He was born in Gretna, Louisiana, as Vincent Francis Guzzo, across the Mississippi River from New Orleans, and was the adopted son of Vincent and Anna Guzzo, who named him Vincent Francis Guzzo, Jr. He learned to sing and dance at an early age, and when at high school joined a group, the Syncopators, as singer and pianist. He was spotted by manager Joe Caronna, who took him to Johnny Vincent of Ace Records. Taking the stage name Frankie Ford, he made his first recordings for Ace in 1958. He toured locally in Louisiana, before recording a vocal overdub on the song "Sea Cruise", a song written and originally recorded by Huey "Piano" Smith with his group, the Clowns, and featuring overdubbed bells and ships' horns.. As Smith already had a record in the charts, and was away touring, the record label decided to release Ford's version, and it rose to #14 on the US pop chart and #11 on the R&B chart, selling over one million copies, and gaining gold disc status.
Ford toured widely around the US, but his later records were less successful, with his versions of "Alimony" and "Time After Time" only reaching the lower reaches of the national charts. He also recorded a novelty record in praise of a local TV presenter, "Morgus the Magnificent", with musicians including Mac Rebennack and Jerry Byrne, but it failed to sell. Ace released an LP by Ford, Let's Take A Sea Cruise With Frankie Ford, before the singer moved to Imperial Records in late 1960. He recorded with producer Dave Bartholomew, and released a version of "You Talk Too Much", but Ford's recording missed out in competition with one by Joe Jones which was issued almost simultaneously. In 1961, his version of Boyd Bennett's 1955 hit "Seventeen" was Ford's last chart entry.
Ford was drafted in 1962, and performed for troops in Japan, Vietnam and Korea. He later recorded occasionally for small labels, but mainly performed in clubs in and around New Orleans. He appeared in the 1978 movie American Hot Wax, and toured in Britain and Europe, recording the album New Orleans Dynamo in London in 1984. He continued to record and perform through the 1990s. Ford co-owned the Briarmeade record label, which issued several singles and albums by him from the 1970s to the 2000s. On May 16, 2010, at the Louisiana Music Homecoming in Erwinville, Ford was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.
Ford died in Gretna at the age of 76 on September 28, 2015, following a long illness.
Sick and Tired
Frankie Ford Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh baby, whatcha gonna do
I'm sick and tired of foolin' around with you
Wake up in the mornin' fix you somethin' to eat,
'fore I go to work I even brush your teeth
Get home in the evenin' and you're still in bed
Got yourself a rag tied 'round you're head.
Oh baby, whatcha gonna do
I'm sick and tired of foolin' around with you
I'm tellin' you baby you'd better change your ways
I'm tellin' you baby I mean what I say
Last time tellin you to stop that jive
Gonna find yourself outside
Oh baby, whatcha gonna do
I'm sick and tired of foolin' around with you
Last time tellin' you baby you'd better change your ways
Last time tellin' you baby I mean what I say
Last time tellin you to stop that jive
Gonna find yourself outside
Oh baby, whatcha gonna do
I'm sick and tired of foolin' around with you
The lyrics of Frankie Ford's "Sick and Tired" portray a lover who has had enough of their partner's careless behavior. The singer expresses their dissatisfaction with their lover's laziness, telling them to wake up in the morning, fix themselves up, and stop lounging around in bed. The chorus repeats the phrase "Oh baby, whatcha gonna do," emphasizing the strain that the singer's patience has reached.
The lyrics continue with a warning that the singer is at their limit, and their lover needs to change their ways. They mention that they've already told their partner to stop, and if they don't, they'll find themselves out on the streets. The song's overall message is one of frustration and tough love, with the singer ready to end the relationship if their partner doesn't shape up.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh baby, whatcha gonna do
Asking the partner to take some action or make some changes for the betterment of the relationship
I'm sick and tired of foolin' around with you
Expressing frustration and exhaustion with the frivolous behavior and lack of commitment in the relationship
Wake up in the mornin' fix you somethin' to eat, 'fore I go to work I even brush your teeth
Highlighting the singer's efforts to take care of their partner's basic needs before leaving for work
Get home in the evenin' and you're still in bed, Got yourself a rag tied 'round you're head.
Revealing the partner's laziness and indifference towards their own personal hygiene and daily routine
I'm telling you baby you'd better change your ways, I'm telling you baby I mean what I say
Warning the partner that the artist is serious about wanting a positive change in the relationship
Last time tellin' you baby you'd better change your ways, Last time tellin' you baby I mean what I say
Reiterating the previous warning and emphasizing the urgency for the partner to take action
Last time tellin you to stop that jive, Gonna find yourself outside
Threatening to break up with the partner if they continue with their careless and reckless ways
Oh baby, whatcha gonna do, I'm sick and tired of foolin' around with you
Repeating the initial lines of the chorus to emphasize the urgency for the partner to take action and end their frivolous behavior
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: FRANCIS DOMINIC NICHOLAS ROSSI, RICHARD JOHN PARFITT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
John Benn
WOW WOW WOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
From a mad keen 75yo Aussie fan.