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.
The Eyes Of A New York Woman
B.J. Thomas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When the lights shine bright tonight
Where my woman waits for me
Arms that hold me tenderly
Lips as sweet as honeycomb
Love that waits for me alone
Deep in the eyes of a New York woman
The eyes of a New York woman
Are eyes that can hold a man
She swept me off of my feet
Made my world seem so complete
I'll never have to look for more
I found what I've been lookin' for
Deep in the eyes of a New York woman
Thought I wasn't ready for the tie that binds
But I lost my heart to her when her eyes met mine
Now I see her differently
I've got to make her mine
So I'll make my home Fun City
And let the lights shine bright on me
East side cafes, West side plays
Uptown, downtown, I'll be there
I'll never have to look for more
I found what I've been lookin' for
Deep in the eyes of a New York woman
The eyes of a New York woman
Are eyes that can hold a man
She swept me off of my feet
Made my world seem so complete
I'll never have to look for more
Deep in the eyes of a New York woman
Deep in the eyes of a New York woman
Deep in the eyes of a New York woman
Deep in the eyes
Of a New York woman
Deep in the eyes of a New York woman
"The Eyes Of A New York Woman" by B.J. Thomas is a classic song about finding love in the bustling city. The lyrics paint a picture of a man who has found everything he's looking for in a woman he met while in New York City. The city is described as a place where lights shine bright and there are various cafes and plays to enjoy. The woman is described as having arms that hold him tenderly, lips as sweet as honeycomb, and love that waits for him alone. The title phrase, "Deep in the eyes of a New York woman" is repeated several times throughout the song, emphasizing the importance of the woman's gaze in the man's life.
The lyrics suggest that the man initially might have been hesitant to commit, but was swept off his feet by the woman's eyes meeting his own. He now sees her differently and realizes that he wants to make her his own. The repetition of the phrase "I'll never have to look for more" reinforces the idea that he has found everything he was searching for in the woman's eyes.
The song has a catchy and upbeat melody, and Thomas' vocals are clear and emotional. The lyrics are relatable and timeless, speaking to the universal experience of finding love in a big city.
Line by Line Meaning
I'll be in New York City
I am going to New York City
When the lights shine bright tonight
I will arrive when the city lights are bright at night
Where my woman waits for me
My woman is waiting for me in New York City
Arms that hold me tenderly
My woman's arms are very gentle when she embraces me
Lips as sweet as honeycomb
My woman's kisses are very sweet
Love that waits for me alone
My woman's love is only for me
Deep in the eyes of a New York woman
I can see the depth of love in my woman's eyes in New York City
The eyes of a New York woman
My woman's eyes in New York City
Are eyes that can hold a man
My woman's eyes can capture a man's attention
She swept me off of my feet
My woman made me fall in love with her easily
Made my world seem so complete
My woman completed my world and made me very happy
I'll never have to look for more
I do not need to search for any other woman
I found what I've been lookin' for
I have found the woman I have been searching for
Thought I wasn't ready for the tie that binds
I did not think I was ready for a committed relationship
But I lost my heart to her when her eyes met mine
My woman captured my heart when we first made eye contact
Now I see her differently
My view of my woman has changed
I've got to make her mine
I need to claim her as my own
So I'll make my home Fun City
I will live in the fun and exciting city of New York
And let the lights shine bright on me
I will embrace the bright lights of the city
East side cafes, West side plays
I will explore the cafes on the East side and watch plays on the West side
Uptown, downtown, I'll be there
I will be all over the city, from uptown to downtown
Deep in the eyes of a New York woman
I can still see the depth of love in my woman's eyes in New York City
Deep in the eyes of a New York woman
Again, I can see the depth of love in my woman's eyes in New York City
Deep in the eyes of a New York woman
Once more, I can see the depth of love in my woman's eyes in New York City
Deep in the eyes
My woman's eyes show the depth of her love
Of a New York woman
In the city of New York
Deep in the eyes of a New York woman
I can see the depth of love in my woman's eyes in New York City
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: MARK JAMES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@usmc9543
This was playing on the bus radio as I was going to Marine Corps basic training. Just like yesterday.
@susanbezio1529
RIP BJ Thomas. No more pain, just all the love you deserve. You will be missed.
@marshachesbro5969
Ah ! I was a nurse at age 20 working in Brooklyn NY 1968. Best time ever ! My brother's came to visit coming home from Vietnam !!!
@brianl.1967
One singer that gives me goosebumps … AMAZING ARTIST AMAZING SINGER WOWS ME EVERYTIME NONE LOKE HIM ANYMORE I MISS THIS SINGER FOR SURE LOVE YOU FOREVER BJ THOMAS ….
@carolmccannon4118
RIP, B. J. Thomas. I grew up loving and singing your music on my transistor radio with 45s.
@davidwells9275
My favorite B J Thomas song. And I like everything he did.
@bufb
My favorite too. Just something about this song
@m.gendron9966
My favorite of all. RIP BJ
@patriciahill2320
Mine, too.
@peanutsmcgonnagle2458
I'm right there with all of you. No one could have ever sang this song like he did. This man was just born to sing and he was blessed with a golden voice.