Wilson's solo career begin with 1957's "Reet Petite", written by the then unknown Berry Gordy, Jr. and recorded on the Brunswick Records label with whom Wilson would remain throughout his career. He had his first top 40 hit in 1958 with "To Be Loved". At the end of that year he had his first big success with "Lonely Teardrops" that went to #7 on the charts. The song, also written by Berry Gordy, Jr. became his signature tune. That same year saw Wilson release his first LP titled He's So Fine.
Wilson's brand of pop-soul and R&B helped him cross over to the mainstream, having several pop hits. His dynamic stage performances earned him the nickname "Mr. Excitement". His performance of "Lonely Teardrops" on the Ed Sullivan Show is considered one of its classics. In the 1960s, Wilson continued to record singles, many of them operatic, such as "Danny Boy" or "Night", others were up-tempo and exciting, such as "Baby Workout" in 1963. Although married to Frida Hood since 1951, Wilson was a notorious womanizer and was shot and wounded by one of his alleged lovers, Juanita Jones, on February 15 1961 in a jealous rage as he returned to his apartment with another woman, fashion model Harlean Harris, an ex-girlfriend of singer Sam Cooke. As a married man conducting extra-marital affairs, his management decided, as a way not to damage his career, to concoct a story that Jones was an obsessed fan who threatened to shoot herself, and that Wilson's intervention concluded in him being shot. Astonishingly, the story was accepted, and no charges were brought against Juanita Jones. He was divorced from Frida in 1965, and married Harlean Harris from 1967 until his death in 1984.
His career began to suffer in the mid-60s, though he managed a brief revival by collaborating with Carl Davis, a legendary Chicago producer. This resulted in two hits, "Whispers" and "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher". The revival was short-lived, though, and Wilson rarely charted in the 1970s. Wilson suffered a massive heart attack while playing a Dick Clark show at the Latin Casino in New Jersey on September 29, 1975, falling head-first to the stage; he was singing "Lonely Teardrops". A comatose Wilson lived in a hospital until his death in 1984 at age 49. His medical costs were paid for by Dick Clark. In 1985, successful soul/funk band The Commodores, recorded "Nightshift" which was a song in memory of Wilson, as well as soul singer Marvin Gaye, who died in the same year as Wilson.
Van Morrison also recorded a tribute song called "Jackie Wilson Said (I'm In Heaven When You Smile)" on his 1972 hit album Saint Dominic's Preview. This song was later covered by Dexy's Midnight Runners. When the track was performed on the British TV show Top of the Pops, a picture of Wilson was intended to be used in the background - but an intentional joke by the band and the production staff meant that a picture of darts player Jocky Wilson was used instead. Wilson is mentioned in the rap song "thugs mansion" Tupac and Nas. The exact quote is, "Seen a show with Marvin Gaye last night, it had me shook Drinkinn peppermint Schnapps, with Jackie Wilson, and Sam Cooke".
Wilson scored a posthumous hit when "Reet Petite" reached number one in the United Kingdom in 1986. The following year,he also hit the UK charts again with "I Get The Sweetest Feeling"(No.3), and "Higher and Higher"(No.11). He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987; that same year, he was portrayed in the Richie Valens biopic La Bamba by Howard Huntsberry.
Wilson is interred in the Westlawn Cemetery in Wayne, Michigan.
As Long As I Live
Jackie Wilson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Or it be one hundred years
I'll keep remembering forever and ever
I'll love you, dear, as long as I live
It was easy said that night we parted
That we'd forget we'd ever met
I haven't forgotten, I wonder if you have
As long as I live if it be one hour
Or it be one hundred years
I'll keep remembering forever and ever
I'll love you, dear, as long as I live
I never thought that night we parted
That life without you would be this bad
It may sound funny but I can't forget you
The only happiness I've ever had
As long as I live if it be one hour
Or it be one hundred years
I'll keep remembering forever and ever
I'll love you, dear, as long as I live
The song "As Long As I Live" by Jackie Wilson tackles the theme of lasting love and the inability to forget someone even after years have passed. The lyrics highlight the depth of love that the singer has for someone, stating that even after a hundred years or just one hour, he will continue to remember and love this person. The language is emotional and sincere, conveying the sense of longing and pain that the singer feels as he continues to love someone who has left him.
The song's first verse states that no matter how long the singer lives, he will never forget his love. The second verse acknowledges the fact that they had initially parted ways with the intention of forgetting one another, but the singer admits that he hasn't forgotten and wonders if the other person still remembers him. The third verse expresses the singer's surprise at how difficult it has been to move on and find happiness without his love. This sense of nostalgia and heartache is complemented by the ballad-style melody and Wilson's emotive vocals.
Line by Line Meaning
As long as I live if it be one hour
No matter how long I live, even if it's just for an hour
Or it be one hundred years
Or if I live for a hundred years
I'll keep remembering forever and ever
I will always keep remembering you
I'll love you, dear, as long as I live
I will keep loving you as long as I am alive
It was easy said that night we parted
It was easy for us to say that we would forget each other when we parted
That we'd forget we'd ever met
We said that we would forget that we ever met each other
I haven't forgotten, I wonder if you have
I haven't been able to forget you, and I wonder if you have forgotten me
Or if your heart is full of regret
Or if you regret what happened between us
I never thought that night we parted
I never thought that the night we parted would be so significant
That life without you would be this bad
I never thought that my life without you would be so miserable
It may sound funny but I can't forget you
It may sound strange, but I can't forget you
The only happiness I've ever had
You are the only source of happiness that I have ever had
As long as I live if it be one hour
No matter how long I live, even if it's just for an hour
Or it be one hundred years
Or if I live for a hundred years
I'll keep remembering forever and ever
I will always keep remembering you
I'll love you, dear, as long as I live
I will keep loving you as long as I am alive
Lyrics © S.A. MUSIC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Capitol CMG Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@leeboyall9009
Astonishingly beautiful and powerful vocal from the world's greatest singer - Jackie Wilson!
@dianathomas8622
As usual great song great voice ...fantast Mr. Jackie Wilson pls be happy wherever ur at got to be better than the way you were treated down here ...Miss you R. I.P.
@dianathomas8622
Magnificent singer and song ....ppl did this singer so very wrong R.I.P. Jackie you will never be forgotten ..you are where no one can hurt u anymore..sing up there with all ur other friends
@MarcieLuvzMusic
Absolutely 🎼💞🎼
@MarcieLuvzMusic
Wonderfully executed .. Jackie
possessed those most rare and amazing "pipes"!! 🌹
@Dee530Luvz2BeLoved5555
Thank you for your kind words, many have not heard this tune, but it moves me, and touches the heart- as only Jackie can- Best, M*
@540rollerman
I have several cd's and albums by Jackie but I had never heard this song. It is simply beautiful. Thank you very much for the pleasure of listening to this wonderful music and you made my day.
@Ronnie-Jones
great stuff and rare too.... thanks for sharing.... That album "He so Fine" was the best.... very hard to find.
@GrandsonofSoul
Love it. Jackie sung his butt off on this one.
@SoulSister66
Jackie's vocals & range are amazing on this. Good one Marcie! S.S. ****