Jimmy Clanton was born 2 September 1938 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA, and… Read Full Bio ↴Jimmy Clanton was born 2 September 1938 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA, and formed his first band in 1956 while in high school.

One of the few white singers to come out of the New Orleans R&B/rock & roll sound (he was known as the "swamp pop R&B teenage idol"), he rode the crest of the popular teen music wave in the 1950s and '60s with such songs as 'Just a Dream' and 'Venus in Blue Jeans'. He even continued to release hits after he was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1961 and served for two years.

Clanton became a disc jockey in the 1970s and performed in an oldies revue, The Masters of Rock 'n' Roll, with Troy Shondell, Ray Peterson, and Ronnie Dove. He is reputed to have had a religious conversion in the 1980s. In the 1995 Jazz Fest in New Orleans, Clanton performed with Ray Charles, Chuck Berry, and Frankie "Sea Cruise" Ford.

Clanton starred in a rock 'n' roll movie produced by Alan Freed called "Go Johnny Go," and later starred in "Teenage Millionaire."

Wait
Jimmy Clanton Lyrics

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I know that you could be tempted
To stray while I'm away

But, baby, wait, wait, wait
My darling, wait, wait, wait
Wait for me, wait for me

I know that you'll be lonely

Every night I'm out of sight

But, baby, wait, wait, wait
My darling, wait, wait, wait
Wait for me, wait for me

I'll be returning
To kiss once again
To hold you once again
To love you once again

I know you're yearning
To go out now and then
But, darling, just wait
A little longer

So, baby, please
Please be true
Cause I'll be true, true to you

My darling, wait, wait, wait
Baby, wait, wait, wait

Wait for me, wait for me
Wait for me, wait for me

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Jimmy Clanton's song "Wait" convey a message of love, commitment, and longing. The singer acknowledges the possibility that his lover might be tempted to stray while he's away, but he implores her to wait for him. He understands that she'll be lonely without him, but he promises to return and be with her again. The lyrics are full of pleas for patience and faithfulness, with the singer repeatedly urging his lover to wait for him.

The lines "I know you're yearning / To go out now and then / But, darling, just wait / A little longer" suggest that the singer is aware of his lover's desire for independence and a social life outside of their relationship. Despite this, he asks her to hold off on acting on those desires until he returns. The repetition of the phrase "wait for me" throughout the song serves to emphasize the singer's desire for his lover's fidelity and his own commitment to her.

Overall, the song "Wait" is a heartfelt expression of love and devotion. The lyrics convey a sense of vulnerability and insecurity on the part of the singer, but also a deep longing for connection with his lover. The song's simple melody and catchy chorus make it a memorable and enduring classic of 1960s pop music.

Line by Line Meaning

I know that you could be tempted
I understand that you might feel tempted

To stray while I'm away
to move away when I'm not around

But, baby, wait, wait, wait
But, dear, please be patient

My darling, wait, wait, wait
My love, please wait for me

Wait for me, wait for me
Please wait, I will come back

I know that you'll be lonely
I understand that you will feel lonely

Every night I'm out of sight
When I'm not around every night

I'll be returning
I will come back

To kiss once again
To kiss you again

To hold you once again
To hold you in my arms again

To love you once again
To love you again