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.
It's Only Love
B.J. Thomas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I feel the warm smile that she wears
She has no recipe for love
And I just can't get enough
From the distance of my mind
The clock that's ringin' says it's time
To wake up to my destiny
It's time to face reality
It's only love that I feel inside
But I'll get by somehow
It's only love
I never woke up from my dream, girl
I know there's something else for me, girl
I tell myself that it's not real
There's nothing left for me to feel
I'll just be going on my way
Tomorrow brings another day
It's only love that I feel inside
But I've got to be strong
Keep my mind hangin' on
It's only love but I know I'll get by
I'll take my heart and pride and just throw them aside
It's only love
It's only love
It's only love
The lyrics of B.J. Thomas's song "It's Only Love" describe the experience of being torn between romantic feelings and the need to face reality. The singer describes the woman he is infatuated with, expressing his admiration for her beauty, warmth, and lack of a "recipe for love." However, he must confront the fact that their relationship is not based on any real connection or substance. Despite this, he finds it difficult to let go of his feelings, even convincing himself that they aren't real. He concludes that he will move on and face each new day, but acknowledges that it will take strength to do so.
The lyrics suggest a common struggle in relationships, where intense feelings of infatuation or attraction can cloud judgment and prevent one from seeing the reality of a situation. The singer is aware of this but still feels the pull of his emotions, making the decision to move on a challenging one. The repetition of the phrase "It's only love" conveys a sense of resignation and acceptance, even as it acknowledges the power that love can have over a person's life.
Line by Line Meaning
I see the sunlight in her hair
I notice the brightness and warmth emanating from her persona, like sunlight on her hair.
I feel the warm smile that she wears
I sense the genuine, friendly smile that comes so easily to her.
She has no recipe for love
She doesn't have any formulas or rules for love that she follows - it comes naturally to her.
And I just can't get enough
I desire her presence and time with her endlessly.
From the distance of my mind
From an introspective viewpoint in my mind's eye.
The clock that's ringin' says it's time
The sound of an alarm clock alerts me that it's time to rouse from my dreaming state.
To wake up to my destiny
To become more aware of and take responsibility for my future path.
It's time to face reality
I need to confront what's actually happening in my life right now.
It's only love that I feel inside
The feeling I have isn't rooted in anything other than love itself.
But I'll get by somehow
I'll manage my emotions and carry on regardless in the face of hardship.
I never woke up from my dream, girl
I haven't been able to forget or move on from this relationship.
I know there's something else for me, girl
I recognize that there's more out there for me, relationship-wise.
I tell myself that it's not real
I try to convince myself that what I feel isn't genuine or true.
There's nothing left for me to feel
I think there are no more emotions or passion left in my heart for her.
I'll just be going on my way
I'll simply proceed with my life and move on without her in it.
Tomorrow brings another day
Every new day carries new opportunities, and things can change for the better.
But I've got to be strong
I have to cultivate inner strength and resilience to face the future with fortitude.
Keep my mind hangin' on
I need to stay mentally and emotionally connected and focused on what I want out of life.
I'll take my heart and pride and just throw them aside
I'll cast away any lingering feelings of hurt or ego and move forward unburdened.
It's only love
At the end of the day, it all comes down to a deep, profound feeling of romantic love.
It's only love
The love I experienced wasn't anything more than what it is - love.
It's only love
Emphasizing that pure love is all that really matters in life, and it's something we all experience.
Lyrics © Budde Music Publishing GmbH, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MEGAN JAMES, AARON SCHERZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind