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
The Very Thought Of You
Joe Williams Lyrics
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The little ordinary things that everyone ought to do
I'm living in a kind of daydream
I'm happy as a king
And foolish though it may seem
To me that's everything
The mere idea of you, the longing here for you
I see your face in every flower
Your eyes in stars above
It's just the thought of you
The very thought of you, my love
The mere idea of you, the longing here for you
You'll never know how slow the moments go till I'm near to you
I see your face in every flower
Your eyes in stars above
It's just the thought of you
The very thought of you, my love
In Joe Williams's song "The Very Thought of You", the singer is expressing the overwhelming impact that their loved one has on them, to the point where they are living in a daydream and forgetting their responsibilities. The mere thought of their loved one fills them with happiness and contentment, making everything else seem trivial. The lyrics describe the powerful effect of longing for someone and the way that their presence can fill every aspect of one's life, even in their absence. The image of seeing their loved one's face in every flower and their eyes in the stars above highlights the all-consuming nature of this feeling.
The repetition of the line "the very thought of you" throughout the song emphasizes the central theme of the power of one's thoughts and emotions, and the impact they can have on one's life. The use of this phrase as a title also suggests that the concept of their loved one is almost more important than the person themselves. The lyrics, although simple, convey the depth of emotion experienced by the singer, creating a romantic and heartfelt love song.
Line by Line Meaning
The very thought of you, and I forget to do
The mere thought of you is so powerful that it makes me forget about my daily tasks
The little ordinary things that everyone ought to do
The mundane and routine tasks of everyday life that typically cannot be forgotten
I'm living in a kind of daydream
I am consumed by my thoughts of you, causing me to be lost in my own thoughts and fantasies
I'm happy as a king
The happiness I feel when I think of you is so immense, it's as if I am royalty
And foolish though it may seem
Others may perceive my actions as foolish because they don't understand the power of my emotions
To me that's everything
Regardless of how others may view my behavior, the mere thought of you is the most important thing in my life
The mere idea of you, the longing here for you
Just the thought of you and my intense desire for you consumes me
You'll never know how slow the moments go till I'm near to you
Time seems to stretch on forever when I am away from you and only speeds up when I am in your presence
I see your face in every flower
Every object and every moment reminds me of you and my thoughts cannot escape you
Your eyes in stars above
Even the stars in the sky seem to represent you with their beauty and shine
It's just the thought of you
My love for you extends from just thinking of you
The very thought of you, my love
Your thought and presence brings immense joy and happiness to my life, my love
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ray Noble
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind