[edit] Childhood & teen years
Charlotte Denise McClain… Read Full Bio ↴Early life
[edit] Childhood & teen years
Charlotte Denise McClain was born in Memphis, Tennessee in 1956. Originally named Charlotte, "Charly" was given her masculine moniker by neighborhood friends in Memphis, and she also used it when she started playing hotel lounges. When Epic Records decided it sounded catchier than Charlotte, it became a permanent professional banner. [1] McClain's father had tuberculosis when she was eight, and, since she was under age for visitation rights at the hospital, she had to communicate with him through a tape recorder. [2]
[edit] Career discovery
McClain's use of the tape recorder with her father inspired her interest in singing. McClain soon began performing in public regularly. She began singing in the club circuit by the time she was seventeen. She then gained a recording contract with Epic Records by the time McClain was almost twenty years old. She began her musical career at age 12 with her brother in a band called "Charlotte & The Volunteers" for 6 years. Her first appearance was on TV in Jackson, Tennessee, local station WBBJ morning show. She was a regular on local Memphis show "Mid-South Jamboree" from 1973-1975. [3]
Signed to her first recording contract in 1976, McClain's distinct vocal sound provided an edge in recognizability — as did her appearance. [4]
[edit] Country music career
[edit] 1976 – 1980: Country beginnings
McClain debuted in late 1976 with her first single, "Lay Me Down", which peaked at #67 on the Billboard Country Chart. McClain's first singles between 1976 through 1977, mainly from her debut album Here's Charly McClain, did not chart very high on the Country charts at the time. McClain's second album, titled Let Me Be Your Baby, was released in 1978. She hit country's Top Ten for the first time in 1978 with "That's What You Do to Me," [5] followed by two other Top 25 hits from the album, "Let Me Be Your Baby" and "Take Me Back".
McClain had a series of Top 20 hits between 1978 and 1980, including "When Love Ain't Right", "You're a Part of Me", and "I Hate the Way I Love It", a duet with Johnny Rodriguez. Occasionally McClain's singles would enter the Top 10. She had two Top 10 hits during this time, "That's What You Do to Me" (1978), followed by "Men", which peaked at #7 in 1980. However, McClain still hadn't achieved breakthrough success.
McClain released two albums between 1979 and 1980, Alone too Long (1979) and Women Get Lonely (1980).
[edit] 1981 – 1989: Breakthrough
McClain hit the top spot one year later with "Who's Cheatin' Who." [6] This brought McClain breakthrough success for the 1980s. In 1981, McClain had three Top 10 hits off her Surround Me With Love, the title track, "Sleepin' With the Radio on", and "The Very Best is You". McClain's albums were also beginning to become more successful as well. Her Who's Cheatin' Who album peaked at #9 on the "Top Country Albums" chart, as did her 1981 album, Surround Me With Love.
She stayed in the upper reaches during 1982 with "Dancing Your Memory Away" and "Sentimental Ol' You," then hit number one again in 1983 with her Mickey Gilley duet "Paradise Tonight." [7] "Paradise Tonight" became McClain's second #1 hit in 1983. McClain's and Gilley's duet partnership became so successful, they released a duet album the following year, It Takes Believers, which spawned the Top 5 hit, "Candy Man", which peaked at #5 on the Billboard Country Chart, followed by "The Right Stuff", which became a Top 15 hit.
McClain also acted occasionally, appearing as a guest star on such shows as Hart to Hart and CHiPs. McClain's lonely life on the road was also chronicled in a 1981 HBO special titled "So You Want to Be a Star."
McClain released another big-selling album in 1985, Radio Heart, after having a series of minor solo hits in 1984. The title track off became a #1 Country hit in 1985, McClain's last #1 hit to date. The album also spawned two other Top 10 hits that year. McClain married former soap star Wayne Massey in 1984, and their own duet ("With Just One Look in Your Eyes") reached number five. [8] The third single off the album was also a duet with Massey, "You Are My Music, You Are My Song." The album, Radio Heart peaked at #15 on the "Top Country Albums" chart in 1985, and became on of McClain's best-known songs.
McClain's success began to subside after 1986, as Country-pop styled music was becoming unfavorable on Country radio. Her 1987 album brought only one Top 40 single, "Don't Touch Me There", which peaked at #20 on the Billboard Country Chart. The other singles did not become as successful. The album became McClain's last album with Epic, as she parted ways with them the following year. She continued to chart until her last recording came in 1989.[9] She recorded one studio album with Mercury Records before the end of the decade. She charted until the end of 1989. Her last charted single was "You Got the Job", which peaked at #65.
[edit] 1990 – present: Current music career status
McClain has not recorded another studio album since 1989's self-titled album with Mercury, and thus has dropped out of the public eye. Since 1989, several compilation albums of her music have been released, including 1999's Anthology, which was a compilation CD of McClain's biggest hits under Epic, beginning with her late '70s hits to her last '80s hits.
McClain has not toured in the past ten years or so. As of 2007 she is still married to Wayne Massey.
