Thomas was raised in and around Houston, Texas, graduating from Lamar Consolidated High School in Rosenberg. Before his solo career, he sang in a church choir as a teenager, then joined the musical group The Triumphs. During his senior year he made friends with Roy Head of Roy Head and The Traits. The Traits and the Triumphs held several Battle of the Bands events in the early 1960s.
In 1966, B.J. Thomas and The Triumphs released the album I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry (Pacemaker Records). It featured a hit cover of the Hank Williams song "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry". The single sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc. The follow-up single, "Mama", peaked at No. 22. In the same year, Thomas released a solo album of the same name on the Scepter Records label.
Thomas came back to achieve mainstream success again in 1968, first with "The Eyes of a New York Woman", then five months later with the much bigger "Hooked on a Feeling", which featured the sound of Reggie Young's electric sitar and was first released on the album On My Way (Scepter Records). "Hooked on a Feeling" became Thomas's second million-selling record. A year later Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid featured Thomas performing the Bacharach/David song "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head", which won the Academy Award for best original song that year and hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1970. Sales of it also exceeded one million copies, with Thomas being awarded his third gold record. The song was also released on an album of the same name. Other hits of the 1970s were "Everybody's Out of Town", "I Just Can't Help Believing" (No. 9 in 1970, covered by Elvis Presley), "No Love at All", "Mighty Clouds of Joy", and "Rock and Roll Lullaby".
Thomas's earlier hits were with Scepter Records, his label for six years. He left Scepter Records in 1972 and spent a short period, in 1973 and 1974, with Paramount Records, during which time he released two albums, Songs (1973) and Longhorns & Londonbridges (1974).
In 1975, Thomas released the album Reunion on ABC Records, which had absorbed the Paramount label; it contained "(Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song" (the longest titled No. 1 hit ever on the Hot 100). It was Thomas's first big hit since 1972 and secured him his fourth gold record. It won the 1976 Grammy Award for Best Country Song, awarded to its songwriters, Larry Butler and Chips Moman.
In 1976, Thomas released Home Where I Belong, produced by Chris Christian on Myrrh Records, the first of several gospel albums. It was the first Christian album to go platinum, and Thomas became the biggest contemporary Christian artist of the period.
On MCA Records, Thomas and Chris Christian recorded what would be his last Top 40 hit single, "Don't Worry Baby", on his last pop album, which also included the Adult Contemporary hit "Still the Lovin' Is Fun".
During the 1980s, his success on the pop charts began to wane, but many of his singles reached the upper regions on the country singles chart, including two 1983 chart toppers, "Whatever Happened to Old-Fashioned Love" and "New Looks from an Old Lover" (see 1984 in music), as well as "Two Car Garage", which reached No. 3. In 1981, on his 39th birthday, Thomas became the 60th member of the Grand Ole Opry.
Thomas scored another hit, recording "As Long As We Got Each Other", the theme to Growing Pains, with Jennifer Warnes. A later version, used for the show's fourth season, was recorded with British singer Dusty Springfield. Thomas first released this track on his 1985 album Throwing Rocks at the Moon (Columbia Records).
Thomas has also authored two books including the autobiography Home Where I Belong, and starred in the movies Jory and "Jake's Corner". Several commercial jingles including Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and Bell, have featured his singing voice and music. On December 31, 2011, Thomas was the featured halftime performer at the 2011 Hyundai Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas.
On April 2, 2013, Thomas released The Living Room Sessions, an album with acoustic arrangements of well known hits. It features guest appearances with established and emerging vocalists accompanying Thomas on seven of twelve tracks.
On December 3, 2013, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences announced that his 1969 single "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" would be inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Thomas was married to singer-songwriter Gloria Richardson since December 1968. They had three daughters: Paige (born 1970), Nora (adopted from Korea in 1978), and Erin (born in 1979). Shortly after Thomas's career began, he became dependent on drugs and alcohol which led to his marriage nearly ending and himself even coming close to death. Gloria became a Christian in 1975, and less than a month later, so did B.J.; most press sources indicate that Thomas had been sober since their separation was reconciled in 1976.
For Your Love
B.J. Thomas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For your love
I'd give you everything and more and that's for sure
(For your love)
I'd bring you diamond rings and things right to your door
(For your love)
To thrill you with delight,
I'd give you diamonds bright
Make you dream of me at night
For your love
For your love
For your love
For your love,
For your love
I would give the stars above
For your love,
For your love
I would give you all I could
(For your love)
(For your love)
I'd give the moon if it were mine to give
(For your love)
I'd give the stars and the sun for I live
(For your love)
The lyrics to B.J. Thomas's song For Your Love express a deep love and devotion that the singer has for someone special. He says that he would give everything and more for this person's love, including diamond rings and anything else that would bring her delight. The singer wants to excite the person with double takes and make her dream of him at night.
The lyrics also express a kind of sacrifice that the singer is willing to make for this person's love. He is ready to give the stars above and everything that he could to make her happy. He shows a willingness to give the moon if it was his to give, and even the sun and the stars, as he lives for her love. Overall, the lyrics convey a deep sense of commitment, devotion, and affection that the singer has for the person he loves.
