Born Esther Mae Jones in Galveston, Texas, when she was an adolescent, her parents divorced, and she was forced to divide her time between her father in Houston and her mother in the Watts area of Los Angeles. Because she was brought up singing in church, she was hesitant to enter a talent contest at a local blues club, but her sister insisted and she complied. A mature singer at age fourteen, she won the amateur talent contest in 1949 at the Barrelhouse Club owned by Johnny Otis. Otis was so impressed that he recorded her for Modern Records and added her to his traveling revue, the California Rhythm and Blues Caravan, billed as 'Little Esther Phillips' (she reportedly took the surname from a gas station sign).
Her first hit record was Double Crossing Blues, recorded in 1950 for Savoy Records. After several hit records with Savoy, including her duet with Mel Walker on Mistrusting Blues, which went to number one that year, as did "Cupid Boogie". Other Phillips records that made it onto the U.S. Billboard R&B chart in 1950 include "Misery" (number 9), "Deceivin' Blues" (number 4), "Wedding Boogie" (number 6), and "Faraway Blues" (number 6). Few female artists, R&B or otherwise, had ever enjoyed such success in their debut year. Phillips left Otis and the Savoy label at the end of 1950 and signed with Federal Records.
But just as quickly as the hits had started, they stopped. Although she recorded more than thirty sides for Federal, only one, Ring-a-Ding-Doo, charted; the song made it to number 8 in 1952. Not working with Otis was part of her problem; the other part was her drug usage. By the middle of the decade Phillips was chronically addicted to drugs.
In 1954, she returned to Houston to live with her father to recuperate. Short on money, she worked in small nightclubs around the South, punctuated by periodic hospital stays in Lexington, Kentucky, stemming from her addiction. In 1962, Kenny Rogers re-discovered her while singing at a Houston club and got her signed to his brother Lelan’s Lenox label.
Phillips ultimately got well enough to launch a comeback in 1962. Now billed as Esther Phillips instead of Little Esther, she recorded a country tune, Release Me, with producer Bob Gans. This went to number 1 R&B and number 8 on the pop listings. After several other minor R&B hits on Lenox, she was signed by Atlantic Records. Her cover of The Beatles' song And I Love Him nearly made the R&B Top Ten in 1965 and the Beatles flew her to the UK for her first overseas performances.
She had other hits in the 1960s on the label, but no more chart toppers, and she waged a battle with heroin dependency. With her addiction worsening, Phillips checked into a rehab facility. While undergoing treatment, she cut some sides for Roulette in 1969, mostly produced by Lelan Rogers. On her release, she moved back to Los Angeles and re-signed with the Atlantic label. A late 1969 gig at Freddie Jett's Pied Piper club produced the album Burnin'. She performed with the Johnny Otis Show at the Monterey Jazz Festival in 1970.
One of her biggest post-1950s triumphs was in 1972 with her first album for Kudu Records. The song penned by Gil Scott-Heron, Home Is Where the Hatred Is, - an account of drug use — was lead track on From a Whisper to a Scream which went on to be nominated for a Grammy Award. When Phillips lost to Aretha Franklin, the latter presented the trophy to Phillips, saying she should have won it instead.
Taylor continued to cut albums with her until in 1975, she scored her biggest hit single since "Release Me" with a disco-style update of Dinah Washington's What a Diff'rence a Day Makes. It reached a high of a Top 20 chart appearance in the U.S., and Top 10 in the UK Singles Chart. On November 8, 1975 she performed the song on an episode of NBC's Saturday Night hosted by Candice Bergen. The accompanying album of the same name became her biggest seller yet, with arranger Joe Beck on guitar, Michael Brecker on tenor sax, David Sanborn on alto sax, and Randy Brecker on trumpet to Steve Khan on guitar and Don Grolnick on keyboards.
She continued to record and perform throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, completing a total of seven albums on Kudu and four with Mercury Records, for whom she signed in 1977. In 1983, she charted for the final time on a tiny independent label, Winning with Turn Me Out, which reached #85 R&B. She completed recording her final album a few months before her death, but it was not until 1986 that the label (Muse) released the record.
Phillips died at UCLA Medical Center in Carson, California in 1984, at the age of 48 from liver and kidney failure due to drug use. Her funeral services were conducted by Johnny Otis, and she was buried in the Morning Light section, at Forest Lawn - Hollywood Hills Cemetery in Los Angeles. The bronze marker recognizes her career achievements, as well as quoting a Bible passage, "In My Father's House Are Many Mansions" - St. John 14:2
Ups and Downs
Esther Phillips Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Another thirty nine inch thick classic (yeah,yeah,yeah,yeah)
Girl, as I sit here thinking to myself
There is no one for you but me, and I mean that
And I think about all the things we've been through
Like arguing and fighting for example
You know the love we have for each other
It tends to out weigh what do to another
Ya know he used to say it like this
There will be, ups and downs, smiles and frowns
Share with me, fairy tales or make believe
There will be, ups and downs, smiles and frowns
Share with me, fairy tales or make believe
There will be, ups and downs, smiles and frowns
Share with me, fairy tales or make believe
What up motherfuckers? This is snoop dogg
I'm trying to figure out how the fuck I'm gonna do y'all
Hanging with my homie from the turf, that's young q-ball
Giving me the word from the street, here's the scoop y'all
The niggas from the eastsidaz split up (split up)
And one of 'em tried to fuck yo' shit up (what?)
No cause, don't believe that, that's my nigga for life
I'm out with the bullshit, I'm in with the real shit
I'm at the church doing work, spitting game from the pulpit
Now that's the bidness, and god is my witness
L-B-C-2-1-3 hell yeah, we in this
Its so relentless, and all my dogs up against the life sentence
I love y'all, like I love no bitch, and that's real shit
Or some crip shit, homie dig this
There will be, ups and downs, smiles and frowns
Share with me, fairy tales or make believe
There will be, ups and downs, smiles and frowns
Share with me, fairy tales or make believe
There will be, ups and downs, smiles and frowns
Share with me, fairy tales or make believe
I used to have a lot broads that I don't fool with
I used to have a lot of homeboys I ain't cool with
A lot people that a nigga used to go to school with
Happy as hell to see the big dog doing it
But what none of them would believe though (what?)
That I would be bigger the Kurtis blow
I guess he was right, these are the breaks
Despite my mistakes and aches, I'm gettin' cake
To realize your fate through faith, (through faith)
Cause we all gonna get that day (for what)
To see if our lives was straight
And to see if we gonna walk through those pearly gates (yeah?)
To see the man upstairs, on some real talk homie
I'm tires of being stuck here
If I could I would fly to the moon (zoom)
Y'all probably think I'm tripping off these mushrooms (i know)
There will be, ups and downs, smiles and frowns
Share with me, fairy tales or make believe
There will be, ups and downs, smiles and frowns
Share with me, fairy tales or make believe
There will be, ups and downs,
Smiles and frowns
Share with me, fairy tales or make believe
Now as I think back to the words my granddaddy used to say
I never seen him in church, but he always had the word
He would always tell me! sometimes you gotta take the good with the bad
You gotta do bad in order to do good
The Esther Phillips song "Ups and Downs" is all about the highs and lows of relationships. She sings about the struggles she and her partner have faced - arguing, fighting, and whatnot - but ultimately the love they share outweighs all of that. Phillips' grandfather's wise words are also featured prominently throughout the song. He used to say "there will be ups and downs, smiles and frowns" and that you have to take the good with the bad. The song is a reflection of the many difficulties encountered in relationships but also the resilience and strength that love can provide.
The song is also notable for the inclusion of a verse by rapper Snoop Dogg. His rap verses discuss his own experiences with difficult relationships, both romantically and in terms of friendship. Snoop also echoes some of the themes Phillips sings about, particularly the idea that there will be "ups and downs" in life no matter what. Overall, "Ups and Downs" is a strength-affirming, life-affirming anthem that encourages listeners to keep pushing through the hard times.
Line by Line Meaning
Every dog has his day
Everyone will have a successful moment in their life.
Another thirty nine inch thick classic (yeah,yeah,yeah,yeah)
This song is yet another hit song.
Girl, as I sit here thinking to myself
As the singer reflects alone, she thinks of her lover.
There is no one for you but me, and I mean that
I am the only one for you and I am sincere.
And I think about all the things we've been through
When I reminisce on our experiences together...
Like arguing and fighting for example
...such as our disagreements and conflicts.
You know the love we have for each other
The strong feeling of affection we share
It tends to out weigh what do to another
What we feel for each other is greater than any harm done by others.
Ya know my granddaddy use to always say
My grandfather would often tell me...
Ya know he used to say it like this
The way he would say it is...
There will be, ups and downs, smiles and frowns
Life has its high and low moments and happy and sad ones.
Share with me, fairy tales or make believe
Tell me imaginative stories or fantasy tales.
What up motherfuckers? This is snoop dogg
Snoop Dogg opens his part of the song with a greeting.
I'm trying to figure out how the fuck I'm gonna do y'all
Snoop Dogg is trying to work out how to entertain his audience.
Hanging with my homie from the turf, that's young q-ball
I'm chilling with my friend from the streets, young q-ball.
Giving me the word from the street, here's the scoop y'all
He's telling me the latest information and gossip from the streets.
The niggas from the eastsidaz split up (split up)
The Eastsidaz group disbanded.
And one of 'em tried to fuck yo' shit up (what?)
One of them attempted to ruin my career.
No cause, don't believe that, that's my nigga for life
Don't believe the rumors and gossip, he is still my friend for life.
I'm out with the bullshit, I'm in with the real shit
I'm done with the lies and nonsense, I'm moving on to reality.
I'm at the church doing work, spitting game from the pulpit
I'm in the church preaching and teaching with great fervor.
Now that's the bidness, and god is my witness
That's my mission, and God is my witness.
L-B-C-2-1-3 hell yeah, we in this
I'm from Long Beach, California, and we are here representing.
Its so relentless, and all my dogs up against the life sentence
The struggle is never-ending, and all of my friends are facing imprisonment.
I love y'all, like I love no bitch, and that's real shit
I cherish my friends, like no other person, and that's the truth.
Or some crip shit, homie dig this
This is some gangsta business, my friend, so listen up.
I used to have a lot broads that I don't fool with
I had many women, who I am no longer associated with.
I used to have a lot of homeboys I ain't cool with
I had many friends, who I no longer get along with anymore.
A lot people that a nigga used to go to school with
Many of the people I went to school with, I no longer associate with.
Happy as hell to see the big dog doing it
They are very happy to see my success.
But what none of them would believe though (what?)
What they wouldn't expect is...
That I would be bigger the Kurtis blow
Kurtis Blow is a rapper from the 80s, but I succeeded more than him.
I guess he was right, these are the breaks
Kurtis was right, life has its setbacks.
Despite my mistakes and aches, I'm gettin' cake
Despite my errors and sorrows, I'm earning money.
To realize your fate through faith, (through faith)
To comprehend your destiny through belief.
Cause we all gonna get that day (for what)
We will all have that fateful day (death).
To see if our lives was straight
To see if we lived a respectable life.
And to see if we gonna walk through those pearly gates (yeah?)
And to see if we will enter heaven.
To see the man upstairs, on some real talk homie
To meet God, in all honesty, my friend.
I'm tires of being stuck here
I'm tired of being trapped in this life.
If I could I would fly to the moon (zoom)
If possible, I'd rather escape to the moon quickly.
Y'all probably think I'm tripping off these mushrooms (i know)
You might believe I'm hallucinating from intake of mushrooms, but I'm not.
Now as I think back to the words my granddaddy used to say
As I recollect what my grandfather would say...
I never seen him in church, but he always had the word
I never witnessed him attending church, but he always had words of wisdom.
He would always tell me! sometimes you gotta take the good with the bad
He would frequently remind me that we must accept both positive and negative experiences.
You gotta do bad in order to do good
One must experience difficulties to learn to better oneself.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG Rights Management, Songtrust Ave
Written by: MAURICE ERNEST GIBB, ROBIN HUGH GIBB, BARRY ALAN GIBB, CORDOZAR BROADUS, WARRYN S. CAMPBELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind