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.
Daisy Mae
Jody Reynolds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Whoa, Daisy, Daisy Mae
Oh well, baby, baby, baby
Ooh, Daisy, Daisy Mae
'Cross the valley and up the creek
Lives a girl that's oh so sweet
When she smiles the sun comes out
Whoa, baby, baby, baby
Daisy, Daisy Mae
Baby, baby, baby
Daisy, Daisy Mae, hey
Sweet as honey on buttered toast
I dig my baby 'cause she's the most
She makes love so tenderly
Saves the kissin' just for me
Whoa, baby, baby, baby
Oh, Daisy, Daisy Mae
Oh well, baby, baby, baby
Whoa, Daisy, Daisy Mae
When she's near me my love does pound
Like a child on a merry-go-round
Dare to love me both night and day
She's my sugar, my Daisy Mae
Love my baby called Daisy Mae
She's my honey in ev'ry way
Lots of lovin' morning, noon and night
All she wants is to treat me right
Oh, baby, baby, baby
Whoa, Daisy, Daisy Mae
Well, baby, baby, baby
Daisy, Daisy Mae, hey
O'er the mountain and around the bend
You heard my story now hear the end
'Cross the valley and up the creek
With the girl that's oh so sweet
Baby, baby, baby
Whoa, Daisy, Daisy Mae
Well, baby, baby, baby
Whoa, Daisy, Daisy Mae
Jody Reynolds's song "Daisy Mae" is a song about love and devotion to a sweetheart named Daisy Mae. The singer talks about how sweet and wonderful Daisy Mae is and how she makes the sun come out when she smiles. The singer also praises Daisy Mae's tenderness and love-making skills. In the end, the singer declares his love for Daisy Mae and how devoted he is to her.
The song is a typical rock and roll love ballad from the 1950s, with a straightforward and catchy melody. The repetition of the phrase "baby, baby, baby" and "whoa, Daisy, Daisy Mae" creates a sing-along quality that makes the song memorable. The lyrics are simple and paint a picture of a perfect and devoted lover.
Overall, Jody Reynolds's "Daisy Mae" is a sweet love song that captures the essence of young love in the 1950s. It's a straightforward and catchy rock and roll ballad that praises the virtues of a loving and devoted partner.
Line by Line Meaning
Whoa, baby, baby, baby
Expressing excitement and enthusiasm for the subject of the song
Whoa, Daisy, Daisy Mae
Referring to the sweet and loving girl named Daisy Mae
Oh well, baby, baby, baby
Repeating the previous line, further emphasizing the focus on Daisy Mae
Ooh, Daisy, Daisy Mae
Another reference to Daisy Mae, emphasizing her importance to the singer
'Cross the valley and up the creek
Describing Daisy Mae's location in a scenic setting
Lives a girl that's oh so sweet
Highlighting Daisy Mae's positive qualities
When she smiles the sun comes out
Describing the singer's happiness and joy when in Daisy Mae's presence
That's the girl I sing about
Confirming that the song is about Daisy Mae
Sweet as honey on buttered toast
Describing Daisy Mae's sweetness
I dig my baby 'cause she's the most
Expressing the singer's love and admiration for Daisy Mae
She makes love so tenderly
Describing the way Daisy Mae shows affection
Saves the kissin' just for me
Emphasizing Daisy Mae's exclusivity and commitment to the singer
When she's near me my love does pound
Expressing the singer's intense feelings for Daisy Mae
Like a child on a merry-go-round
Using a simile to describe the feeling of being in love
Dare to love me both night and day
Asking Daisy Mae to reciprocate the singer's love
She's my sugar, my Daisy Mae
Affirming the singer's affection for Daisy Mae
Love my baby called Daisy Mae
Repeating the sentiment of love for Daisy Mae
She's my honey in ev'ry way
Using another term of endearment to describe Daisy Mae
Lots of lovin' morning, noon and night
Describing the intense and consistent love the singer has for Daisy Mae
All she wants is to treat me right
Affirming Daisy Mae's love and commitment to the singer
You heard my story now hear the end
Signaling the conclusion of the song
With the girl that's oh so sweet
Repeating the description of Daisy Mae's positive qualities
Daisy, Daisy Mae, hey
Another reference to Daisy Mae
Contributed by Liam E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jacob Ferguson
on Long Black Train
I think you need to play black train song by rudy thacker with the train video.