While studying Textile Design at FIT in Manhattan, Knuckles began working as a DJ. He played soul, disco and R&B at The Continental Baths (1968) with fellow-DJ Larry Levan. Shortly after this, he began to gain notoriety and played at Better Days. When the Warehouse opened in Chicago in 1977 he was invited to play on a regular basis. He continued DJing there until 1982, at which point he started his own club, The Power Plant. When business difficulties caused it to fold, he moved back to NYC, and was the featured resident DJ at The World, and also had numerous subsequent residencies, including The Choice.
It was around this time that he began to immerse himself in producing, remixing and recording. His career really took off as a result. His earliest remixes include First Choice's "Let No Man Put Asunder" and Jago's "I'm Going To Go". As house music gained momentum, pioneering producer Chip E. took Frankie under his tutelage and produced Frankie's first recording, "You Can't Hide", featuring vocalist Ricky Dillard. Then came more production work, including Jamie Principle's "Baby Wants to Ride", and later, "Tears (feat. Robert Owens)" with Satoshi Tomiie.
Knuckles did a number of popular Def Classic Mixes with John Poppo as sound engineer. Knuckles partnered with David Morales on Def Mix Productions. With several important original productions and remixes to his name, by the early 1990s, Knuckles was becoming a well-known name in the increasingly popular house music genre.
In 1991, Knuckles' debut album Beyond the Mix, released on Virgin Records, contained "The Whistle Song". The Def Classic Mix of "Change" by Lisa Stansfield done around this period also featured the whistle like motif. Another track from the album, "Rain Falls" featured vocals from Lisa Michaelis. Key remixes from this time include his rework of the Electribe 101 anthem "Talking With Myself" and "Where Love Lives" by Alison Limerick. 8,000 copies of the album had sold by 2004.
When Junior Vasquez took a sabbatical from Manhattan's The Sound Factory, he took over and launched a successful run as resident DJ until Vasquez made his return, at which point Knuckles became the resident DJ at The Sound Factory Bar. Knuckles remained part of the underground scene. Knuckles won the 1997 Grammy Award for Remixer of the Year, Non-Classical.
Knuckles continued to work as a remixer through the 1990s and into the next decade, reworking tracks from Michael Jackson, Luther Vandross, Diana Ross, Eternal and Toni Braxton. He released several new singles, including "Keep on Movin'" and a re-issue of an earlier hit "Bac N Da Day" with Definity Records. In 1995, he released his second album titled Welcome to the Real World. By 2004, 13,000 copies had sold.
In 2004, he released a thirteen track album of original material - his first in over a decade, entitled A New Reality, which was critically well received. In October 2004 "Your Love" appeared in the videogame Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, playing on house music radio station, SF-UR. On 19 September 2005, Knuckles was inducted into the Dance Music Hall of Fame for his outstanding achievement as a DJ.
Knuckles is featured in the 2006 documentary film, The UnUsual Suspects - Once Upon a Time in House Music by Chip E., and the 2005 documentary film, Maestro by Josell Ramos.
tears
Frankie Knuckles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm crying
Tears so many
Tears
So so many tears (repeat 8 times)
I am real good actor
This is a heavy road
Like a clown and I've been smiling
Whenever people are all around
But when the curtain comes down and the circus is through
No one is left but me and you and all my tears
So many tears my tears
One word could wash them away
One word could take their place
One word could wash them away
One word could take their place
Tears
Regretting nothing but the pain
My heart my life my world is filled with rain
I'm drowning when the curtain comes down and the circus is through
No one is left but me you and all my tears
One word could wash them away
One word could take their place
One word could wash them away so many
One word could take their place so many
One word could wash them away so many
One word could take their place so many
Tears
So many tears, tears one word could wash them away
Baby I just want to step back and look at my eyes
I've been crying girl cant you see
Oh girl
That dripping and dropping and dropping and dripping and
dripping and dropping and dropping and dripping and
dripping and dropping and dropping and dripping and
dripping and dropping and dropping and dripping and
dripping and dropping and dropping and dripping and
dripping and dropping and dropping and dripping and
dripping and dropping ,.
One word could wash them away
One word could take their place (all over me)
One word could wash them away (tears)
One word could take their place so many
One word could wash them away so many
One word could take their place so many tears
One word could wash them away
One word could take their place
One word could wash them away
One word could take their place (teeeaaarrrsssss)
One word could wash them away
One word could take their place
One word could wash them away
One word could take their place
One word could wash them away
One word could take their place
One word could wash them away
One word could take their place
You gotta come off that stage baby
Come on home and rescues me
I want you to sing for me girl
I want you to dance for me baby
Move that body for me
Come on baby
One word could wash them away
One word could take their place
One word could wash them away
One word could take their place
One word could wash them away
One word could take their place
The lyrics of Frankie Knuckles's song "Tears" explore the themes of love, control, regret, and the power of words. The song is about a tragic relationship that is falling apart, with one partner having total control over the other's emotions. The singer is crying and expressing the pain and heartbreak caused by the relationship.
The first verse describes the singer's emotions, with repetition of the words "tears" and "so many tears" highlighting the intensity of his sadness. He then describes himself as a good actor, implying that he has been pretending to be happy in the relationship. The metaphorical reference to the relationship being a script emphasizes the theme of control, with one partner manipulating the other's emotions.
The second verse emphasizes the theme of regret and despair, with the singer describing his heart and world as being filled with rain. The metaphor of drowning emphasizes his feelings of helplessness and powerlessness. The repeated references to "one word" suggest that the singer is searching for a way to escape the pain and start anew.
Overall, the lyrics of "Tears" offer a poignant look at the effects of a controlling and manipulative relationship, as well as the power of words to either hurt or heal.
Line by Line Meaning
Look at me baby
I am drawing your attention to me
I'm crying
I am shedding tears
Tears so many
I am crying a lot
Tears
So so many tears (repeat 8 times)
I am shedding an extreme amount of tears
I am real good actor
I am skilled at hiding my true feelings
This is a heavy road
Our relationship is difficult to navigate
Our love's a script and you carry total control
You have complete authority in our relationship
Like a clown and I've been smiling
I am pretending to be happy like a clown
Whenever people are all around
I only pretend to be happy when in public
But when the curtain comes down and the circus is through
No one is left but me and you and all my tears
So many tears my tears
When we are alone, my true emotions surface and I cry an overwhelming amount of tears
One word could wash them away
One word could take their place
One word could wash them away
One word could take their place
Tears
I need something to alleviate my sadness and tears
Regretting nothing but the pain
My heart my life my world is filled with rain
I'm drowning when the curtain comes down and the circus is through
No one is left but me you and all my tears
I have no regrets except for the pain I am experiencing. My life is filled with sadness and I feel like I am drowning in it.
Baby I just want to step back and look at my eyes
I've been crying girl cant you see
Oh girl
That dripping and dropping and dropping and dripping and
dripping and dropping and dropping and dripping and
dripping and dropping and dropping and dripping and
dripping and dropping and dropping and dripping and
dripping and dropping and dropping and dripping and
dripping and dropping and dropping and dripping and
dripping and dropping ,.
I want to see the extent of my sadness in my eyes. I want you to acknowledge my tears by seeing them drip down my face
You gotta come off that stage baby
Come on home and rescues me
I want you to sing for me girl
I want you to dance for me baby
Move that body for me
Come on baby
I need you to leave your public persona behind and come home to me. I want you to entertain me and distract me from my sadness.
One word could wash them away
One word could take their place
One word could wash them away
One word could take their place
One word could wash them away
One word could take their place
One word could wash them away
One word could take their place
One word could wash them away
One word could take their place
One word could wash them away
One word could take their place
One word could wash them away
One word could take their place
I am desperate for something to fix my sadness
Lyrics © JELLYBEAN MUSIC GROUP, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: FRANCISCO BAUTISTA, NATE HILLS, CLAUDE KELLY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@fastfoils
Brings me back to the days of the "classic warehouse" parties in Toronto in the late 80's. Truly was the best time of my life. Dancing all night until the sun came up to this new post disco sound. No pills needed, just getting high on the fantastic music. I still at 51 listen to house music daily.
@JazzFunkSoulHouseYT
Exactly my experience too, living in London at the time (and we are the same age )
@kabelomonareng6325
Master piece🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
@pally_wally
Beaches bro. Loved it
@aarongregory8160
Y wouldn't u... it's what keeps you in tuned with were the best years of your life while relating to trials n tribulations you've also had as a part of your grown n midlife pits n valleys that shaped u to whom you are today...so it will always have that resignation in your life...how do I know... I'll be 47 next month lord willing n all I spoke of I'm a product of it my boy...from Newark NJ!!!🗣️📣✊💪🏼😅😂🤣😭be blessed!!!
@dawannadejesus
"Drippin and Droppin and Droppin and Drippin... All over me!"
@bryangrubb1951
❤
@bleuvelvetdream2954
😂😂😂😂😂😂
@bleuvelvetdream2954
Mad west vibes. S/O2 jersey fried😂🎉🎉🎉🎉ole head😊
@dawannadejesus
No, definitely New York vibes... And yes I'm "ol head" and proud of it! 😉