Teardrops On Your Letter
Hank Ballard (November 18, 1936 – March 2, 2003), born John Henry Kendricks… Read Full Bio ↴Hank Ballard (November 18, 1936 – March 2, 2003), born John Henry Kendricks, was a rhythm and blues singer and songwriter, the lead vocalist of Hank Ballard and The Midnighters and one of the first rock 'n' roll artists to emerge in the early 1950s. He played an integral part in the development of the genre, releasing the hit singles "Work With Me, Annie" and answer songs "Annie Had a Baby" and "Annie's Aunt Fannie" with his Midnighters. He later wrote and recorded "The Twist" which spread the popularity of the dance and was notably covered by Chubby Checker. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.
Born John Henry Kendricks in Detroit, Michigan, Ballard along with his brother, Dove Ballard, grew up and attended school in Bessemer, Alabama after the death of their father. He lived with his paternal aunt and her husband, and began singing in church. His major vocal inspiration during his formative years was the "Singing Cowboy", Gene Autry, and in particular, his signature song, "Back in the Saddle Again". Ballard returned to Detroit in his teens and later worked on the assembly line for Ford.
In 1953, Ballard joined doo-wop group The Royals, which had previously been discovered by Johnny Otis and signed to Federal Records, (a division of King Records), in Cincinnati. Ballard joined Henry Booth, Charles Sutton, Sonny Woods and Alonzo Tucker in the group, replacing previous singer Lawson Smith.
The Royals released "Get It" (1953), an R&B song with possibly sexually oriented lyrics, which some radio stations refused to play, although it still made it to number 6 on the Billboard R&B chart.
The group then changed its name to The Midnighters to avoid confusion with The "5" Royales. In 1954, Ballard wrote a song called "Work with Me, Annie" that was drawn from "Get It". It became The Midnighters' first major R&B hit, spending seven weeks at number 1 on the R&B charts and also selling well in mainstream markets, along with the answer songs "Annie Had a Baby" and "Annie's Aunt Fannie"; all were banned by the FCC from radio air play. Their third major hit was "Sexy Ways", a song that cemented the band's reputation as one of the most risqué groups of the time.
They had four other R&B chart hits in 1954–55, but no others until 1959, by which time the group was billed as "Hank Ballard and The Midnighters" with their label changed from Federal to King, the parent label. Between 1959 and 1961 they had several more both on the R&B and Pop charts, starting with "Teardrops on Your Letter", a number 4 R&B hit in 1960 that had as its B-side the Ballard-written song "The Twist". A few months later, Chubby Checker's cover version of the song went to number 1 on the pop charts. It would return to the top of the charts again in 1962–the only song in the rock'n'roll era to reach number 1 in two different years.
Ballard & the Midnighters had several other hit singles through 1961, including the Grammy-nominated "Finger Poppin' Time" and "Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go" which hit number 7 and number 6, respectively, on the Billboard pop charts. They did not reach the charts again after 1962 and dissolved in 1965.
After the Midnighters disbanded, Ballard launched a solo career. His 1968 single, "How You Gonna Get Respect (When You Haven't Cut Your Process Yet)", was his biggest post-Midnighters hit, peaking at number 15 on the R&B chart. James Brown produced Ballard's 1969 album You Can't Keep a Good Man Down. A 1972 single, "From the Love Side", credited to Hank Ballard and the Midnight Lighters, went to number 43 on the R&B chart. Ballard also appeared on Brown's 1972 album Get on the Good Foot, in a track ("Recitation By Hank Ballard") that features Ballard describing Brown and the album.
During the 1960s, Ballard's cousin, Florence Ballard, was a member of the Detroit girl group The Supremes.
In the mid-1980s, Ballard re-formed The Midnighters and the group performed till 2002.
In 1990, Ballard was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; the other Midnighters were inducted in 2012.
On March 2, 2003, he died at age 66 of throat cancer in his Los Angeles home. He was buried at Greenwood Cemetery in Atlanta, Georgia.
Ballard was the great uncle of NFL player Christian Ballard.
Born John Henry Kendricks in Detroit, Michigan, Ballard along with his brother, Dove Ballard, grew up and attended school in Bessemer, Alabama after the death of their father. He lived with his paternal aunt and her husband, and began singing in church. His major vocal inspiration during his formative years was the "Singing Cowboy", Gene Autry, and in particular, his signature song, "Back in the Saddle Again". Ballard returned to Detroit in his teens and later worked on the assembly line for Ford.
In 1953, Ballard joined doo-wop group The Royals, which had previously been discovered by Johnny Otis and signed to Federal Records, (a division of King Records), in Cincinnati. Ballard joined Henry Booth, Charles Sutton, Sonny Woods and Alonzo Tucker in the group, replacing previous singer Lawson Smith.
The Royals released "Get It" (1953), an R&B song with possibly sexually oriented lyrics, which some radio stations refused to play, although it still made it to number 6 on the Billboard R&B chart.
The group then changed its name to The Midnighters to avoid confusion with The "5" Royales. In 1954, Ballard wrote a song called "Work with Me, Annie" that was drawn from "Get It". It became The Midnighters' first major R&B hit, spending seven weeks at number 1 on the R&B charts and also selling well in mainstream markets, along with the answer songs "Annie Had a Baby" and "Annie's Aunt Fannie"; all were banned by the FCC from radio air play. Their third major hit was "Sexy Ways", a song that cemented the band's reputation as one of the most risqué groups of the time.
They had four other R&B chart hits in 1954–55, but no others until 1959, by which time the group was billed as "Hank Ballard and The Midnighters" with their label changed from Federal to King, the parent label. Between 1959 and 1961 they had several more both on the R&B and Pop charts, starting with "Teardrops on Your Letter", a number 4 R&B hit in 1960 that had as its B-side the Ballard-written song "The Twist". A few months later, Chubby Checker's cover version of the song went to number 1 on the pop charts. It would return to the top of the charts again in 1962–the only song in the rock'n'roll era to reach number 1 in two different years.
Ballard & the Midnighters had several other hit singles through 1961, including the Grammy-nominated "Finger Poppin' Time" and "Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go" which hit number 7 and number 6, respectively, on the Billboard pop charts. They did not reach the charts again after 1962 and dissolved in 1965.
After the Midnighters disbanded, Ballard launched a solo career. His 1968 single, "How You Gonna Get Respect (When You Haven't Cut Your Process Yet)", was his biggest post-Midnighters hit, peaking at number 15 on the R&B chart. James Brown produced Ballard's 1969 album You Can't Keep a Good Man Down. A 1972 single, "From the Love Side", credited to Hank Ballard and the Midnight Lighters, went to number 43 on the R&B chart. Ballard also appeared on Brown's 1972 album Get on the Good Foot, in a track ("Recitation By Hank Ballard") that features Ballard describing Brown and the album.
During the 1960s, Ballard's cousin, Florence Ballard, was a member of the Detroit girl group The Supremes.
In the mid-1980s, Ballard re-formed The Midnighters and the group performed till 2002.
In 1990, Ballard was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; the other Midnighters were inducted in 2012.
On March 2, 2003, he died at age 66 of throat cancer in his Los Angeles home. He was buried at Greenwood Cemetery in Atlanta, Georgia.
Ballard was the great uncle of NFL player Christian Ballard.
Teardrops On Your Letter
Hank Ballard & The Midnighters Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'Teardrops On Your Letter' by these artists:
Don Azpiazu And His Orchestra I'm gonna paper all my walls with your love letters And…
Hank Ballard Teardrops on your letter That I got from you Made me realize…
Hank Ballard The Midnighters Teardrops on your letter That I got from you Made me realize…
We have lyrics for these tracks by Hank Ballard & The Midnighters:
Annie Had A Baby Annie had a baby, can't work no more No, no, no,…
Cute Little Ways Baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, Tell me what you're gonna do B…
Do You Know How to Twist Everybody is twisting now Everybody is learning how Put on…
Do You Know How To Twist? Everybody is twisting now Everybody is learning how Put on a…
Finger Poppin' Time Hey now, hey now, hey now, hey now It's finger pop…
Finger Poppin´ Time (Hey now, hey now, hey now, hey now It's finger pop…
Float I'm a spaceman Sent from the moon Shot off a missole And hea…
Kansas City I′m going to Kansas City Kansas City, here I come I'm going…
Keep On Dancing Keep on dancing Til your feet get sore Keep on dancing Til y…
Let's Go Again There's a thrill upon the hill Let's go, let's a-go, let's…
Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go 2: 24 Trk 12 (Hank…
Let's GoLet's GoLet's Go There's a thrill upon the hill Let's go, let's a-go, let's…
Let´s go Let´s go Let´s go There's a thrill upon the hill Let's go, let's a-go, let's…
Mona Lisa Mona Lisa, Mona Lisa men have named you You're so like…
Oh So Happy Ooooh-oh-ooooh I'm so happy, mmm-hmmm I'm just as happy as I…
Santa Claus Is Coming I just came back from a lovely trip along the…
Sexy Ways I said a shake baby shake baby shake till the…
The Float I'm a spaceman Sent from the moon Shot off a missole And hea…
The Twist Come on baby let's do the twist Come on baby let's…
Tore Up Over You EVER SINCE YOU`VE BEEN GONE I`VE CRIED THE WHOLE NIGHT LONG…
Twist Come on baby let's do the twist Come on baby let's…
What's Your Name Let's go have some fun tonight I's time to unwind…
Whatsoever You Do Everybody is twisting now Everybody is learning how Put on a…
Work With Me Ooh, work with me, Annie (a-um, a-um) Work with me, Annie,…
We have lyrics for these tracks by Hank Ballard:
Annie Had a Baby Annie had a baby, can't work no more No, no, no,…
Do You Know How to Twist Everybody is twisting now Everybody is learning how Put on a…
Finger Poppin Time Hey now, hey now, hey now, hey now It's finger pop…
Let There's a thrill upon the hill Let's go, let's a-go, let's…
Let Go Lets Go Lets Go There's a thrill upon the hill Let's go, let's a-go, let's…
Let's Go Again There's a thrill upon the hill Let's go, let's a-go, let's…
Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go 2: 24 Trk 12 (Hank…
Lets Go Lets Go Lets Go There's a thrill upon the hill Let's go, let's a-go, let's…
Let’s Go, Let’s Go, Let’s Go Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go 2: 24 Trk 12 (Hank…
MRS. Santa Claus I just came back from a lovely trip along the…
Oh So Happy Ooooh-oh-ooooh I'm so happy, mmm-hmmm I'm just as happy as…
Santa Claus Is Comin' I just came back from a lovely trip along the…
Sexy Ways I said a shake baby shake baby shake till the…
Sunday Morning Coming Down Well I woke up Sunday morning With no way to hold…
Teardrops On Your Letter Teardrops on your letter That I got from you Made me realize…
The Twist Come on baby let's do the twist Come on baby let's…
Tore Up Over You EVER SINCE YOU`VE BEEN GONE I`VE CRIED THE WHOLE NIGHT LONG…
Twistin' With Annie Oooh! Work with me, Annie (a-um, a-um) Work with me,…
Whatsonerver You Do Everybody is twisting now Everybody is learning how Put on a…
Work With Me Oooh! Work with me, Annie (a-um, a-um) Work with me, Anni…
We have lyrics for these tracks by The Midnighters:
Annie Had a Baby Annie had a baby, can't work no more No, no, no,…
Finger Poppin' Time Hey now, hey now, hey now, hey now It's finger pop…
Land of a Thousand Dances One, two, three! One, two, three! You gotta know how to po…
Let's Go Let's Go Let's Go There's a thrill upon the hill Let's go, let's a-go, let's…
Sad Girl Sad girl, You look so sad. Did he break your heart? Gee, tha…
Sexy Ways I said a shake baby shake baby shake till the…
The Twist Come on baby let's do the twist Come on baby let's…
Tore Up Over You EVER SINCE YOU`VE BEEN GONE I`VE CRIED THE WHOLE NIGHT LONG…
Whatsonever You Do Everybody is twisting now Everybody is learning how Put on a…
Work with me Oooh! Work with me, Annie (a-um, a-um) Work with me, Anni…
Work With Me Annie Ooh, work with me, Annie (a-um, a-um) Work with me, Annie,…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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@pab1941
One of the very best artist from 1950 on to the present. This slow drag music is fantastic!
@dianethurston8036
Love the song this man had a beautiful voice, love his music thank Mr. Hank Ballard for your wonderful music rip
@jimw12
Very underrated song. I'm glad to see that some people are looking at some of the more underrated artists from one of the best eras for music.
@denisjl100
i agree although hank didn't get his recognition because a lot of his music had rique lyrics and he refused to change them. so white stations wouldn't play anything he released. dick clark finally got him some recognition when he had chubby checker release the twist and when hank complained dick clark started giving hank gigs on american bandstand. he also used hank's finger poppin' time in a dance contest on american bandstand as well.
@srercrcr
One of my first R&B records and my all-time Top 50....the flip of the original Twist.
@darrylevans4401
Love this one baby play this on my internet radio show Classic Soul mercy.
@leegroce7566
One of the greatest songs written, sung by one of the greatest. I'm listening to that song now on a vinyl. love him.. Peace
@mrstanbmw
Great Artist, very understated those who know the history of R and B know that this guy was a Giant
@mpo1107
I love this song.
@cynthia6637
LOVE-LOVE THIS SONG.. INDEED.. CAN'T ASK FOR A BETTER SONG..