Reynolds was a regular on the "oldies" circuit and a successful businessman in the U.S. Southwest. Beginning in the 1980s several compilations of his music were issued in the U.S. and Europe, and he enjoyed modest acclaim as a pioneer of rockabilly music.
In 1999 Reynolds was honored with both a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs, California, Palm Springs Walk of Stars and induction into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.
Ralph Joseph Reynolds was born in Denver, Colorado, and was raised in the small town of Shady Grove, Oklahoma. Inspired by Western Swing and artists such as Bob Wills, Hank Thompson, and Eddy Arnold, who he heard on the radio, Reynolds took up guitar at age 14. He began playing rockabilly in Texas in the mid-1950s after hearing performers such as Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, and Roy Orbison.
While performing in San Diego, California, Reynolds met music publisher Herb Montel. Montel rejected several songs offered by Reynolds, but after hearing his composition "Endless Sleep", got him signed to Demon Records and began managing him.
Inspired by the haunting sound of Elvis Presley's "Heartbreak Hotel", Reynolds wrote "Endless Sleep" while in Yuma, Arizona for a gig, and played it onstage the same night. Though a proficient guitarist himself, the studio recording of the song featured Al Casey and Howard Roberts on guitars. It had been written solely by Reynolds, but Demon Records credited it to Reynolds and the fictitious "Dolores Nance", in order to make it appear to have been written by a 'professional' songwriting team. With spooky, reverb-laden vocals, "Endless Sleep" tells the story of a young man desperately searching for his girlfriend, who, after an argument, has flung herself into the ocean. The label persuaded a reluctant Reynolds to change the lyrics to give the song a happy ending.
The song reached the #5 position on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart on July 7, 1958, sold over one million copies, and inspired a trend of "teen tragedy" songs.[3] Reynolds performed on American Bandstand and other TV shows, and was featured on concert tours organized by the legendary disc jockey/promoter Alan Freed. "Endless Sleep" would later be covered by the Judds, John Fogerty, and Billy Idol; Marty Wilde had a major hit with it in England, and Hank Williams, Jr.'s version was a modest country music chart success.
Reynolds' self-penned follow up single, "Fire of Love", became a rock & roll classic years later, after being revived by the MC5 and the Gun Club, but only reached #66 on the Billboard chart when released in August 1958, and was his last song to reach the "Hot 100". As with "Endless Sleep", "Fire of Love" was given a fictitious co-writer — in this case, "Sonja Stordivant".
Reynolds recorded several more singles, both with Demon and other labels, including duets with Bobbie Gentry, two songs written by Marty Cooper and Lee Hazlewood, and two hot instrumentals released under the name "The Storms" (Reynolds' backing band). By the mid-1960s he had settled in Palm Springs, where he focused on raising a family and working as a realtor; however, he retained his lifelong love of music, writing and recording songs in a small home studio, occasionally performing in "oldies" shows, and opening a music store.
Col. Tom Parker, Elvis Presley's manager, signed Reynolds to his Boxcar Publishing Co., thinking Presley might be interested in some of his songs, though Presley died in 1977 before recording any of them. Reynolds included one of the songs he'd written for Presley, "Yesterday and Today", on a 1978 album.
Starting in the late 1970s, "Endless Sleep" and other of Reynolds' songs were re-released in Europe and America; the rockabilly revival beginning in the 1980s saw a further increase of interest in his music.
Reynolds died of liver cancer on November 7, 2008, in Palm Desert, California, at age 75. He was survived by Judy, his wife of 47 years, daughters Malinda and Marla, and son Mark.
Raven Hair
Jody Reynolds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dreaming of someone, but no one was there
A big flash of light broke through the mist
Revealing the angel I could not resist
Thunder, lightning, wind and rain
Will I ever find my love again?
I saw in her eyes a love to share
She begged me to follow as she lured me on
Pledging her love until the dawn
To her I was drawn like a moth to a flame
And somehow I knew it would end just the same
Thunder, lightning, wind and rain
Will I ever find my love again?
She promised me love if I should dare
The girl with the coal-black raven hair
The fire that consumed me, I think of it yet
The love that has doomed me I cannot forget
Night after night as darkness descends
Seeking and searching until the end
Thunder, lightning, wind and rain
Will I ever find my love again?
I saw in her eyes a love to share
The girl with the coal-black raven hair
Jody Reynolds’s song “Raven Hair” tells the story of a man who is alone and dreaming of someone to love, until a mystical experience leads him to find an angel he cannot resist. The lyrics convey a sense of romantic yearning and vulnerability, as the singer encounters this angelic figure amidst thunder, lightning, wind, and rain. The woman with coal-black raven hair beckons the man to follow her and pledges her love until dawn, drawing him in like a moth to a flame. However, the man knows deep down that this love affair is doomed to end just like previous ones, yet he cannot forget the love that consumed him.
Throughout this song, there is a sense of mystery and intrigue surrounding the woman with raven hair. She is portrayed as alluring and captivating, yet also somewhat dangerous and unpredictable. The thunder and lightning serve as powerful symbols of the intense emotions and forces at play in this love story. Moreover, the repeated refrain of “Thunder, lightning, wind and rain, will I ever find my love again?” highlights the cyclical nature of love and its ability to both captivate and torment us.
Overall, “Raven Hair” is a hauntingly beautiful song that speaks to the universal experience of seeking and longing for love, even in the midst of uncertainty and darkness.
Line by Line Meaning
Alone in my sorrow with no one to care
Feeling lonely and sad without anyone to share and understand my emotions
Dreaming of someone, but no one was there
Having aspirations of love and companionship, but finding no one to fulfill them
A big flash of light broke through the mist
Encountering a sudden and striking change in my life's circumstances
Revealing the angel I could not resist
Discovering an irresistible and enchanting love interest
Thunder, lightning, wind and rain
Using natural forces to symbolize the harsh and tumultuous challenges of seeking love
Will I ever find my love again?
Wondering about the possibility of finding love after experiencing heartbreak
I saw in her eyes a love to share
Perceiving a reciprocated feeling of love and affection in the eyes of my love interest
The girl with the coal-black raven hair
Describing the alluring physical appearance of my love interest as being characterized by jet-black hair
She begged me to follow as she lured me on
Being enticed and seduced by my love interest's persuasive and alluring charms
Pledging her love until the dawn
Making a promise to love and care for me until the morning light
To her I was drawn like a moth to a flame
Being inevitably attracted and drawn to my love interest despite the potential danger or harm
And somehow I knew it would end just the same
Having a sense of foreboding and fear about the eventual outcome of my relationship
The fire that consumed me, I think of it yet
Reflecting on the intense and passionate love that still lingers in my memory
The love that has doomed me I cannot forget
Being unable to let go of the love that eventually led to my downfall and heartbreak
Night after night as darkness descends
Continuing to search for love even in the face of despair and darkness
Seeking and searching until the end
Persisting in my quest for love even if it leads to my ultimate demise
Writer(s): Jody Reynolds
Contributed by Audrey O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@mbrand19971
This is my favourite Jody Reynolds tune which should be in a Quentin Tarantino film so many people could rediscovered this great pop singer who may had been a one hit wonder but recorded some amazing sides.
@larryburgoyne3619
My old friends I recall listening to Reynolds in his early early days in Brawley California with the Jacksons brothers alleys jam..and Jody hanging around the Budds and Pete fountain drinking gathering hang out on Brawley main street near creamal men card dealing smoker gathering. He always seem to be along...
@Syncroschannel
Jody definitely the biggest influence on the Doors by a mile....listen to his other tracks too....
@dragon53777
I can hear that. Listening to him now.
@chaimyamin
Dave Perry You can definitely hear his influence on Jim Morrison in this song. Strange that he never publicly acknowledged Mr. Reynolds, but then again nobody else did whom he inspired and that's one of the reasons he didn't last in the music industry past 1962.
@reggaejuggler
I always thought Jim Morrison was an original, this is the sound of The Doors man!
@josephbarber8719
Ahead of its time
@zumadays
This is the first time that I have heard this and I love it!
@dragon53777
One of the most underrated artists of all time. Wish I could find CORRECT fuckin lyrics to this song. It's a shame such shit artists are so huge...when someone like him deserved it more. Or at least some recognition.
@merickz78
I hear ya brother! This is gotta be one of my favorite songs of all time!