Ella Fitzgerald - Something To Live For (Live @ The Antibes Jazz Festival, Juan-Les Pins 1966)

"Something to Live For" is a 1939 jazz composition by Billy Strayhorn. It was the first collaboration between Strayhorn and Duke Ellington and became the first of many Strayhorn compositions to be recorded by Ellington's orchestra. The song was based on a poem Strayhorn had written as a teenager.

According to an all-day tribute to Strayhorn on KCSM radio on 29 November 2008—Strayhorn's birthday—Strayhorn began working on this tune in 1933 when he was 18.

The song has been recorded many times, by Duke Ellington, Lena Horne and many others. Ella Fitzgerald has called it her favorite song.

Ella's accompanied by Cat Anderson (tp), Mercer Ellington (tp), Herbie Jones (tp), Cootie Williams (tp), Lawrence Brown (tb), Buster Cooper (tb), Chuck Connors (btb), Johnny Hodges (as), Russell Procope (as), Paul Gonsalves (ts), Jimmy Hamilton (ts), Harry Carney (bs), Harry Carney (cl), Jimmy Hamilton (cl), Russell Procope (cl), Harry Carney (bcl), Jimmy Jones (p), and Jim Hughart (b). Recorded July 28, 1966 at The Antibes Jazz Festival, Juan-Les Pins. (Verve Records)

I have almost ev'ry thing a human could desire,
Cars and houses, bear-skin rugs to lie before my fire
But there's something missing,
Something isn't there,
It seems I'm never kissing the one whom I care for

I want Something To Live For
Someone to make my life an adventurous dream
Oh, what wouldn't I give for
Someone who'd take my life
And make it seem gay as they say it ought to be.
Why can't I have love like that brought to me?

My eye is watching the noon crowds
Searching the promenades seeking a clue
To the one who will someday be mine
Something To Live For

I want Something To Live For