I Never Knew I Could Love Anybody (Like I'm Loving You)

Jimmy Rushing · Other Songs - Jimmy Rushing

I've been running in circles while playing a game of pretending,

I didn't realise I was wise, what love could do;

Now I'm facing a future that hasn't that one happy ending,

And I'm a fool, I guess, to confess it all to you.

I never knew I could love anybody

Honey like I'm lovin' you.

I didn't realise

What a pair of eyes

And a baby smile could do.

I can't sleep, I can't eat,

I never knew a single soul could be so sweet,

For I never knew I could love anybody

Honey like I'm lovin' you.

I can't sleep, I can't eat,

I never knew a single soul could be so sweet,

For I never knew I could love anybody

Honey like I'm lovin' you,

Honey like I'm lovin' you.

I Never Knew I Could Love Anybody (Like I'm Loving You)

Jimmy Rushing's 1937 recording of 'I Never Knew I Could Love Anybody (Like I'm Loving You)' stands as a cornerstone of the boogie-woogie and swing revival era. As a pioneering figure in the blues and jazz scene, Rushing crafted this track with a driving, percussive piano style that defined the 'Rushing Shuffle.' The song's upbeat tempo and infectious rhythm contrast sharply with its melancholic lyrics, creating a unique emotional tension that became a staple in dance halls and recording studios across the United States. This recording exemplifies Rushing's ability to blend African American musical traditions with the emerging sounds of the 1930s, influencing countless subsequent artists in the jazz and R&B genres. It remains a definitive example of the era's sophisticated interplay between complex instrumentation and soulful vocal delivery.