He was born Joseph Goreed in Cordele, Georgia and moved to Chicago as a child. He was raised by his mother and grandmother. He grew on the south side of Chicago, surrounded by jazz, blues, and gospel music. In the 1930s, as a teenager, he was a member of "The Jubilee Boys" and performed in Chicago churches.
He worked as a singer and bouncer in Chicago in the late 1930s and early 1940s. In 1943, he was hired by the Lionel Hampton Orchestra. He toured with Hampton for several years but never achieved breakthrough success.
He rose to national prominence as the singer for Count Basie's Orchestra in 1954. He remained with Basie for several years. "Everyday I have the Blues" is his biggest hit.
After leaving the Basie band, Williams continued to have a successful career working with his own jazz combo. He and Basie remained on good terms and he would regularly appear with the band.
Bill Cosby cast Williams as his father-in-law "Grandpa Al" Hanks in a recurring role on the 1980s sit-com The Cosby Show.
Williams enjoyed a successful career and worked regularly until his death. He died at age 80, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Joe Williams shares a birthday with Frank Sinatra who was also born Dec. 12, three years before Williams
Imagination
Joe Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It makes a cloudy day sunny
Makes a bee think of honey
Just as I think of you
Imagination is crazy
Your whole perspective gets hazy
Starts you asking a daisy
Have you ever felt
A gentle touch and then a kiss
And then and then
Find it's only your imagination again? Oh, well
Imagination is silly
You go around willy-nilly
For example I go around wanting you
And yet I can't imagine that you want me too
Joe Williams's song "Imagination" is a beautiful love song that explores the different ways in which we rely on our imagination to make sense of our emotions. The song describes imagination as the force that can transform a cloudy day into a sunny one and force our minds to see things differently, even when reality seems hazy. Williams also talks about the way in which imagination can be fleeting, making us believe that we've experienced something that was only a figment of our imagination.
Throughout the song, Williams suggests that imagination is both wonderful and frustrating, opening up new possibilities for us but also teasing us with hopes that may never be realized. He sings about the magic of having an imaginary love and the longing that comes from not being able to make that love a reality. The repeated refrain, "just as I think of you," emphasizes the idea of the power of imagination and how it can make us feel connected to someone even if that connection only exists in our own thoughts.
Line by Line Meaning
Imagination is funny
The concept of imagining things is peculiar
It makes a cloudy day sunny
It has the power to transform a gloomy day into a cheerful one
Makes a bee think of honey
It can direct the thinking of a bee towards honey or any favored item
Just as I think of you
It can urge a person's thoughts towards someone they care about, like the artist's thoughts of the person being addressed
Imagination is crazy
It can seem irrational or nonsensical
Your whole perspective gets hazy
It can distort one's perception of reality, leading to confusion or ambiguity
Starts you asking a daisy
It can prompt one to seek advice from an object that may not respond, like the singer seeking clarity from a flower
What to do, what to do?
It can leave one in a state of indecision or uncertainty
Have you ever felt
The artist is inquiring if the listener has had a particular experience
A gentle touch and then a kiss
The feeling of being kissed after a gentle touch
And then and then
An indication of the continuation of the previous thought
Find it's only your imagination again? Oh, well
Realizing that the experience was only a product of their imagination, the artist is resigned to the fact
Imagination is silly
The singer considers imagination to be foolish
You go around willy-nilly
It can result in aimless wanderings or nonsensical behavior
For example I go around wanting you
The singer experiences an intense desire for the person being addressed
And yet I can't imagine that you want me too
Despite the artist's feelings, they are unable to imagine that their love is reciprocated
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: NEVILLE KEIGHLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@emorylninesix
Joe Williams...that phrasing, the breathing, and the sheer beauty of that voice!! Excuse me while I just sigh and thank the Lord for giving him to us. Breathtakingly fabulous.
@Oldpigsass
Exquisite. And so is Hank Jones' lyrical piano accompaniment. How we miss them.
@user-qj3jz9ho1h
I just love to hear him sing, & he was so talented, gone to soon
@errolleblanc8279
Learned quite a lot from him
@diannecarter329
Que........
@juancarlosgarciagomez8703
Who are the players? Tnx.