There’s something about these old songs which is sorely missing in today’s world.
Written by Clyde Otis, and performed by Dinah Washington, the song has a haunting quality to it, amplified by the truly poetic nature of the lyrics.
The song is about a yearning for love and how the world can seem cold and lonely without it. It’s quite short, but into that time it squeezes a lot of contemplative thoughts.
The original backing track is a sultry, strings laden R’n’B number, with a host of backing vocals, and some tasteful piano to embellish the song. The rhythm sections plods along, seemingly lost in thought. There’s a note of melancholy, but to me it doesn’t seem like a sad song.
There’s a version used in Scorsese’s Shutter Island which uses Max Richter’s “On The Nature Of Daylight” as a backing track. It’s very majestic, possibly being more emotional than the original!
The track was released as a single in 1960, and on the LP Unforgettable in 1961.
Beautiful!