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
September in the Rain
Joe Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Remember in September in the rain
The sun went out just like a dying amber
That September in the rain
To every word of love I heard you whisper
The raindrops seemed to play our sweet refrain
Though spring is here, to me it's still September
To every word of love I heard you whisper
The raindrops seemed to play our sweet refrain
Though spring is here, to me it is still September
That September in the rain
That September that brought the pain
That September in the rain
In Joe Williams's song September In The Rain, the lyrics narrate a nostalgic experience, where the singer remembers an old love affair that happened in September, which ended up bringing the pain to the relationship. The song depicts the melancholy feelings that the singer has after the end of the relationship. The lyrics focus on the transition between summer and autumn, where the falling leaves serve as a metaphor for the end of a romantic bond, in a similar manner to the way a flower dies after blossoming.
The opening lines "The leaves of brown came tumbling down... The sun went out just like a dying ember," express the passing of time and a sense of sadness. This is followed by the line "To every word of love I heard you whisper, the raindrops seemed to play our sweet refrain," where the singer remembers the happier times in the relationship, where even the rainy weather seemed to celebrate their love.
The line "Though spring is here, to me it's still September, That September in the rain," depicts the inability of the singer to let go of the past and move on, with spring and its warmth serving as a contrast to the cold emotional state of the singer, still haunted by the memories of the past. The final line, "That September that brought the pain, That September in the rain," is a conclusive note that highlights the pain and the memories of the past, that September in particular.
Line by Line Meaning
The leaves of brown came tumbling down
As autumn arrived, the tree leaves started to fall and cover the ground
Remember in September in the rain
Recalling a specific moment in September when it was raining
The sun went out just like a dying amber
The sun faded away slowly like a dying light, leaving behind a feeling of sadness and melancholy
That September in the rain
Referencing the time period in September when it was raining and the circumstances of the situation
To every word of love I heard you whisper
Reminiscing on every loving word that was said during the past relationship
The raindrops seemed to play our sweet refrain
The sound of the raindrops falling outside was reminiscent of a sweet melody that both people found comforting
Though spring is here, to me it's still September
Even though time has passed and spring has arrived, the singer is still stuck in the memories of that particular September
That September in the rain
Referencing the time period in September when it was raining and the circumstances of the situation, which had a lasting impact on the artist
That September that brought the pain
Many painful memories were experienced during that September which continues to affect the artist
That September in the rain
Referencing the time period in September when it was raining and the circumstances of the situation, which continues to affect the artist
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Harry Warren, Al Dubin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@enjoy7024
Just superb!