Line by Line Meaning
It be the B.T.J's, wit lyrics for all
B.T.J. delivers lyrics for everyone
We be on point wit the joints, 'cause we takin no fall
B.T.J. is precise and does not fail
So I'mma go for mine (so son, go for yours)
I am going for what is mine and you should go for yours too
Yo I'mma go for mine (so son, go for yours)
I am going for what is mine and you should go for yours too
My crew be in the mix, like name brand kicks
My crew is involved in everything, like popular brand shoes
The kids that only deal wit that type of nonsense
The kids involved only deal with senseless things
You can't get wit, D.K.S. self evident
You cannot handle D.K.S., it is obvious
Adolescence, reign the supreme court, in any, every, meant
Young people rule in every possible way
The time was approximately eleven forty three
It was around 11:43 PM
When the D called me, and told me, we must be
When D called me and said we have to be the best
Lyrically, the best that he says, the
We have to be the best in terms of lyrics
K N O see K, and S and K, it's spray
My name is Lil Knock and I am part of the group D.K.S. and we are the best
Comin away, the B.T.J., it be they
B.T.J. is here to stay
I'mma hold it down, wit sounds
I am going to safeguard it with my music
Like clowns, walk the trey pound
Acting silly and rapping with a 3-pound weight
Now in the underground, B.T.J. just entered
B.T.J. is new to the underground scene
Remember, the S comes last like December
Remember that the letter 'S' comes at the end, just like in the word December
Once shit cock it's time to Rock like the Monsta
Once the situation is ready, we will rock like a monster
In reality, B.T.J., is lyrically responsible for all difficulties
B.T.J. is to blame for making others struggle to match their lyrical skills
My lyrics oppose a threat to the best M.C. yet
My lyrics are a threat to even the best MCs
And appears nightmares for those who slept
My lyrics give nightmares to those who ignored them
Also the biters, claimin they writers
Those who copy are claiming to be writers
They need to think about what they talk about
They should consider the content of their lyrics
When you exposin your dirt, that's when you dummin out
Revealing your secrets is foolish
Dwellin in the PJ's, all day, hangin out wit nothin to do
Spending all day in poverty with nothing to do
Them rebellin niggas is mad, 'cause I'm tellin the truth
The rebellious people are angry because I am telling the truth
Hittin yo wit mind craftin, flows to molecular cord graphin
I am hitting you with powerful lyrics and complex verses
Aiyo one day it was me and the D
One day, it was me and D
Walkin down the street, some niggas stepped to me
Walking down the street, some men confronted me
Said are you Lil are-you-T-I-Z
They asked if I was Lil or T.I.Z.
He said I heard you nice on the muthafuckin M-I-see
He heard I was good on the mic
Battle me, battle right here, and let's see
A challenge was issued to battle on the spot
So we kicked a verse that didn't hurt
We each rapped a verse with no hurtful lyrics
So I hit 'em worst, to let him know I don't play those games
I went hard on him to show I don't mess around
Save 'em for the jerks, D. Verbs said "Son, let me get some"
Save those lyrics for the bad rappers. D. Verbs asked to rap
I said "No, 'cause he's a victim, and he probably in my premises
I denied him because he is a loser and probably at my place
You know when I open my book wit my lyrics I'm endin this
When I start rapping, it will be over for you
(No question) All this shit he poppin in my ears
All the trash talk he is saying is nonsense
Fuckin ejected, he can't hang wit my style
He was kicked out, he can't match my style
Look now, here's man fillin it, back to like what I was sayin
Now there's someone else who wants to battle me
I start extortin, I'm not playin
I am serious and will use my skills to intimidate him
You want Lil Knock? I come on your block
You want to mess with Lil Knock? I will come to your neighborhood
Cock and then start sprayin, lyrics
I will start to rap hard and attack the enemy
So don't start what you can't finish
Don't start if you can't handle it
'cause I will be sure to end whatever you created
I will end whatever you are doing
Mentally you can't function
You can't handle me mentally
Physically you dead wit the push of this button
I can physically kill you with my rapping
Explosion be corruptin, from the expert of execution
My rapping will be so powerful it will corrupt people
I met Lil Knock at the junction
I met Lil Knock at a meeting place
He was talkin about walkin, to the tree spot
He was saying he was going to a specific location
We took the L to New Rox, we got stopped by two cops
We took the train to New Roxbury and were stopped by police
Talkin about "Where the two glocks?", we doo wops
Police asked if we had guns, but we sang instead
How was I two glocks? Man, it's too hot
It was too hot to carry guns
And I'm cold, so let me go, I never hold
I am done with this situation and will move on
Whoever told you, that I do la?
Whoever told you that I did that, was lying?
Lil Sha, fuck a do or die
Forget about do or die, I will do what I want
Nigga die, because of what they do
Death happens because of actions people take
I do what I do wit my crew
I do what I do with my group of friends
Po-po was hype, they was like "You bite, stick wit the mic device"
Police officers were excited and wanted me to stick to rapping
Drivin off, said "Have a good night"
They drove away and wished us a good night
Personally I might, and all that shit I said was a psych'
I might end up liking someone and everything I said was just a joke
D.K.S. constantly flown wit finesse
D.K.S. is always smooth and skilled
Puttin all comp' to rest
Putting all competition to rest
Be the best so you can't contest
Be the best so no one can challenge you
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Graham Gouldman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind