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.
That's What Friends Are For
B.J. Thomas Lyrics
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Sometimes they're sad
Sometimes they're lonely
And need to be told that they're loved
Everyone needs to be loved
Friends are like good wine
And I've had the bestI don't always show it
But no one knows better than I
So drink up
I'm a homesick old sailor
Who longs for the sound of my own front door
Tell me your stories
I'll teach you my songs
And we'll have one more
Isn't that what friends are for?
Isn't that what friends are for?
Friends are like warm clothes
In the night air
Best when they're old
And we miss them the most when they're gone
Miss them the most when they're gone
Your friends love your good side
and live with your bad
But they want you and need you
When no one else knows your alive
So drink up
I'm a homesick old sailor
Who longs for the sound of my own front door
Tell me your stories
I'll teach you my songs
And we'll have one more
Isn't that what friends are for?
Isn't that what friends are for?
So drink up
I'm a homesick old sailor
Who longs for the sound of my own front door
Tell me your stories
I'll teach you my songs
And we'll have one more
So drink up
I'm a homesick old sailor
Who longs for the sound of my own front door
Tell me your stories
and I'll sing you all my songs
And we'll have one more
Isn't that what friends are for?
Isn't that what friends are for?
B.J. Thomas's song "That's What Friends Are For" is a tribute to the enduring nature of friendship. The lyrics celebrate the multifaceted, supportive nature of friends, likening them to different things, such as music, good wine, and warm clothes. The recurring line, "I'm a homesick old sailor who longs for the sound of my own front door," adds a sense of longing and nostalgia to the song, emphasizing the importance of having friends as a source of comfort and familiarity.
The lyrics also touch on the idea of vulnerability within friendships. Friends are portrayed as people who love you despite your flaws and accept you for who you are. The line, "Your friends love your good side and live with your bad," highlights the idea that true friends are there for you even when you aren't at your best.
Overall, the song sends the message that friends are an essential part of life, providing a sense of belonging, comfort, and support, and encouraging us to appreciate the people who make up our social networks.
Line by Line Meaning
Friends are like music
Friends bring different emotions like music does
Sometimes they're sad
Friends may feel sad sometimes
Sometimes they're lonely
Friends may feel lonely sometimes
And need to be told that they're loved
Friends need love and affection
Everyone needs to be loved
All people need love
Friends are like good wine
Friends get better with age
And I've had the best
The singer has the best friends
I don't always show it
The artist may not always express their appreciation
But no one knows better than I
The artist knows the value of their friends
So drink up
Let's celebrate and enjoy the moment
I'm a homesick old sailor
The singer is longing for home
Who longs for the sound of my own front door
The artist misses the familiarity of home
Tell me your stories
The singer wants to hear their friend's experiences
I'll teach you my songs
The singer wants to share their talents and creativity
And we'll have one more
The singer wants to enjoy one more moment together
Isn't that what friends are for?
This is what true friends do
Friends are like warm clothes
Friends provide comfort and warmth
In the night air
Especially in times of need
Best when they're old
Friendships that last for a long time are the best
And we miss them the most when they're gone
We feel their absence the most when they're no longer with us
Your friends love your good side
Friends accept and appreciate your strengths
and live with your bad
Friends also tolerate your flaws
But they want you and need you
Friends need your presence in their lives
When no one else knows your alive
Friends are there for you when nobody else is
and I'll sing you all my songs
The singer wants to share and entertain with their music
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: PAUL H WILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind