Walker was born on 25th December 1949 in San Francisco, California; his parents were blues fans, and introduced him to the music when he was young. He learnt to play the guitar at the age of fourteen, and left home at sixteen to work as a performer. He soon met Mike Bloomfield, who introduced him to the Bay Area Blues scene. During the 1960s, Walker opened for such artists as Earl Hooker, Freddie King, and Lowell Fulson.
In 1975 he left the blues scene for ten years to sing with a gospel quartet called The Spiritual Corinthians. In 1980, he recorded an album with this group called God Will Provide. Walker left the Spiritual Corinthians in 1985, but has maintained a gospel influence in his music.
He returned to San Francisco in 1985, and formed a group called the Bosstalkers. He released four albums on the Hightone Records label before moving to Verve/Gitanes (a division of Polydor/Polygram). Walker released six albums with this label, and won a series of awards in the 1990s.
Walker has released several albums since leaving Verve, including four separate works between 2002 and 2003.
* Official site
I Know Why
Joe Louis Walker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Every night someone lays down and cry
From the time you're born
Love will keep you alive
And it keeps you strong
For the rest of your life
And you fly away
You get a little bit wiser
You fly back again someday
From the time you're born
Love will keep you alive
And it keeps you strong
For the rest of your life
I know why your heart is broke
Someone told you they don't love you no more
I know why you cry at night
Someone hurt you when they kissed you goodbye
If you'll come a time when you're all alone
No friend, no family, no house and no home
All you've got and all you want
You realize all of it is gone
You feel a little bit helpless
But you can't go home
You feel a little bit reckless
'Cause you think that you're grown
When you start to feel
Dazed and confused
The love and faith you have
Will see you through
I know why your heart is broke
Someone told you they don't love you no more
I know why you cry at night
Someone hurt you when they kissed you goodbye
Just a little heaven, baby
Just a little loving, baby
That's all you need, oh yeah
Just a little loving, baby
Just a little loving, it's good for you and me
You're a little bit older and wiser too
You've done some things you didn't want to do
The things you've seen, the things you've done
Now you know there's no place like home
I know why your heart is broke
Someone told you they don't love you no more
I know why you cry at night
Someone hurt you when they kissed you goodbye
I know why, baby, I know why, I know why
I know why, baby, I know why, I know why
Didn't I tell you? It's getting better
It's getting better, didn't I tell you?
It's getting better, baby
Just a little loving, baby
Just a little loving, baby
Just a little loving, baby, oh yeah
The song "I Know Why" by Joe Louis Walker talks about the universal experiences of heartbreak, loneliness, and the power of love to heal those wounds. The opening lines set the tone for the song, with the singer expressing how his heart breaks every day, and how every night, someone somewhere is crying. But then the song pivots to talk about how love is the force that keeps you alive, and how it is what makes you strong for the rest of your life. As you get older, you may fly away and come back again, but through it all, love remains a constant source of strength.
The song also acknowledges that life is not always easy, and there may come a time when you find yourself alone without friends or family. At this point, the love and faith you have within yourself can help you navigate the difficult times. The chorus repeats "I know why your heart is broke, someone told you they don't love you no more, I know why you cry at night, someone hurt you when they kissed you goodbye," which is a poignant description of how painful it is to be rejected by someone you once loved.
However, the song ends on a hopeful note, with the singer saying "It's getting better, baby, just a little loving, baby." This is a reminder that even in the midst of heartbreak and sadness, love can still conquer all, and that by opening ourselves up to receive love, we can heal the deepest wounds.
Line by Line Meaning
Every day my heart breaks
Every day I am overwhelmed with sadness.
Every night someone lays down and cry
Every night, someone is crying themselves to sleep.
From the time you're born
Starting from the moment you are born
Love will keep you alive
Love is essential for survival
And it keeps you strong
Love provides inner strength
For the rest of your life
Throughout your entire life
You get a little bit older
As you age
And you fly away
You may wander far from your roots
You get a little bit wiser
With life experience, you gain wisdom
You fly back again someday
Eventually, you will come back to where you started
I know why your heart is broke
I understand why you are heartbroken
Someone told you they don't love you no more
Someone has told you that they do not love you anymore
I know why you cry at night
I understand why you cry yourself to sleep at night
Someone hurt you when they kissed you goodbye
You were hurt when someone left you with a goodbye kiss
If you'll come a time when you're all alone
There may be a time when you are completely alone
No friend, no family, no house and no home
You may have no friends, no family, and nowhere to live
All you've got and all you want
All you have and all you desire
You realize all of it is gone
You come to the realization that everything has been lost
You feel a little bit helpless
You feel like you cannot help yourself
But you can't go home
You cannot return to where you began
You feel a little bit reckless
You become impulsive and careless
'Cause you think that you're grown
You believe that you are mature and capable of taking care of yourself
When you start to feel
As you begin to experience
Dazed and confused
Overwhelmed and uncertain
The love and faith you have
Your love and faith in yourself and others
Will see you through
Will help you overcome difficulties
Just a little heaven, baby
A small piece of paradise
Just a little loving, baby
A small amount of love
That's all you need, oh yeah
That is all you require to be content
Just a little loving, it's good for you and me
Love is beneficial for both of us
You're a little bit older and wiser too
You have aged and gained insight
You've done some things you didn't want to do
You have done things that were unpleasant or undesired
The things you've seen, the things you've done
The experiences you have had
Now you know there's no place like home
You have realized that there is no place as comfortable as home
Didn't I tell you? It's getting better
Didn't I inform you? Things are improving
It's getting better, baby
Things are improving, my dear
Just a little loving, baby, oh yeah
A small amount of love is all we need
Contributed by Noah O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.