Starting his entertainment career as a tap dancer, Jones joined a doo-wop group named The Berliners in 1954. They later changed their name to Sparks Of Rhythm.[1] In 1955 Jones co-wrote "Handy Man", which was recorded by the Sparks Of Rhythm in 1956 (after Jones left the group).
After recording with other groups, Jones went solo and, in 1959, teamed up with Otis Blackwell who reworked "Handy Man" which Jones recorded on the subsidiary MGM record label, Cub. When the flute player did not show up for the session, Blackwell famously whistled on the recording. "Handy Man," released in 1959, gave Jones his first U.S. and UK hit single. "Handy Man" went to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1960. Later in that same year, Jones' recording of "Good Timin'" shot to #1 on the UK Singles Chart and #3 in the U.S. Both "Handy Man" and "Good Timin'" were million sellers, earning Jones two gold discs.
Jones' subsequent career was low key although it included three more UK chart entries in the following twelve months. "Handy Man", which introduced a rock falsetto singing style to the British audience, later scored hits for Del Shannon and James Taylor who both covered it.
Although Jones had but two Top 40 hits, both million sellers, he nevertheless kept active in the music industry as both a songwriter and recording artist and made personal appearances as he saw fit. He kept recording through most of the 1960s and remained with Cub until 1962, scraping the lower reaches of the charts with "That's When I Cried" and "I Told You So." He recorded for Ro-Jac and Vee-Jay over the next two years, and his work gradually took on a New York style uptown soul flavor.[1] From 1965-1967, he recorded for Roulette, Parkway, and Bell, none of which restored his commercial standing.
His considerable influence using falsetto extended to Del Shannon, who paid homage to Jones and also The Ink Spots for Shannon's falsetto style. Later singers who used falsetto included Lou Christie and Barry Gibb. Gibbs cited Shannon, in turn, as an influence for his disco vocalizations with the Bee Gees.
Jones released Grandma's Rock & Roll Party in the 1990s on CD, perhaps, in part due to his popularity in the UK Northern soul circles. It included new versions of "Handy Man" and "Good Timin'". In 2002, Castle/Sanctuary issued a double album anthology titled Good Timin': The Anthology.
Handy Man
Jimmy Jones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Because of what I'm puttin' down
Oh, baby, I'm your handy man
I'm not the kind that uses pencil or rule
I'm handy with the love and I'm no fool
I fix broken hearts, I know I really can
If your broken heart needs repair
You tell all your friends, and they'll come running to me
Here is the main thing I want to say
I'm busy twenty four hours a day
I fix broken hearts, I know I really can
Hey girls, gather round
Because of what I'm puttin' down
Oh, baby, I'm your handy man
I'm not the kind that uses pencil or rule
I'm handy with the love and I'm no fool
I fix broken hearts, I know I really can
If your broken heart needs repair
I'm the man to see. I whisper sweet things
You tell all your friends, and they'll come running to me
Here is the main thing I want to say
I'm busy twenty four hours a day
The lyrics of Jimmy Jones's song, Handy Man, speak of a man who is confident in his ability to fix broken hearts. He declares himself as a "handy man" who doesn't need a pencil or a ruler, but rather he is skilled in the art of love. The song serves as a love proclamation to women, inviting them to gather around and listen to what he has to offer.
The chorus of the song repeats the message, emphasizing that if anyone's heart is broken, he is the person to see. He promises to whisper sweet things, which will not only heal the heart but also make the recipient want to tell all her friends about him. The repetition of the chorus presents his claim as a reflection of his immense confidence in his ability to fix broken hearts.
Overall, the song Handy Man revolves around the theme of love and heartbreak, but unlike most songs that lament or dwell on heartbreak, Jones presents himself as the solution to the problem. By describing himself as a "handy man," he positions himself as a hero who is capable of saving those in need of heart-repair.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey girls, gather round
Attention all ladies, come gather around and listen up
Because of what I'm puttin' down
Listen to my words carefully because they are meaningful and important
Oh, baby, I'm your handy man
I am the person you can rely on to fix all your emotional problems
I'm not the kind that uses pencil or rule
I don't rely on traditional methods to fix things, I use my intuition and love
I'm handy with the love and I'm no fool
I am skilled in using love to heal hearts and I am not foolish in doing so
I fix broken hearts, I know I really can
I have the ability and confidence to mend any broken heart
If your broken heart needs repair
If you are feeling heartbroken and need someone to help you heal
I'm the man to see. I whisper sweet things
I am the person you should come to, and I know how to say comforting words
You tell all your friends, and they'll come running to me
If I successfully help you, you'll tell your friends, and they too will come to me for help
Here is the main thing I want to say
The most important thing I want to communicate is
I'm busy twenty four hours a day
I am always available to help and heal, even if it means being busy 24/7
Lyrics Β© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Tratore
Written by: JIMMY JONES, OTIS BLACKWELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Mike-ny6sf
Iβm 76 years old. I was fixing something for my wife, and she said I was her handyman.
I started singing this song that I hadnβt heard since the sixties. How is it that I (we) can remember the lyrics and tune from that long ago.
I even hear the sound of his voice and the music in my mind. That stuff is still there in the deep recesses of our memory. Amazing
@davidperry2306
Because THAT is when REAL music was produced. The 60's were the best years ever.
@lavenderhearts101
Iβm 71 years old and retired nurse.
I can remember working with nonverbal Alzheimerβs, or dementia patients, who it out of the blue sing a popular song that they remembered from start to finish and didnβt miss a word.
A beautiful mystery.β€οΈπΌπΆ
@CHAY-1
@@lavenderhearts101 I'm 70 and we took care of my mom with Alzheimer's. We have a jukebox filled with music from the 50's to 70's. When a 50's song came on ,especially Elvis,she knew the words better than I. They say that music is one thing that retains in the minds of Alzheimer's patients.
@lavenderhearts101
Am Cheke β€οΈ Beautiful
@TheOriginalRick
@@lavenderhearts101 We fixed up a number of CDs with artists such as Doris Day, Jo Stafford, Joni James, and many others from the 1950s for my mother-in-law to listen to. They were all her favorites as she was then a young wife and mother in her mid-20s, starting her family at that time. She constantly had them playing at her home. As she began slipping further into dementia a few years ago the songs became even more important. We made sure the people who were taking care of her knew the importance of letting her listen to that music, and having it available. She left us a year ago, and during much of the wake and funeral the CDs got a heavy workout. β€
@maryomnes9445
I was just 14 years old when I first heard this song. It was so cool it had such a good beat. You could dance to this song very easily. Jimmy Jones was such a great singer. This song also reminds me of my best friend Mike because we use to go out to Mel's Diner for dinner. I was very excited that my parents would let me date at age 14. I had great parents and I miss them very much. RIP DAD and MOM. π₯²π₯²π’π’ You will always be in my heart. β€οΈβ€οΈβ€οΈβ€οΈ
@TheR1200clc
This hands down is one of the coolest songs ever written and sung absolutely fantastic!
@jamesbritton8783
I agree with you wow that's a song πβ€
@bellestarr4040
@@jamesbritton8783 back there those songs had a message