[edit] Discography
Main article: Charly McClain discography
[edit] References
^ Charly McClain biography at All Music Guide.com; retrieved March 30, 2008
^ Charly McClain biography at All Music Guide.com; retrieved March 30, 2008
^ Charly McClain biography at her official website (Geocities.com)
^ Charly McClain biography at All Music Guide
^ Charly McClain biography at All Music Guide
^ Charly McClain biography at AOL.com
^ Charly McClain biography at AOL.com; retrieved March 30, 2008
^ Charly McClain biography at AOL.com
^ Charly McClain biography at All Music Guide.com
[edit] External links
Charly McClain Official Website
CMT.com: Charly McClain
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charly_McClain"
Sleepin' With the Radio On
Charly McClain Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wishin' I could see your face again.
Change the dial on the radio,
Find somethin' playin' kinda bluesy an' slow.
If things were only like they used to be,
With you lyin' in love tonight.
I wish you'd call me on the telephone,
I don't wanna spend another night alone.
Sleepin' with the radio on,
It's the only way I can make it till dawn.
Sleepin' with the radio on,
You're on my mind 'an I can't forget you.
It's gettin' late, almost quarter-to-four.
I hear a knock at my door.
Stumble in the dark an' hear your voice again,
Open up the door an' let the sunshine in.
Take me in your arms an' make love nice an' slow.
It's so good to be this close to you.
No more nights of sleepin' alone,
No more days with these lovesick blues.
'Cause we'll be sleepin' with the radio on,
Let's take the rest of the day together.
An' I'll unplug the telephone,
Now that you're here, I'm gonna love you forever.
Sleepin' with the radio on.
I don't want more of those nights all alone.
Sleepin' with the radio on.
You're on my mind and I can't forget you.
The lyrics to Charly McClain's "Sleepin' With the Radio On" convey a sense of longing and heartbreak as the singer wishes to be reunited with their lover. The first verse describes the singer's loneliness through the metaphor of a beating heart in a rainy night. The desire to see the lover's face again is expressed through the wish to change the radio station to a slow, bluesy song that reminds them of their time together. The second verse continues with the singer's longing for their lover to call them on the phone, indicating their desperation for human connection.
The chorus presents the solution to the singer's loneliness - sleeping with the radio on. This not only provides a literal background noise to fill the silence but also serves as a symbol of the lover's presence. The lyrics of "You're on my mind and I can't forget you" reinforce the presence of the lover in the singer's thoughts. The bridge of the song represents the climax of the story, as the lover shows up at the singer's door. The singer is overjoyed to see them and invites them in. They express their desire to make love slowly, and the singer finally feels a sense of comfort knowing they won't have to sleep alone anymore. The final chorus reinforces their newfound happiness and love for each other.
In conclusion, "Sleepin' With the Radio On" is a straightforward song about longing and heartbreak, but its simplicity and use of metaphors make it a poetic and emotional ballad.
Line by Line Meaning
My heart beats with the lonely rain,
My heart is filled with sadness, paralleling the melancholic sound of the rain.
Wishin' I could see your face again.
I long for the return of a loved one who is no longer present.
Change the dial on the radio,
I adjust the radio channels to alter the mood I am in.
Find somethin' playin' kinda bluesy an' slow.
I look for a song that matches my somber state of mind.
If things were only like they used to be,
I reminisce about past memories and wish for their return.
With you lyin' in love tonight.
I imagine reuniting with a lover and spending the night together in a state of love and affection.
I wish you'd call me on the telephone,
I hope for communication from the person I miss.
I don't wanna spend another night alone.
I fear enduring another night without the companionship of a loved one.
Sleepin' with the radio on,
I rely on the radio to distract me and provide comfort throughout the night.
It's the only way I can make it till dawn.
The radio serves as my support system, allowing me to get through each lonely night until sunrise.
You're on my mind 'an I can't forget you.
I am unable to stop thinking about the person I am missing and longing for.
It's gettin' late, almost quarter-to-four.
The night is progressing, and it is nearing the early morning hours.
I hear a knock at my door.
I receive an unexpected visitor, potentially the loved one I have been waiting for.
Stumble in the dark an' hear your voice again,
I experience a feeling of disorientation in the dark, but hear the familiar voice of a loved one once more.
Open up the door an' let the sunshine in.
I welcome the presence of the person I am missing and feel their impact on my life immediately.
Take me in your arms an' make love nice an' slow.
I am filled with a sense of passion and pleasure as I am held by the one I love.
It's so good to be this close to you.
I feel relieved and content to be in the presence of the person I have been missing so deeply.
No more nights of sleepin' alone,
I express gratitude that I will no longer have to face the darkness of loneliness without my partner by my side.
No more days with these lovesick blues.
I am free from the damage that loneliness and heartbreak can cause.
'Cause we'll be sleepin' with the radio on,
Together, we will continue to rely on the comfort of the radio to help us drift off to sleep each night.
Let's take the rest of the day together.
I express a desire to continue spending time with my loved one as we move throughout our day and night.
An' I'll unplug the telephone,
With my partner here with me, I no longer need to rely on the phone to make me feel less alone.
Now that you're here, I'm gonna love you forever.
I express my committed, deep love and devotion to the person I have been reunited with.
I don't want more of those nights all alone.
I am determined to avoid any more lonely nights without the person I love.
You're on my mind and I can't forget you.
I express, once more, the fact that I am endlessly thinking of and missing my beloved partner.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: STEPHEN ALLEN DAVIS, STEVE DAVIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind