Simon was born in Simmesport, Louisiana, United States. Similar to many other African-American artists from the era, Simon began singing in his father's Baptist church. He pursued his vocal abilities full-time once the family moved to Richmond (near Oakland, California) in the late 1950s. There Simon joined the Golden West Gospel Singers and became influenced by Sam Cooke and Arthur Prysock. With this, the group decided to turn secular and recorded "Little Island Girl" as the Golden Tones in 1959.
Hush Records label owners Gary and Carla Thompson urged Simon to record on his own, and in 1964 Simon scored considerable success on the Vee-Jay label with "My Adorable One". Simon scored again in 1965 on the Chicago based label with "Let's Do It Over", which landed a #13 spot on the US Billboard R&B chart. However, the Vee-Jay label folded soon after the latter song's release and Simon found himself traveling across the country singing.
Simon caught the eye of Nashville, Tennessee, R&B disc jockey John Richbourg during this time, and Richbourg not only became Simon's manager/record producer but also brought the singer to Monument Records' subsidiary label Sound Stage 7 in 1966. That year Simon released "Teenager's Prayer", which peaked at #11 on Billboard's R&B chart. Within the next two years, Simon released a string of hits: "(You Keep Me) Hanging On", "The Chokin' Kind" (Billboard Hot 100 #13), "Farther On Down The Road", and "Yours Love". "The Chokin' Kind" was written by Harlan Howard, spent 12 weeks in the charts, and had sold one million copies by 16 June 1969. In addition, Simon was given a Grammy Award in 1970 for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance.
Under the encouragement of Richbourg, Simon moved to the Polydor distributed Spring Records label in 1970, which paired Simon with Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. The team scored a #3 R&B hit in 1971 with "Drowning In The Sea of Love" and a #1 R&B hit in the summer of 1972 with "Power Of Love". Both songs reached #11 on the Hot 100. "Drowning In The Sea of Love" sold over 1.5 million copies and the R.I.A.A. on 6 January 1972 gave a gold disc. "Power of Love", written by Gamble, Huff and Simon was Simon's third million seller, and the R.I.A.A. awarded gold disc status on 29 August 1972.
Simon continued to release R&B hits with "Pool Of Bad Luck", "Trouble In My Home", "Step By Step", "I Need You, You Need Me", "Music In My Bones", "Carry Me", and 1975's "Get Down, Get Down (Get On The Floor)", which gave Simon his third #1 R&B hit, and also a #8 Hot 100 hit. Simon's success escalated with his writing/producing the theme tune for the film, Cleopatra Jones in 1973.
In the late 1970s/early 1980s, Simon decided to remove his tenor/bass-baritone voice from the secular music world and devote it and his life to Christianity. Simon began evangelist preaching in Flossmoor, Illinois. In 1983, he produced the album Lay My Burden Down for former Davis Sisters second lead Jackie Verdell. Simon released a gospel album titled This Story Must Be Told in the late 1990s.
In 1999 Simon was inducted as a Pioneer Award honoree by the Rhythm and Blues Foundation. Joss Stone covered "The Chokin' Kind" on her 2003 album, The Soul Sessions.
Simon has had a number of his songs sampled by other artists, including OutKast, who sampled "Before the Night is Over" in their hit "So Fresh, So Clean" and Lil' Kim, who sampled Simon's "It Be's That Way Sometimes" in "Magic Stick", featuring 50 Cent. Memphis Bleek sampled Simon's "Trace Your Love" for his track "Alright" on the 2005 534 album.
With You in Mind
Joe Simon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With you in mind, I can fill my wildest dreams
With you in mind, I can do anything, I know I can
With you in mind
With you in mind
With you in mind, I went out looking for the best
With you in mind, cause you deserve nothing less
With you in mind
With you in mind
Like a flower drinking from the falling rain
Or the same rain that could wash it away
Gives it strength, gives it water
And before you know, another day
Like a flower drinking from the falling rain
Or the same rain that could wash it away
Gives it strength, gives it water
And before you know, another day
Like a flower drinking from the falling rain
The same rain that could wash it away
Gives it strength, gives it water
And before you know, another day
The song "With You In Mind" by Joe Simon is a beautiful ode to the power of love and how it can positively impact one's life. The lyrics describe how having someone special in one's life can make everything seem better and more manageable. The opening line, "With you in mind, things just ain't bad as they seem," highlights how the presence of a loved one can make difficult situations easier to handle.
The second verse talks about how the singer has gone above and beyond to make their loved one happy. "With you in mind, I went out looking for the best," shows the lengths that someone in love will go to ensure their partner's happiness. The chorus reiterates that having someone to love can provide the strength to accomplish anything.
The third verse compares love to a flower drinking from the falling rain. While the same rain could wash the flower away, it also gives it the strength and resources to grow and flourish. This metaphor demonstrates how love can have the power to both protect and strengthen individuals, especially when they have someone special "in mind."
Overall, "With You In Mind" is an uplifting and heartwarming song that celebrates the power of love and the positive impact it can have on one's life.
Line by Line Meaning
With you in mind, things just ain't bad as they seem
When I think of you, my problems don't seem so big.
With you in mind, I can fill my wildest dreams
Knowing you believe in me, I have the confidence to pursue my biggest aspirations.
With you in mind, I can do anything, I know I can
With your unwavering support, I feel like there is nothing I cannot do.
With you in mind
Everything I do, I do it thinking of you.
With you in mind, I went out looking for the best
I want only the best for us because you deserve nothing less.
With you in mind, cause you deserve nothing less
I make every effort to ensure that I give you the best, because you deserve nothing but the best.
With you in mind, I've done so many things that love can bring
My love for you motivates me to do all the romantic things that make a relationship beautiful.
Like a flower drinking from the falling rain
Just like a flower needs rain to grow, I need you to thrive in life.
Or the same rain that could wash it away
But just as too much rain could destroy a flower, I am mindful of the impact my actions can have on our relationship.
Gives it strength, gives it water
In the right circumstances, rain can give a flower what it needs to grow and become stronger. The same way, our love for each other gives us the strength and sustenance we need to navigate through life's challenges.
And before you know, another day
Time flies by so fast but with you in my life, each day is full of meaning and purpose.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ALLEN TOUSSAINT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bettye Torkpo
he is the best
Cris Love
Superb!!!!!
maryl1227
Gawd!!!!!! What talent......& whatta voice!!!!!!! He is absolutely incredible!!!!!! I could listen to him sing the Denver telephone directory!!! LOL He makes you feel the music!!!
AnAmcit
Joe Simon....It just doesn't get any better.
Achilleas Mouchalos
man this is the one that trilled me all my life, thank you Joe Simon ! you make me feel the reason love , thats for Anny the love love of my life
rob love
This is what Magic sounds like.
eddie bradley
PREACH BROTHER, I HEAR YA! I TESTIFY. FIRST TIME HEARING THIS. A BOSS CUT FOR SHO. COLUMBUS,GA. FEELIN' THE LOVE TONITE.THX FOR SHARING . PEACE 2 U .XOXOX
Allen Rynes
my first cousin Joe peewee Simon now Bishop Joe Simon