When Benton was young he enjoyed gospel music and wrote songs and in 1948 he went to New York to pursue his music career.
He was a member of several gospel groups including "The Langfordairies", "The Jerusalem Stars", and "The Golden Gate Quartet".
After returning to his home state he joined a R&B singing group, "the Sandmen", and soon went back to New York to try for a big break. Eventually the record company decided to drop The Sandmen and push Brook as a solo artist.
Benton wrote songs for artists such as Nat King Cole, Clyde McPhatter, and Roy Hamilton. Soon he released his first minor hit A Million Miles From Nowhere, and later he joined the Mercury label, which would later bring him big success.
In 1952 he got his big break with It's Just a Matter of Time and Endlessly.
It's Just a Matter of Time made it to #3 on the U.S. Pop charts, while Endlessly made it to #12 . Both hits were written by Benton himself.
Benton had many #1 hits including Rainy Night in Georgia and Hotel Happiness. According to Songfacts, his version of the blues standard The Boll Weevil Song has the unique distinction of being the first #1 song on Billboard's Easy Listening chart.
Altogether, Benton had 38 hit singles through out his career. His last album was "Fools Rush In", released posthumously in 2005. He died on April 9, 1988.
For My Baby
Brook Benton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm smilin' for my baby
When you hear me sigh
I'm sighin' for my baby
When I step out as sharp as a tack
The girls whistle but I never whistle back
'Cause everything I do
I do it for my baby
And every time I dream
I dream about my baby
And every time I scheme
I'm schemin' for my baby
I know my baby, she's never hard to find
Because she's always on my mind
And everything I do
So help me, I do it for my baby
My baby, she's somethin' else
Let me tell you, she's fine
I'm glad I belong to her
And she's mine all mine
Everything I make
I make it for my baby
And every dime I take
Oh I just take 'em for my baby
Now when you see us strollin' down the avenue
You just keep your eyes off you know who
Cause everything I do, you know I do it for my baby
When you see me walking alone
I'm tryin' to make it to my baby
When you hear me singin' a song
I'm just singin' for my baby
The lyrics to Brook Benton's song, "For My Baby," express the love and devotion of the singer towards his beloved. He is so deeply in love with his partner that every smile and every sigh of his is dedicated to her. He tries to look his best, but he is not interested in the attention of other women because he is doing everything for his baby. The song talks about his dreams, which are all about his beloved, and his plans, which are entirely focused on his baby. He admits that his partner is always on his mind, and every effort he makes is directed towards making her happy.
The song's lyrics also reveal the singer's possessiveness towards his partner, as he says that she is always on his mind, and he belongs to her. He makes everything for his baby and takes every dime for her. He proudly walks alongside her on the avenue, warning others to keep their eyes off her. He wants to be with his baby as soon as possible and tries hard to reach her. Through all his singing, he declares that he is just singing for his baby.
Overall, the song conveys a beautiful message of love and devotion between two people. It highlights the importance of having someone special in one's life and how love can inspire someone to do anything for their partner.
Line by Line Meaning
When you see me smile
I smile only for my baby and nobody else.
When you hear me sigh
My sighing is solely for my baby and no one else.
When I step out as sharp as a tack
Although girls whistle at me, I never whistle back because everything I do, I do it for my baby.
'Cause everything I do
All my actions are dedicated to my baby.
And every time I dream
Whenever I dream, I dream about my baby.
And every time I scheme
All my plans and schemes are for the sake of my baby.
I know my baby, she's never hard to find
Because she's always on my mind, I never have to search for her.
And everything I do
Every single thing I do, I do for my baby's sake.
My baby, she's somethin' else
My baby is an extraordinary woman.
Let me tell you, she's fine
She is absolutely beautiful and attractive.
I'm glad I belong to her
I am lucky to call her mine.
And she's mine all mine
My baby belongs to me alone.
Everything I make
I create all things, big or small, for my baby.
And every dime I take
I only take money for my baby's sake.
Now when you see us strollin' down the avenue
When you see us walking together, make sure to mind your own business.
You just keep your eyes off you know who
Don't even bother looking at my woman because she's taken and mine.
When you see me walking alone
If I'm walking alone, it's only because I'm on my way to my baby.
I'm tryin' to make it to my baby
I will do everything in my power to reach my baby.
When you hear me singin' a song
Whenever I sing, it's only to serenade my baby.
I'm just singin' for my baby
My singing is always for my baby's ears only.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: BROOK BENTON, CLYDE LOVERN OTIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Daniel Burns
this song went to #28 on the pop charts in 1961!!!
sauquoit13456
Sixty years ago today on April 3rd, 1961 Brook Benton's "For My Baby"* peaked at #2 {for 1 week} on Billboard's Hot R&B Sides chart, for the week it was at #2, the #1 record for that week was "Blue Moon" by The Marcels...
"For My Baby" reached #28 on the Billboard's Top 100 chart...
Between 1958 and 1978 the Lugoff, South Carolina native had thirty six records on the Hot R&B Sides chart, twenty made the Top 10 with seven reaching #1...
Two of his thirty six charted records were duets with Dinah Washington and both peaked at #1, "Baby, You Got What It Takes" for ten weeks in February of 1960 and "A Rockin' Good Way (To Mess Around and Fall In Love)" for four non-consecutive weeks in June of 1960...
Mr. Benton passed away on April 9th, 1988 at the young age of 56 {pneumonia}
May he R.I.P.
* "For My Baby" was Brook Benton's first of three of his records to peak at #2 on the Hot R&B Sides chart, his other two #2 records were "The Boo Weevil Song" for four weeks in July of 1961 and "Hotel Happiness" for one week in December of 1962...
And from the 'For What It's Worth' department, the remainder of Billboard's Hot R&B Sides' Top 10 on April 3rd, 1961:
At #3. "One Mint Julep" by Ray Charles
#4. "All In My Mind" by Maxine Brown
#5. "I Pity The Fool" by Bobby Bland {the previous week's #1 record}
#6. "Pony Time" by Chubby Checker
#7. "Hideaway" by Freddie King
#8. "I Don't Want To Cry" by Chuck Jackson
#9. "Gee Whiz (Look At His Eyes)" by Carla Thomas
#10. "You Can Have Her" by Roy Hamilton
Aaron Sadowski
Found this at my gmas house and now im here
Joshua Ingobo
Grandfathered brought me here.