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.
Smoke gets in your eyes
B.J. Thomas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My true love was true
Oh oh
I of course replied
Something here inside
Cannot be denied
They said someday you'll find
Oh oh
When your heart's on fire
You must realize
Smoke gets in your eyes
So I chaffed them and I gaily laughed
To think they could doubt all love
Yet today my love has flown away
I am without my love
Now laughing friends deride
Tears I cannot hide
Oh oh
So I smile and say
When a lovely flame dies
Smoke gets in your eyes
Oh oh
Smoke gets in your eyes
Oh oh
The song "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" by B.J. Thomas talks about the story of a man who was questioned by his friends about how he knew his love was true. The man replied that something inside him could not be denied. His friends did not agree and told him that someday he will find out that all who love are blind. But the man replied that when your heart's on fire, you must realize smoke gets in your eyes. The lyrics suggest that love can sometimes lead to tears and heartbreaks, which often cannot be avoided.
The man then chuckles and laughs at his friends, who doubt all love, as his love was true. However, later in life, his love has flown away and he is left without it. Now, his friends laugh at him and ridicule him for his tears, which he cannot hide. But he still smiles and agrees that when a lovely flame dies, smoke gets in your eyes. This could mean that love can be a beautiful experience, but it can also be painful and lead to tears and heartbreak.
The song "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" has a melancholic feel and conveys the pain of lost love. The lyrics beautifully capture the true essence of how love can be both beautiful and painful at the same time.
Line by Line Meaning
They asked me how I knew
Someone asked me how I knew that my love was true
My true love was true
That the person I was in love with, truly loved me back
Oh oh
An exclamation of surprise or emotion
I of course replied
I immediately answered their question
Something here inside
A feeling in my heart
Cannot be denied
That I couldn't ignore or deny my feelings
They said someday you'll find
They warned me that someday I would realize
All who love are blind
People in love overlook flaws and problems
When your heart's on fire
When you're intensely in love
You must realize
You need to recognize
Smoke gets in your eyes
That love can be confusing and cloud judgement
So I chaffed them and I gaily laughed
I made fun of those who didn't believe in my love and laughed it off
To think they could doubt all love
To believe that they could doubt something as strong as love
Yet today my love has flown away
Despite my confidence in our love, my partner has left me
I am without my love
I'm now alone, without the person I loved
Now laughing friends deride
Now my friends make fun of me
Tears I cannot hide
I can't hold back my tears and my emotions are exposed
So I smile and say
I put on a brave face and pretend to be okay
When a lovely flame dies
When a beautiful love comes to an end
Smoke gets in your eyes
That intense emotions can be blinding and confusing
Oh oh
An exclamation of emotion
Smoke gets in your eyes
That love can be confusing and it's hard to see things clearly
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Otto Harbach, Jerome Kern
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
LoveTheOConnor
Wonderful, Jim! I LOVE this song, and love B.J. Thomas (because of "Raindrops..."). This is a fabulous version, with that distinctive Thomas touch, and your pictures and backgrounds are great! Thanks so much for sharing this! Have a wonderful week, stay warm! :))
nipstertunes
I love the song too Heather and I thought this was a great rendition. He has such a great voice, I think. Thank you so much for your very nice comments! Wishing you a warm and wonderful week too!
Jim
Mary Ellen Bunney
There are no words to describe how well he sang this song.....he was the greatest.....I miss him so much.
Robin Cortez
What a truly wonderful, God-given voice!!
sebastien tze
B.J. will be missed 👏🎗️🙏
Sigrun Einarsdottir
Love this song .I think of one person now. Love him, never forget.R.I.P.
Jose Sanchez
Gracias Billy ruego a Díos que vivas muchos años mas querido amigo siempre te escucho chaucito