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.
Someone Like You
B.J. Thomas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He don't love you like I love you
If he did, he wouldn't break your heart
He don't love you like I love you
He's tryin' to tear us apart
Fare thee well, I know you're leavin' (I know you're leavin')
For the new love that you've found
I got a feelin' he's gonna put you down, 'cause
[Chorus]
He uses all the great quotations
Says the things I wish I could say
Whoa, but he's had so many rehearsals
Girl, to him it's just another play, but wait
When the final act is over
And you're left standing all alone
When he takes his bow and makes his exit
Girl, I'll be there to take you home
He don't love you (and he never will) like I love you
If he did, he wouldn't break your heart
Oh, he don't love you, girl, like I love you
He's tryin' to tear us apart
Whoa, he don't love you like I love you
If he did
The lyrics to B.J. Thomas's "Someone Like You" describe the heartbreaking realization that someone the singer trusted and believed in is not who they thought they were. The singer reflects on moments when they were lied to, manipulated, and made to feel inadequate. The chorus is a repetition of the phrases "Who are you?" and "How dare you?" with the singer rejecting any efforts to control or break them down. The bridge explores the concept of fear and the idea of embracing one's own flaws rather than aspiring to be someone else. The emotional honesty of the lyrics is enhanced by the rawness in Thomas's delivery, which expresses a sense of betrayal and disappointment.
Line by Line Meaning
Back to the beginning and it's where I left all my trust
Returning to where I trusted you, but now realizing that trust was misplaced.
All you do is pat you on your back like you're fantastic
Your self-praise and lack of humility is tiresome and unappealing.
Lying to yourself so much you don't know it's a bad habit
Your constant self-deception has become so ingrained that you don't even recognize it anymore.
I listen to you talk and me believing you would be magic (magic, baby)
I used to listen to you and believe that you were special, but now I realize that you are nothing extraordinary.
Who are you, who are you?
Questioning your true self and the person you present to the world.
Telling me I can't, everyday it's something new
Constantly putting me down and preventing me from reaching my full potential.
How dare you, how dare you?
Expressing anger and disbelief at your actions and words.
Tried hard to tear me apart with you
Your attempts to break me down and make me feel inferior have not gone unnoticed.
I know you, I know you
Fully understanding your true nature and character.
Never learn and I know you'll never try to
Realizing that you are unable and unwilling to change or better yourself.
Guess what now? I got news for you
Announcing that I have a new attitude and will not tolerate your behavior any longer.
Believe me I tried to forgive you
Attempting to let go of past wrongs, but ultimately unable to do so.
But when I cried I saw it in you
Noticing your lack of empathy and understanding when I was upset.
Didn't know you, you were so cruel
Realizing that the person I thought I knew was actually capable of being cruel and hurtful.
Such a nightmare to be like you
Expressing disdain and horror at the thought of becoming like you.
I don't want me, nothing like you
Making clear that I do not want to embody any of your negative traits or characteristics.
I don't want love with someone like you
Rejecting any possibility of a romantic relationship with you due to my realization of your true nature.
Can't be, like you
Consistently expressing the desire to distance myself from your behavior and character.
Like you
Repeating the comparison to emphasize the contrast between myself and you.
Not like you
Reinforcing the idea that I do not want to be like you in any way.
Peter Pan you'll always be a boy and won't be changing
Comparing you to a fictional character who refuses to grow up and mature.
Taking all my time over-explaining all the basics (to you)
Expressing frustration at your lack of understanding and need for excessive explanation.
Done hearing 'girl you need to drop your plans it's been too long' (long)
Tired of your constant attempts to discourage me and prevent me from pursuing my goals.
Have you looked in the mirror? (don’t think you have babe?)
Suggesting that you should reflect on your own behavior and character, but doubting that you will actually do so.
Don't you wish you were the monster? So you wouldn't have to be afraid?
Posing a rhetorical question about your desire to be a villainous character and avoid the fear and uncertainty that comes with being a normal person.
Aren’t you scared of the impostors? Inside of you Inside of you
Hinting at the idea that there may be parts of yourself that you do not want others to see, and questioning whether you are frightened of those aspects.
Won’t be, like you
Echoing the earlier sentiment that I do not want to become like you.
Can’t be
Emphasizing the negative possibility of me ever turning into someone like you.
Won’t be (don’t wanna be, don’t wanna be)
Reiterating my strong aversion to ever resembling you in any way.
Nothing like you
Making it clear that I completely reject the idea of being like you.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Curtis Mayfield, Calvin Carter, Jerry Butler
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Desiderio Domenico De Nitto
MASTERPIECE..from an artist dedicated usually at finest alternative country..pure westcoast sound!!!
Dave Ryden
Sometimes it seems so far
When you don't know where you're going
And I wonder where you are
Would it make any difference knowing
CHORUS:
Cause in a million years
Through the countless tears
I'll be looking for someone like you
So many endless nights
Without a hope in sight
I'll be looking for someone like you
Someone like you
It's been a real hard road
Seen too many poor hearts crying
How much longer, I don't know
I lose all track of time
CHORUS
How much longer am I supposed to take it
Any day now and my will will be shaken
I'm walking on glass
Waiting for you to break through
Looking for someone too
CHORUS
Through a million years
(Somewhere, someone)
Through the tears
(Somewhere, someone)
For a million years
Through the countless tears
Kidwaryod Production
Wow I didn't know this is the singer who singing original version of "Raindrops keep fallin on my Head"
This one was great. :)