Jackson startd out as a gospel singer in The Raspberry Singers. He was in the Dell-Vikings from 1957 to 1959.
After recording as Charles Jackson for the Clock label in 1959 he signed with Wand Records in 1961. He was immediately successful with his first single I Don't Want To Cry which reached No. 5 R&B, No. 36 Pop in the USA. He was with Wand through most of the sixties, scoring several R&B and Pop hits. In 1969 he moved to Motown but didn't do so well there. He continued to record throughout the seventies for labels like ABC, All Platinum and EMI America, scoring his last R&B hit in 1980.
Although never hugely successful his soulful voice resulted in 23 R&B top 100 singles in the USA and the same number of US Pop 100 hits over the course of 20 years.
Several of Jackson's songs later became hits for other artists including Ronnie Milsap, whose 1982 cover version of "Any Day Now" reached No. 1 on the Country and Adult Contemporary charts. Michael McDonald covered "I Keep Forgettin'" with much success. "I Keep Forgettin'" was also covered by David Bowie on his album "Tonight".
On 4 October 2015, Chuck Jackson was inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame.
Any Day Now
Chuck Jackson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And you'll be on your way
Then my wild beautiful bird, you will have flown, oh
Any day now I'll be all alone, whoa
Any day now, when your restless eyes meet someone new
Oh, to my sad surprise
Then the blue shadows will fall all over town, oh
Oh my wild beautiful bird, you will have flown, oh
Any day now I'll be all alone
I know I shouldn't want to keep you
If you don't want to stay-ay
Until you go forever
I'll be holding on for dear life
Holding you this way
Begging you to stay
Any day now when the clock strikes "Go"
You'll call it off
And then my tears will flow
Then the blue shadows will fall all over town, oh
Any day now love will let me down 'cause you won't be around
Don't fly away, my beautiful bird
Don't, don't fly away
Chuck Jackson's song "Any Day Now" is a heartfelt ballad that explores the feeling of heartbreak and loneliness after a breakup. The song begins with the singer anticipating his lover's imminent departure, knowing that he will soon be left all alone. He imagines a scenario where his lover's "restless eyes meet someone new," and he is left to suffer in the "blue shadows" of his loneliness. He knows that his love will ultimately let him down, but he cannot help himself from holding on for dear life, begging his lover not to leave him. Ultimately, he is resigned to the fact that his lover will soon be gone, but he cannot bear to lose her, hoping that she will not fly away like a "wild beautiful bird."
The song has a melancholic and mournful tone that is reflected in the chords and melody. The use of strings and backing vocals adds to the overall emotional impact, giving the song a haunting quality. The lyrics are simple yet powerful, conveying a universal feeling of heartache and loss. The song remains a classic of the soul genre to this day, with its enduring message of love and heartbreak.
Line by Line Meaning
Any day now I will hear you say "Goodbye, my love"
It is expected that you will bid farewell to me soon, my dear.
And you'll be on your way
After saying goodbye, you will leave without looking back.
Then my wild beautiful bird, you will have flown, oh
After departing, you will have flown away like a free bird.
Any day now I'll be all alone, whoa
Inevitably, soon I will be left all by myself.
Any day now, when your restless eyes meet someone new
It is likely that your wandering gaze will eventually be captured by someone else soon.
Oh, to my sad surprise
Sadly, I will be taken aback by this inevitable development.
Then the blue shadows will fall all over town, oh
Afterwards, everything around me will seem gloomy and melancholy.
Any day now love will let me down, whoa
This event will lead to the disappointing end of our love story.
I know I shouldn't want to keep you
I am aware that I shouldn't try to force you to stay with me.
If you don't want to stay-ay
If you desire to leave, I won't stand in your way.
Until you go forever
However, until you eventually depart forever,
I'll be holding on for dear life
I will hold on to you tightly and desperately, not wanting to let go.
Holding you this way
I will continue holding you close, hoping that you will change your mind.
Begging you to stay
I will plead with you, asking you to remain with me a little longer.
Any day now when the clock strikes "Go"
Perhaps soon, at a particular moment, you will make your departure.
You'll call it off
You will call off our relationship with finality.
And then my tears will flow
As a result, my eyes will become filled with tears.
Don't fly away, my beautiful bird
Please don't leave me and fly away, my lovely partner.
Don't, don't fly away
Don't depart, don't abandon me.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: Bob Hilliard, Burt Bacharach
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@snowngeorgia
Who’s still listening to these classics? EVERYBODY!
@z1522
RIP Mr. Bacharach - sixty years on, and these lesser known songs prove on another level, the resonance and emotional depth of his music, in many ways more significantly than in his "Greatest Hits" that everyone is familiar with. He made so many careers, like Jackson's, then came Dusty and Dionne, with Hal David's words by then, for the singers to convey. Hard to mourn a life so long, instead be thankful he left so much.
@ellajohnson8270
Ditto!!! A simply divine song that makes the heart ♥ skip a beautiful beat! So sad MOST music of today does NOT compare to such genuine artisty...
@maxfirefantasyreport
very poetic of you ❤
@lawrencedavidson6195
Very nice comment. Greetings from Jamaica.
@ghostrider-ek8gu
This was the perfect song for Chuck Jackson, who had a powerful voice and soulful sound.
@Max23465789
High school wonderful!
@ericwilson8281
This made him a star.
@ericwilson8281
A classic gem.!! My generation had the best music that will ever be recorded. I was nine when this was released.
@wareidav
My good god what an arrangement.... Stunning vocal... Stunning backing choir... Stunning strings.... Just stunning.