Baker was born in Chicago, Illinois. She is occasionally referred to as Delores Williams because of an early marriage to Eugene Williams; in the late 1940s she was identified in RCA Victor record company files as "D. L. McMurley." She was the niece of blues singer Merline Johnson and was also related to Memphis Minnie.
She began singing in Chicago clubs such as the Club DeLisa around 1946, often billed as Little Miss Sharecropper, and first recorded under that name in 1949. She changed her name briefly to Bea Baker when recording for Okeh Records in 1951, and then became LaVern Baker when singing with Todd Rhodes and his band in 1952.
In 1953 she signed for Atlantic Records as a solo artist, her first release being "Soul on Fire". Her first hit came in early 1955, with the Latin-tempo "Tweedlee Dee" reaching #4 on the R&B chart and #14 on the national US pop charts. Georgia Gibbs' note-for-note cover of Baker's "Tweedle Dee" reached #1; subsequently Baker made an unsuccessful attempt to sue her and petitioned Congress to consider such covers copyright violations.
Baker had a succession of hits on the R&B charts over the next couple of years with her backing group The Gliders, including "Bop-Ting-A-Ling" (#3 R&B), "Play It Fair" (#2 R&B), and "Still" (#4 R&B). At the end of 1956 she had another smash hit with "Jim Dandy" (#1 R&B, #17 pop). It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. Further hits followed for Atlantic, including the follow-up "Jim Dandy Got Married" (#7 R&B), "I Cried a Tear" (#2 R&B, #6 pop in 1959), "I Waited Too Long" (#5 R&B, #3 pop, written by Neil Sedaka), "Saved" (#17 R&B, written by Leiber and Stoller), and "See See Rider" (#9 R&B in 1963).
In addition to singing, Baker also did some work with Ed Sullivan and Alan Freed on TV and in films, including Rock, Rock, Rock and Mr. Rock & Roll. In 1964, she recorded a Bessie Smith tribute album, before leaving Atlantic and joining Brunswick Records, where she recorded the album "Let Me Belong to You".
In 1966, Baker recorded a duet single with Jackie Wilson. The controversial song, "Think Twice", featured raunchy lyrics that were not considered appropriate for airplay at that time or even today. Three versions were recorded, one of which is the X-rated version with the raunchy lyrics.
In the late 1960s, Baker became seriously ill after a trip to Vietnam to entertain American soldiers. While recovering at the US Subic Bay Naval Base in the Philippines, her husband, Slappy White filed for a divorce. A friend recommended that she stay on as the entertainment director at the Marine Corps Staff NCO club there, and she remained there for 22 years.
In 1988 she returned to perform at Madison Square Garden for Atlantic Records' 40th anniversary. She then worked on the soundtracks to films such as Shag, (1989), Dick Tracy, (1990) and A Rage in Harlem (1991), which were all issued on CD.
In 1990, she made her Broadway debut replacing Ruth Brown as star of the hit musical Black and Blue. In 1991, Rhino Records released a new album Live in Hollywood recorded at the Hollywood Roosevelt Cinegrill, as well as a compilation of her greatest Atlantic hits entitled Soul on Fire. In 1992, she recorded a well-received studio album, Woke Up This Morning, for DRG Records. She continued performing after having both legs amputated from diabetes complications in 1994 and made her last recording, "Jump Into the Fire," for the 1995 Harry Nilsson tribute CD, For the Love of Harry on the Music Masters label.
She received the 1990 Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation. In 1991, Baker became the second female solo artist inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, following Aretha Franklin in 1987. Her song "Jim Dandy" was named one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll and was ranked #343 on the Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
LaVern Baker died from cardiovascular disease on March 10, 1997, at the age of 67. Originally buried in an unmarked plot in Maple Grove Cemetery in Kew Gardens, Queens, New York, her grave received a headstone on May 4, 2008, after a fundraiser was held by local historians.
I Cried a Tear
LaVern Baker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I cried a tear because we're through
I cried a tear what else could I do
But cry and sigh for love of you
I felt a tear fall in my heart
You fooled me so I wasn't smart
I can't believe that we must part
Come back to stay, let's make a new start
I cried a tear because of you
I cried a tear because we're through
Please make my dreams of you come true
Don't make me cry a tear for you
Don't make me cry a tear for you
In LaVern Baker's "I Cried a Tear," the singer laments the end of a relationship with the person she still loves. Throughout the song, she expresses sadness and regret at their separation, indicating a deep pain that has affected her to the point of tears. The lyrics begin by acknowledging the source of her tears--the end of her relationship with this person--and continue with her expressing her inability to do anything but cry and sigh for love. In the second verse, she becomes more specific about the reasons she's feeling this way; she reflects on feeling foolish for being fooled by this person, and seems to be desperately hoping that they'll have a change of heart and return to her. The final plea not to make her cry for them again emphasizes just how deeply she feels the loss of this relationship.
The lyrics to this song are written in a simple, straightforward style that emphasizes the raw emotions of the singer. The use of the phrase "I cried a tear" is repeated throughout the song, adding to the sense of sadness and despair felt by the singer. The specific details of the relationship are not disclosed, leaving plenty of room for interpretation by the listener. This song could be interpreted as a call for reconciliation, or simply as an expression of grief at a love that will never return.
Overall, "I Cried a Tear" is a heartfelt and sincere expression of love and loss that has continued to resonate with listeners for decades.
Line by Line Meaning
I cried a tear because of you
I shed a tear as a result of the pain you caused me.
I cried a tear because we're through
I shed a tear because our romantic relationship has ended.
I cried a tear what else could I do
I shed a tear because I had no other way to express my emotions.
But cry and sigh for love of you
I continue to weep and lament because of my intense affection for you.
I felt a tear fall in my heart
I experienced immense emotional pain and anguish.
You fooled me so I wasn't smart
You deceived and misled me, causing me to feel foolish.
I can't believe that we must part
I cannot fathom the reality of our separation.
Come back to stay, let's make a new start
Please return to me so we can start fresh and rekindle our love and relationship.
Please make my dreams of you come true
I long for you to fulfill my desires and hopes for our future together.
Don't make me cry a tear for you
I implore you not to cause me additional pain and heartache.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Fred Jay, Alfred C. Julia
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind