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.
Mighty Clouds Of Joy
B.J. Thomas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Been sleeping in your bed
And them old dark clouds
Been hanging around your head
But all your hard times
Will vanish in the wind
When the mighty clouds of joyCome rolling in
Holy Jesus
Let your love seize us
Oh, let us find sweet peace within
(Hallelujah) hallelujah
Happiness begins
When the mighty clouds of joy
Come rolling in
Those old storm clouds
Are slowly drifting by
And those old raindrops
Are fading from your eyes
Oh, Mr. Sun
Will shine on us again
When the mighty clouds of joy
Come rolling in
Oh, Holy Jesus
Let your love seize us Jesus
Oh, let us find sweet peace within
(Hallelujah) hallelujah
Happiness begins
When the mighty clouds of joy
Come rolling in
Oh, Holy Jesus
Please, let your love seize us Jesus
Oh, let us find sweet peace within
(Hallelujah) hallelujah
Happiness begins
When the mighty clouds of joy
Come rolling in
Oh, Holy Jesus
Won't you let your love seize us Jesus
Oh, let us find sweet peace within
(Hallelujah) hallelujah
Oh hallelujah
Happiness begins
The lyrics to B.J. Thomas's song "Mighty Clouds Of Joy" speak to the power of faith and how it can lift someone out of a dark place. The first verse paints a picture of someone who is struggling with bad dreams and a negative mindset. The second verse promises that the "mighty clouds of joy" will come and wash away the bad thoughts, bringing happiness and sunshine back into their life. The refrain emphasizes the idea of letting Jesus's love "seize" us and finding peace within.
The use of weather-related imagery throughout the song is particularly effective. The dark clouds and raindrops symbolize the bad feelings, while the sun and the clouds of joy serve as a metaphor for hope and faith. The choice to make the clouds "mighty" emphasizes the idea of a powerful force that can conquer even the darkest emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
Them old bad dreams
Memories of negative experiences from the past
Been sleeping in your bed
Negativity is a constant part of one's life
And them old dark clouds
Negative thoughts that cloud one's mind and emotions
Been hanging around your head
Pervasive negative thoughts and emotions that weigh down on one's soul
But all your hard times
All the pain and suffering one has been through
Will vanish in the wind
Will disappear and be forgotten
When the mighty clouds of joy
When a sense of happiness and positivity enters one's life
Come rolling in
Comes in like a wave, overwhelming and all-encompassing
Holy Jesus
Addressing prayer to Jesus
Let your love seize us
Requesting Jesus to let His love take control of one's life
Oh, let us find sweet peace within
Asking for inner peace and contentment
(Hallelujah) hallelujah
Praising God and expressing joy
Happiness begins
When one is able to overcome the negative emotions and experiences that have been holding them back
Those old storm clouds
Reference to past struggles and negative experiences
Are slowly drifting by
Those negative experiences are slowly disappearing
And those old raindrops
The tears shed during those hard times
Are fading from your eyes
The pain and sorrow associated with those experiences are fading away
Oh, Mr. Sun
Reference to positivity, hope and happiness
Will shine on us again
The future will be bright and positive again
Oh, Holy Jesus
Referencing prayer to Jesus
Please, let your love seize us Jesus
Requesting Jesus to take control of one's life and soul with love and positivity
Oh, let us find sweet peace within
Asking for inner peace and contentment
Oh hallelujah
Praise for God and the happiness one has found
Happiness begins
When one is able to overcome the negative emotions and experiences that have been holding them back
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Buddy Buie, Robert Nix
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@marke6569
I want to believe. B.J. & Elvis both devoted to JESUS and both taken too soon.
@sherbearpatson884
Best singer of all time BJ Thomas
@alanm.brashearsr.666
👍
@suzettebavier4412
One of the best vocalists Ever 👏
@CharlesMatheny
My favorite BJ Thomas song.
@tomsalva7200
Thanks for the music BJ. Rest In Peace.
@ronaldmullins8445
One of the most uplifting songs of the early 70’s. I remember loving this song as a child. Thank you so much for what you shared with us, B.J. ❤ Your musical talent will be forever missed.
@409freddie
Rest in Paradise BJ Thomas.
@debleonard4295
RIP B.J. Thomas. Thank you for all your wonderful music and most especially this song.
@kelso1947
Yes, B.J. singing about those MightY Clouds of Joy and he is seeing the today having overcome and entered into eternal life with Jesus where we all long to be.