliver provided so many great arrangements for great artists!

@floreseddie11

7y↑6

Song brings tears to my eyes! Beautiful

@cats0182

44w↑1

Great song, great arrangement, great singers, great band. Recorded in 1940. Imagine how great this would be had it been recorded today with multi-track techniques, etc.

@peterlamprakos6726

10y↑42

I grew up with Sinatra's singing and I remember his years with Tommy Dorsey and this song The One I Love....I even saw Sinatra at the then Paramount Theater. back in the day......he sang that with the singing group, Modernaires (not sure of the name )....he was and is the standard that all today's male vocalists are measured by(of the musical standards, I mean)....and in fact, I learned to sing many of the songs from the Sinatra songbooks by singing along with Sinatra records on the car radio, TV shows , old 78's and CD'a.......................Peter Lamprakos,Edison,N.J.

@konidolfine

10y↑2

Thanks for a splendid impression from you.

@bryanismyname7583

8y↑3

+Peter Lamprakos : Usually it was the Pied Pipers. The Modernaires sang with Glenn Miller.

@MJLeger-yj1ww

8y↑4

It's interesting how many people like his young, "sweet" voice -- I prefer the more mature Sinatra, when his enunciation and phrasing was so astute, incomparable! I liked his mature voice better also! To each his own!

@bryanismyname7583

8y↑8

M.J. Leger
: It wasn't just the "sweetness," but in the mid-forties (just after his TD period) he had pretty extraordinary vocal range. Listen to him on "All the Things You Are," "Over the Rainbow" or the songs from "Porgy & Bess" he sang on record and radio. Then hear him on his swinging tunes like "Five Minutes More" and "All of Me" from this period. While his fifties concept albums added much emotional depth and a fuller sound, he displayed tremendous talent that needs to be heard to understand why he became such a major star in the first place.

@margieday4069

7y↑1

Peter Lamprakos

3 More Replies...

@maureen1938

10y↑6

Thanks for posting this beautiful video..... Love it.

@sessnazx

10y

Thanks Maureen, How are Things in
Gay Paree?.......Mike

@maureen1938

Hi Mike....Thank goodness this week's been much cooler but it's been soooo hot here and I hate the heat. It's been hitting high 30°s for weeks on end and next week it's going to get hotter again. I run my errands early morning then stay inside with the windows and shutters closed.
How's it in B'ham dear You-Tube friend ?
Lots of love, Maureen.

@vvvvvv2086

3y↑2

The quality of the recording is immense given that it is around eighty years old.

It’s a pity a Sinatra record on YouTube gets less than one hundred comments.

@kevinparker1885

4y↑3

This is real music ,close your eyes and listen

@Lff3333

Kevin Parker - are you related to Charlie Parker, a friend of Franks, who was born in 1963?

@Caskchap

8y↑10

Reason Frankie sounds so smooth is that this was before he had an "op" to remove nodes on his vocal chords in c1952.

@ayeshaplunkett2683

Wow! Never thought!

@seannorman9169

I did not know anybody knew about the operation from Frank Sinatra...

@uselessproductions7867

6y↑4

Tommy Dorsey is my first cousin three times removed on my mother's side.

@waltergray7722

10y↑7

Love this one !!
Thank you for sharing and thanks to sessnazx for sending.

@lindamarsella4743

4y↑3

Frankie Frankie Frankie.....

@estapaginafuecancelada1747

5y↑8

2019💙💙💙💙💙
🎼🎶🎺🎺🎺👍
Me encanta !!!

@vonpossen

11y↑20

Frank said that this was the arrangement which caused Sy to give up his vocal career and take up arranging full time.

@SheridanJazz

4y↑2

Smart move. One of the greats.

@wayneandrus240

35w↑1

What a terrific band!!!

@mariadivaferreira67

3y↑1

💞🎷🎶 É pena nos dias de hoje não ter mais melodias como estás ..🎷🎶💞

@alexnewman8173

4y↑1

Good alto work there.

@diane6135

9y↑24

I thought Frank was his best with Tommy Dorsey and Nelson Eddy. Such a great talent.

@mauricebyrne2089

7y↑2

Riddle.

@alexnewman8173

When was Frank Sinatra with nelson Eddy?

@moldyoldie7888

@Alex Newman When Marilyn Maxwell was with Ava Gardner. ;)

@Lff3333

@Moldy Oldie - explain your comment!

@moldyoldie7888

3y↑2

@Andrew DucrowAt one stormy point in their marriage, Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner got into a fight about their extramarital affairs. Frank accused Ava of being with Artie Shaw again. Ava accused Frank of being with Marilyn Maxwell again. (Is it possible that Marilyn was a flirt?) Ava and Marilyn being together is about as likely as Frank and Nelson Eddy being together. I'm sure Diane meant Nelson Riddle. Another conversation, this time with Ava and Humphrey Bogart. Ava was seeing a bullfighter. Humphrey told her something like, half the women in the world would worship at Frank's feet, but she, Ava, runs around with a guy that wears a cape and ballet slippers. Ava told him to mind his own business.

5 More Replies...

@cate4890

36w↑1

First time listening to this song. Not my era ! But hope it comes back. Music today has gotten hash.

@oldbiff8194

6y↑22

I dig these Crazy Cats from the 40's

@seannorman9169

Crazy cats,,haven't heard that for long time..

@monicabella7894

Above all those from the 30's!

@Mike16011

7y↑1

Valioso aporte.

@jeremysolomon2686

what a great arrangment

@triode1

I adore Helen O'Connel, 'Tangerine' is my favorite! 🌹

@mariadivaferreira67

💞✨🎶🎷Tommy Sorry with Frank Sintra é mais que divino é celistial...✨🎶🎷💞🌟

@kevinparker6938

42w

Bloody he'll how can you follow that marvellous

@olivealbers2478

This was great to do slow jive too. l was able to practice with this song. Till l got right, which l did.

@tseredate

5y↑1

Muito bom

@mariadivaferreira67

3y↑1

💞🎶🎷🖕🏽Que maravilha ,ver o✨🎶Sintra ao lado de uma grande orquestrado é divino...

@JuanMedina-ly3zn

Eu devia ter nascido em 1900 em New York.. para ter vivido toda essa bela
época . Imagina num clube assistido uma orquestra dessas e Sinatra cantando ?
Não sei porque sou apaixonado pelas musicas, ambiente, roupas e todo desses
tempos.....

@moldyoldie7888

Clyde Hurley, an excellent soloist, had been in Miller's band. Glenn gave him his notice after he overheard Clyde badmouthing Glenn's decision to let Leigh Knowles go to hire another first trumpet. (Hope I got that right. That story is from a Paul Tanner book.)

@daveday5507

6y↑6

This has to be a Cy Oliver errengement because it sounds remarkably like the Jimmie Lunceford orchestra.

@robertstoneback1644

5y↑3

Dave, it is indeed. But it's "Sy" not "Cy."

@esmeephillips5888

2y↑1

Sy was brought in to heat up the sound, but this shows he could handle the smooth numbers for dance floor smooching as well.

The measured, deliberate tempo is fascinating. It would have been easy to make it a little hotter, but slow swing brings out the quality of the tune and Sinatra's growing confidence in phrasing. He was never a fast enunciator or shouter; he liked to roll lyrics around his brain and mouth.

@bobhillstrom4915

I just listened to a lot of Sinatra & Dorsey songs. I am a novice with Dorsey and he always starts his songs with himself playing his trombone prior to Sinatra singing. I don't see this with other bands. WHY?

@helaina400

1y↑1

‘back in the day when TD was happening, the band was the star.

@bobhillstrom4915

@@helaina400 Thanks...you are right

@petertaylor3600

Looking at those musicians playing saxophones. Those buffalo horns in front could do some damage.

@gabrielleauguste5946

TOUS CES GRANDS ARTISTES, ÉTAIENT ENTRAIN DE REFAIRE LE * MONDE ILS NE SAVAIENT, À QUEL POINT ILS LAISSERAIENT LEURS EMPREINTES. 🤩😍💥💥💥💥💌💌💜🕊

@valentinkuzmin9810

Как поёт сурдинам а кларнеты с кристал хоус это восхительно

@OLD_SOUL1900

31w

What's that tune that you use in the intro..? My thanks for posting!

@Lff3333

4y↑2

This recording was made in 1953 nearly 10 years after frank left Tommy’s band. Frank was 42 years old by then

@moldyoldie7888

3y↑1

Frank may have re-recorded it in '53, but this version is ca. 1940.

@Lff3333

@Moldy Oldie - Tommy made the recording with Frank in 1953 just about 10 years after Tommy left his own band. The Tommy Dorsey band was led by then by his brother Bob whom Frank used to surf with

@moldyoldie7888

Jimmy joined his brother Tommy in making a Dorsey Brothers Orch, yes. A non-reverbed version of this recording is https://youtu.be/RD5PxeP784g

@Lff3333

@Moldy Oldie - sorry what’s Jimmy Dorsey got to do with Bob Crosby?

@FlavioLira

🇧🇷

@joanbeach462

5y↑9

You can see why Frank hated to be a band singer. It starts out with 5 minutes of the band, 2 minutes of Frank and the rest of it with the band again.

@MicroSoftner

Yea I was waiting lol

@davidreidenberg9941

3y↑3

That’s because it was Dorsey’s band which was the main act. Sinatra was just an employee. Brother Jimmy featured his vocalists more prominently.

@esmeephillips5888

2y↑3

@David Reidenberg Sinatra said he learned a lot about breath control and how to use phrasing to extract the meaning from lyrics by listening to Tommy's trombone technique.