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.
Gimme a Pigfoot
LaVern Baker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wouldn't pay twenty-five cents to go in nowhere
'Cause listen here.....
Up in Harlem ev'ry Saturday night
When the highbrows get together its just too tight
They all congregates at an all night strut
And what they do is tut-tut-tut
Old Hannah Brown from 'cross town
Gets full of corn and starts breakin' 'em down
Just at the break of day
You can hear old Hannah say
Gimme a pigfoot and a bottle of beer
Send me 'gain, I don't care
I feel just like I wanna clown
Give the piano player a drink
Because he's bringin' me down!
He's gotta rhythm, Y-e-e-a-a-h!
When he stomps his feet
He sends me right off to sleep
Check all your razors and your guns
We gonna be 'rested when the wagon comes
I wanna pigfoot and a bottle of beer
Send me 'cause I don't care
Play me 'cause I don't care
(Trumpet Solo)
Gimme a pigfoot and a bottle of beer
Send me 'gain, I don't care
I feel just like I wanna clown
Give the piano player a drink
Because he's bringin' me down
He's got rhythm, Y-e-e-a-a-h!
When he stomps his feet
He sends me right off to sleep
Check all your razors and your guns
Do the shim-sham-shimmy 'til the risin' sun
Give me a reefer and a gang o' gin
Play me 'cause I'm in my sin
Play me 'cause I'm full of gin
The lyrics to LaVern Baker's song "Gimme a Pigfoot" speak to the desire for escape and the search for enjoyment in the midst of oppressive social conditions. The song is set in Harlem on a Saturday night, where the "highbrows" gather for an all-night party. However, the singer sees through the facade of this high-class gathering, noting that it's "just too tight." Instead, the singer finds pleasure in the company of "Old Hannah Brown from 'cross town," who "gets full of corn and starts breakin' 'em down." Despite the judgment of society, Old Hannah finds joy in dancing and partying through the night.
The singer echoes this desire for escape, requesting "a pigfoot and a bottle of beer" and encouraging the piano player to "give me a drink because he's bringin' me down." The song serves as a commentary on the racism and segregation that kept Black Americans from fully participating in mainstream white society. In Harlem on Saturday nights, Black Americans could create their own spaces and social gatherings, free from the judgment and racism of white society. The song celebrates these moments of joy while acknowledging that the partygoers will ultimately face punishment for indulging in their desires.
Line by Line Meaning
Twenty-five cents, hah, no, no
I wouldn't even pay twenty-five cents to enter a place with this kind of music.
Up in Harlem ev'ry Saturday night
On Saturdays in Harlem,
When the highbrows get together its just too tight
When the rich people gather, it becomes very restrictive.
They all congregates at an all night strut
They come together for a night-long party
And what they do is tut-tut-tut
They are critical of everything and make tsk-tsking sounds.
Old Hannah Brown from 'cross town
A woman named Hannah Brown from another part of town.
Gets full of corn and starts breakin' em down
Gets drunk on corn liquor and starts dancing energetically.
Just at the break of day
Just as the morning is about to begin.
You can hear old Hannah say
You can hear Hannah sing the following:
Gimme a pigfoot and a bottle of beer
Give me a pig's foot and a bottle of beer.
Send me 'gain, I don't care
Send me some more, I don't care.
I feel just like I wanna clown
I feel like behaving foolishly.
Give the piano player a drink
Give the pianist a drink.
Because he's bringin' me down!
Because he's making me feel down.
He's gotta rhythm, Y-e-e-a-a-h!
He has an amazing sense of rhythm, Yes!
When he stomps his feet
When he stamps his feet.
He sends me right off to sleep
He makes me feel sleepy in a good way.
Check all your razors and your guns
Get rid of all your weapons.
We gonna be 'rested when the wagon comes
We will get arrested when the police arrive.
I wanna pigfoot and a bottle of beer
I want a pig's foot and a bottle of beer.
Send me 'cause I don't care
Give me more, I don't care.
Play me 'cause I don't care
Play some music for me, I don't care.
(Trumpet Solo)
The trumpet plays a solo.
Gimme a pigfoot and a bottle of beer
Give me a pig's foot and a bottle of beer.
Send me 'gain, I don't care
Give me more, I don't care.
I feel just like I wanna clown
I feel like behaving foolishly.
Give the piano player a drink
Give the pianist a drink.
Because he's bringin' me down
Because he's making me feel down.
He's got rhythm, Y-e-e-a-a-h!
He has an amazing sense of rhythm, Yes!
When he stomps his feet
When he stamps his feet.
He sends me right off to sleep
He makes me feel sleepy in a good way.
Check all your razors and your guns
Get rid of all your weapons.
Do the shim-sham-shimmy 'til the risin' sun
Dance until sunrise doing the shim-sham-shimmy.
Give me a reefer and a gang o' gin
Give me a marijuana cigarette and a lot of gin.
Play me 'cause I'm in my sin
Play music for me because I'm in a sinful state.
Play me 'cause I'm full of gin
Play music for me because I'm drunk.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Wesley Wilson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind