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.
I Depend On You
Jimmy Jones Lyrics
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Darling your eyes are asking, "Will the flame burn out?"
Well, no one is sure of sun shine, no one is sure of dawn,
But I am sure my love will live on and on.
I'll be tired of you when stars are tired of gleaming
When I am tired of dreaming, then I'll be tired of you.
This I know is true, when winds are tired of blowing,
When grass is tired of growing, then I'll be tired of you.
Beyond the years,
'Til day is night, 'til wrong is right,
'Til birds refuse to sing,
Beyond the years, the echo of my only love
Will still be whispering, whispering.
And if my throbbing heart should ever start repeating
That it is tired of beating, then I'll be tired of you.
Jimmy Jones's song "I Depend On You" is a beautiful love song that tugs at the heartstrings of everyone who listens to it. The song expresses the deep love and dedication that a person feels for their partner. The lyrics "you look at me and wonder, you look at me and doubt, darling your eyes are asking, will the flame burn out?" convey the insecurities that come with any relationship, but the singer goes on to reassure their partner that their love will endure despite the uncertainties of life, saying "no one is sure of sun shine, no one is sure of dawn, but I am sure my love will live on and on."
The singer then goes on to use vivid imagery to describe the depth of their love, saying "I'll be tired of you when stars are tired of gleaming, when I am tired of dreaming, then I'll be tired of you. This I know is true, when winds are tired of blowing, when grass is tired of growing, then I'll be tired of you." The message of this song is that the love that the singer feels for their partner is unwavering and will endure beyond any hardships or obstacles that life throws their way.
Overall, "I Depend On You" is a beautiful love song that expresses the deep love and dedication that a person feels for their partner. The lyrics are full of vivid imagery and heartfelt emotion, making it a powerful and moving song that will continue to touch listeners for years to come.
Line by Line Meaning
You look at me and wonder, you look at me and doubt,
You observe me and have doubts, you wonder if the spark between us will eventually die down.
Darling your eyes are asking, "Will the flame burn out?"
Your questioning gaze seeks to know if our relationship will fade away.
Well, no one is sure of sun shine, no one is sure of dawn,
The unpredictability of the natural world and uncertain future events make anything possible, including the permanence of our love.
But I am sure my love will live on and on.
Despite the uncertainties that arise in life, I am confident that my love for you will remain strong and enduring.
I'll be tired of you when stars are tired of gleaming
The intensity of my feelings for you will not wane until such a time when even the stars lose their shine.
When I am tired of dreaming, then I'll be tired of you.
Only when my hopes and aspirations no longer include you will my love for you fade away.
This I know is true, when winds are tired of blowing,
In the same way that the wind will never cease to blow, my love for you will never diminish.
When grass is tired of growing, then I'll be tired of you.
The relentless growth of nature signifies the endurance of my love for you.
Beyond the years,
'Til day is night, 'til wrong is right,
'Til birds refuse to sing,
No matter how long it takes, even if there comes a time when everything seems to have gone awry, and there are no signs of hope or love anywhere, my affection for you will not falter.
Beyond the years, the echo of my only love
Will still be whispering, whispering.
Even into eternity, the memory of my love for you will persist like a gentle whisper in the wind.
And if my throbbing heart should ever start repeating
That it is tired of beating, then I'll be tired of you.
Only in the instance where my heart stops yearning for you, will my love for you subside.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ARTHUR SCHWARTZ, E. Y. HARBURG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind