James John (Jimmy) Witherspoon, also known by the nickname “Spoon”, was a versatile "blues shouter" who achieved commercial success and critical acclaim in the genres of blues, jazz, and rhythm and blues. His 1947 recording “Ain’t Nobody’s Business” was a hit in 1949 and became his signature song.
His date of birth is usually given as August 8, 1923, but some sources give the birth year as 1920, and more than one source gives the birth date as August 18, 1921, attributing the information to his son. Since he may have run away from home to Los Angeles, California, as early as 1935, the earlier dates seem more plausible. In a 1996 interview, he gave his age as seventy-four, which also corresponds with the 1921 date.
Jimmy Witherspoon was born in Gurdon (Clark County) Arkansas to Leonard Witherspoon, a Missouri Pacific Railroad brakeman, and Eva Tatum Witherspoon, a church pianist. The family was devoutly religious. His parents were members of the choir at their Baptist church.
He didn't pursue music professionally until after his stint in the Merchant Marines in World War II. On his return to the Unites States in 1944, he replaced Walter Brown in Jay McShann's band, and performed with Big Joe Turner and T-Bone Walker.
Witherpoon's first hit record was "Ain't Nobody's Business", which he followed in 1949 with a reworking of the Leroy Carr song "In the Evening When the Sun Goes Down". His hit "Ain't Nobody's Business" was one of the biggest records of the era, and stayed on the Billboard charts for 34 weeks. Spoon made at least 200 recordings, and was one of the few true giants of the post-war blues boom.
Witherspoon recorded for a variety of labels through the 1950s, including cornerstone sides with Swingtime, Federal, Chess, RCA, and even a Dixieland session with The Wilbur de Paris New Orleans Jazz Band for Atlantic in 1956. His long career included performances on jazz stages around the world, from Carnegie Hall to the Newport Jazz Festival, touring Japan with Count Basie, and European tours with Buck Clayton's All Stars. Witherspoon managed to span the worlds of blues, R&B, and jazz with his deep baritone voice and unique style.
Witherspoon died September 18, 1997 in Los Angeles, California.
Spoon first attracted attention singing with Teddy Weatherford's band in Calcutta, India, which made regular radio broadcasts over the U. S. Armed Forces Radio Service during World War II. Witherspoon made his first records with Jay McShann's band in 1945. In 1949, recording under his own name with the McShann band, he had his first hit, "Ain't Nobody's Business,"[2] a song which came to be regarded as his signature tune. In 1950 he had hits with two more songs closely identified with him: "No Rollin' Blues", "Big Fine Girl", as well as "Failing By Degrees" and "New Orleans Woman" recorded with the Gene Gilbeaux Orchestra which included Herman Washington and Don Hill on the Modern Records label. These were recorded from a live performance on May 10, 1949 at a "Just Jazz" concert Pasadena, CA sponsored by Gene Norman. Another classic Witherspoon composition is "Times Gettin' Tougher Than Tough".
Witherspoon's style of blues - that of the "blues shouter" - became unfashionable in the mid-1950s, but he returned to popularity with his 1959 album, Jimmy Witherspoon at the Monterey Jazz Festival, which featured Roy Eldridge, Woody Herman, Ben Webster, Coleman Hawkins, Earl Hines and Mel Lewis, among others. He later recorded with Gerry Mulligan, Leroy Vinnegar, Richard "Groove" Holmes and T-Bone Walker.
Tours and successes
In 1961 he toured Europe with Buck Clayton and returned to the UK on many occasions, featuring on a mid-sixties live UK recording Spoon Sings and Swings (1966) with tenor sax player Dick Morrissey's quartet. In 1970, he appeared on Brother Jack McDuff's London Blue Note recording To Seek a New Home together with British jazz musicians, including Dick Morrissey, again, and Terry Smith. In the 1970s he also recorded the album Guilty! (later released on CD as Black & White Blues) with Eric Burdon and featuring Ike White & the San Quentin Prison Band. He then toured with a band of his own featuring Robben Ford and Russ Ferrante. A recording from this period, Spoonful, featured 'Spoon accompanied by Robben Ford, Joe Sample, Cornell Dupree, Thad Jones and Bernard Purdie. He continued performing and recording into the 1990s.
Other performers with whom Witherspoon recorded include Jimmy Rowles, Earl "Fatha" Hines, Vernon Alley, Mel Lewis, Teddy Edwards, Gerald Wiggins, John Clayton, Paul Humphrey, Pepper Adams, Kenny Burrell, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Jimmy Smith, Long John Baldry, Junior Mance, Ellington bassist Jimmy Woode, Kenny Clarke, Gerry Mulligan, Jim Mullen, Count Basie, Van Morrison, Dutch Swing College Band, Gene Gilbeaux and others.
Acting
In the 1995 film Georgia, Witherspoon portrayed a traveling, gun-collecting blues singer, Trucker, who has a relationship with the troubled character Sadie, played by Jennifer Jason Leigh.
Move Me Baby
Jimmy Witherspoon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You got me run, hide, hide, run, any way you wanna let it roll
Yeah, yeah, yeah, you got me doin' what you want me to, baby why ya' wanna let go
I'm goin' up, I'm goin' down
I'm goin' up, down, down, up, any way you wanna let it roll
Yeah, yeah, yeah, you got me doin' what you want me to, baby why ya' wanna let go
You got me peep, hide, hide, peep, any way you wanna let it roll,
Yeah, yeah, yeah, you got me doin' what you want me to, baby why ya' wanna let go
The lyrics of Jimmy Witherspoon's "Move Me Baby" express the feelings of a person who is completely under the control of their lover. The singer is being driven to do all sorts of things, from running and hiding to peeking and hiding. There is no escape from the power this person holds over them. They are at their lover's beck and call, doing whatever they are asked to do.
The repetition of "you got me" emphasizes the singer's lack of agency in this relationship. They are not doing anything by their own free will. Instead, they are being moved and controlled by their lover. The chorus, "you got me doin' what you want me to," further emphasizes this point. The singer is not in control; their lover is.
Despite the lack of control, the singer does not seem to mind. There is a sense of surrender in the lyrics. They are willing to do whatever their lover asks of them. Even with the repeated question of "baby why ya' wanna let go," there is a sense that the singer would do anything to keep their lover's attention.
Overall, the lyrics of "Move Me Baby" convey a sense of powerlessness, surrender, and devotion. It is a song about being completely under someone's control and not minding it at all.
Line by Line Meaning
You got me runnin', you got me hidin'
You have complete control over me, making me run and hide at your command.
You got me run, hide, hide, run, any way you wanna let it roll
You have me doing whatever you want, whether it's running or hiding, in any way that suits your fancy.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, you got me doin' what you want me to, baby why ya' wanna let go
You have me wrapped around your finger, doing everything you ask of me. Why would you ever want to let that go?
I'm goin' up, I'm goin' down
You have the power to take me on a rollercoaster of emotions and actions.
I'm goin' up, down, down, up, any way you wanna let it roll
You control my every move and feeling, taking me in any direction you choose.
You got me peepin', you got me hidin'
You have me constantly looking around, always on guard and hiding from something.
You got me peep, hide, hide, peep, any way you wanna let it roll
You have me playing a constant game of peek-a-boo, hiding and appearing as you see fit.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, you got me doin' what you want me to, baby why ya' wanna let go
You have me under your spell, doing everything you ask of me. Why would you ever want to let that go?
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jimmy Reed
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
59cadcoupe
Jimmy and Pops got it going on!! Great groove!!
Joe Cro
Terrific 1950's Blues Jump with a group in the background. Definitely my sound! The sax break is "real gone" man!
Thanks for posting!
Joe Cro
Dave Jacobs
Classic stuff Pops . Happy New year !!!!!!!