Her introduction to music, as with most fellow blues legends, started in the Baptist church. The daughter of a minister, she and her six siblings began to sing at a very early age. While still a child, Willie Mae taught herself to play the drums and harmonica, and by the age of 14, she had run away from home to make her career in secular music.
She joined Sammy Green's "Hot Harlem Revue" and toured throughout the South in the 1940's, first beginning her musical career in 1947. While touring Texas in 1948, Thornton left the Revue in favor of the state's growing club scene, which she immersed herself in. It was during this time that she was discovered by Don Robey, a black entrepreneur who owned several clubs and record stores in the Houston, TX area. Impressed by her massive size (6 ft, 350+ lb),formidable multi-instrument abilities, and fiery stage presence, Robey signed her to his Peacock Records label, where he began the task of translating the forceful belter's energy onto record.
Her big hit came, not from Robey's capable pen, but from the young songwriting team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. It was "Hound Dog," which she recorded in 1952 with the Johnny Otis band and released in February 1953. Big Mama Thornton always claimed to have written the song herself (a claim which may actually hold some validity), and her ferocious rendition of it ( complete with Big Mama's growl and a nasty guitar line by Pete Lewis) held the #1 spot in the Billboard rhythm and blues charts for nine weeks. Unfortunately for Thornton, Elvis Presley's smoother and bowdlerized version was a major pop hit in 1956 and successfully eclipsed her biggest claim to fame.
Thornton continued to tour the "chitlin' circuit" as fans began to favour newer R&B sounds over blues. For some years, Big Mama suffered in obscurity like most of her fellow bluesmen. Her name gained wider prominence and her career enjoyed a significant resurgence as her song "Ball and Chain" was covered by Janis Joplin, making it a regular number in her repertoire. From that point onward, Thornton would remain a headliner at blues festivals, colleges, and clubs throughout the country and even in Europe. She began recording again, and released albums for the Arhoolie, Mercury, and Vanguard labels. Years of hard drinking and living began to take their toll, however, and by the late 1970s her health (and her trademark girth) had declined greatly. She nevertheless performed until her death at the age of 57 on July 25, 1984 in Los Angeles, where she was found dead from natural causes in the boarding house room in which she had been living. Johnny Otis conducted her funeral services, and she was laid to rest in Inglewood Park Cemetery.
Wade in the Water
Big Mama Thornton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wade in the water
Children wade, in the water
God's gonna trouble the water
Who's that young girl dressed in red
Wade in the water
Must be the children that Moses led
God's gonna trouble the water
Wade in the water, wade in the water children
Wade in the water,
God's gonna trouble the water
Who's that young girl dressed in white
Wade in the water
Must be the children of the Israelite
Oh, God's gonna trouble the water
Wade in the water, wade in the water children
Wade in the water,
God's gonna trouble the water
Who's that young girl dressed in blue
Wade in the water
Must be the children that's coming through,
God's gonna trouble the water, yeah
Wade in the water, wade in the water children
Wade in the water,
God's gonna trouble the water
You don't believe I've been redeemed,
Wade in the water
Just so the whole lake goes looking for me
God's gonna trouble the water
Wade in the water, wade in the water children
Wade in the water,
God's gonna trouble the water
The lyrics to Big Mama Thornton's song "Wade in the Water" are steeped in spiritual and biblical references, which speak of a message of hope and redemption. The song begins with the repeated refrain "Wade in the water" - a phrase that in the context of the song, represents the act of baptism which is meant to symbolize cleansing and purification. The line "God's gonna trouble the water" suggests that the act of wading in the water is not merely physical, but deeply spiritual - it has the potential to stir up one's soul and bring about change.
The song goes on to describe different figures who wade in the water, such as young girls dressed in red, white, and blue - each of which represents a different group of people. The line "Must be the children that Moses led" suggests that the song is referring to the biblical story of Moses and the Israelites fleeing Egypt and crossing the Red Sea. By using these references to biblical stories and spiritual figures, the song emphasizes the idea that wading in the water can be seen as a sacred act of redemption and liberation.
The final verse of the song is particularly powerful, where the singer challenges those who doubt her redemption by declaring "You don't believe I've been redeemed, Just so the whole lake goes looking for me, God's gonna trouble the water." The line "God's gonna trouble the water" serves as a warning to those who doubt her redemption. In essence, the song is a call to action, urging people to wade in the water and be baptized, so that they too can bring about change in their own lives and be redeemed.
Line by Line Meaning
Wade in the water
Get into the water and immerse yourself in the experience.
Wade in the water Children wade, in the water
Young ones, join in the experience and embrace it fully.
God's gonna trouble the water
The divine will shake things up and bring about change.
Who's that young girl dressed in red
Spot the person who stands out and seems to symbolize a certain meaning.
Must be the children that Moses led
It could be those who have been freed from oppression and bondage.
Who's that young girl dressed in white
Notice the one who stands out for purity and innocence.
Must be the children of the Israelite
Perhaps they are descendants of a chosen people with a prophetic destiny.
Who's that young girl dressed in blue
Observe the one who stands out for depth and intensity of emotion.
Must be the children that's coming through
Those who are passing through a time of trial and tribulation.
You don't believe I've been redeemed, Wade in the water
Even if you doubt my salvation, go ahead and immerse yourself in the experience anyway.
Just so the whole lake goes looking for me
The divine will unleash a powerful force that draws attention to me and my situation.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BMG Rights Management
Written by: Mae Thornton, Willie Thornton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@paulwood-2304
This is the best version I'll message you another Big Mama shortly Hogn
@paulkersey1007
I wish I could stop the world for a moment and just play this song for the world so this queen can get her recognition.
I absolutely love Big Mama Thornton's music
@ninalisa2303
thanks for sharing this treasure... Just love Big Mama
@ReneBluz
Thanks for watching.
@ballandchain1984
Ατόφιο χρυσάφι!
(Sorry i just wanna comment in my language.Pure gold)
@ReneBluz
Thanks for watching
@GregParker
Great gospel blues ! In the outro,.. Mama exhorts hound dog & her band to 'wade in the water'.
@ReneBluz
Thank you Greg!