Delores LaVern Baker (November 11, 1929 – March 10, 1997) was an American rhythm and blues singer, who had several hit records on the pop chart in the 1950s and early 1960s. Her most successful records were "Tweedlee Dee" (1955), "Jim Dandy" (1956), and "I Cried a Tear" (1958).
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. Read Full BioDelores LaVern Baker (November 11, 1929 – March 10, 1997) was an American rhythm and blues singer, who had several hit records on the pop chart in the 1950s and early 1960s. Her most successful records were "Tweedlee Dee" (1955), "Jim Dandy" (1956), and "I Cried a Tear" (1958).
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.
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. Read Full BioDelores LaVern Baker (November 11, 1929 – March 10, 1997) was an American rhythm and blues singer, who had several hit records on the pop chart in the 1950s and early 1960s. Her most successful records were "Tweedlee Dee" (1955), "Jim Dandy" (1956), and "I Cried a Tear" (1958).
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.
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Soul On Fire
LaVern Baker Lyrics
Well I could play with Tom, Dick and Harry
But for me you're the only one
Who makes me me shiver, makes me tingle
And who brings my loving down
I played the love game before I met him
It's a game I've always won
But now you set my soul on fire
And I really had my fun
With other boyfriends, the good-time men friends
I still had to walk this road all by myself
I was their play girl, a careless gay girl
But I put them all on the shelf
I found my true love with you forever
And my life has just begun
'Cause now you set my soul on fire
And I really had my fun
Good bye to play boys, those hey hey boys
Good bye to everyone but you my love
Well no more heart aches, no more heart breaks
I swear by all the stars above
Well, well on my soul, my love, my heart
Miss you darling from now on
'Cause now you set my soul on fire
And I really had my fun
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GLENN DANZIG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on specific lyrics, highlight them
Ayla MisguidedGhost
LYRICS:
Well I could play with Tom, Dick and Harry
But for me you're the only one
Who makes me me shiver, makes me tingle
And who brings my loving down
I played the love game before I met him
It's a game I've always won
But now you set my soul on fire
And I really had my fun
With other boyfriends, the good-time men friends
I still had to walk this road all by myself
I was their play girl, a careless gay girl
But I put them all on the shelf
I found my true love with you forever
And my life has just begun
'Cause now you set my soul on fire
And I really had my fun
Good bye to play boys, those hey hey boys
Good bye to everyone but you my love
Well no more heart aches, no more heart breaks
I swear by all the stars above
Well, well on my soul, my love, my heart
Miss you darling from now on
'Cause now you set my soul on fire
And I really had my fun
johnny zell
Well I could play with Tom, Dick and Harry
But for me you're the only one
Who makes me me shiver, makes me tingle
And who brings my loving down
I played the love game before I met him
It's a game I've always won
But now you set my soul on fire
And I really had my fun
With other boyfriends, the good-time men friends
I still had to walk this road all by myself
I was their play girl, a careless gay girl
But I put them all on the shelf
I found my true love with you forever
And my life has just begun
'Cause now you set my soul on fire
And I really had my fun
Good bye to play boys, those hey hey boys
Good bye to everyone but you my love
Well no more heart aches, no more heart breaks
I swear by all the stars above
Well, well on my soul, my love, my heart
Miss you darling from now on
'Cause now you set my soul on fire
And I really had my fun
Ayla MisguidedGhost
LYRICS:
Well I could play with Tom, Dick and Harry
But for me you're the only one
Who makes me me shiver, makes me tingle
And who brings my loving down
I played the love game before I met him
It's a game I've always won
But now you set my soul on fire
And I really had my fun
With other boyfriends, the good-time men friends
I still had to walk this road all by myself
I was their play girl, a careless gay girl
But I put them all on the shelf
I found my true love with you forever
And my life has just begun
'Cause now you set my soul on fire
And I really had my fun
Good bye to play boys, those hey hey boys
Good bye to everyone but you my love
Well no more heart aches, no more heart breaks
I swear by all the stars above
Well, well on my soul, my love, my heart
Miss you darling from now on
'Cause now you set my soul on fire
And I really had my fun
Ayla Edip
Hey bird. I love music that speaks from the heart. This woman spoke like she knew what she wanted but spent her life pining for it so that makes it so f**king special xxxxxx 🌹❤
Jerra Maurice
Thank you
Heynard L Paz-Chow
"...Now you set, my soul on fire!!! And I really, had my fun!!!" Nothing beats that melodic, strong, delivery, and voice from Ms. LaVern Baker. It is the essence of this lovely song. Thank you Jodie Butler because "I really had my fun!"
Tasha Roses
This song reflects my love for my husband! #POWERFUL ❤💋
C C
I have loved LaVern Baker's music since 195? Back in the day, in any case. She was Superb!
LouisL1963
Heard this for the first time over 30 years ago, and it still sounds great. So much soul & passion in her voice equalled by very few since then.
Hallands
Oh how I love to listen to LaVern Baker. Perfect timing and a wealth of nuances. Nothing mecanical or rutine here. She must have been very special.
doris jean
She also wrote many songs.
“Tiny Tim Was a Lover...”
She’s so good.
Peggy Cheney
What else can you say?🍀