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
Where Are You?
Joe Williams Lyrics
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My dear, to be true
And I am a fool for beauty
Fooled by a feeling
That because I had found you
I could have bound you to me
You are too beautiful
One lucky fool to be with
When there are other men
With eyes of their own
To see with
Love does not stand sharing
Not if one cares
Have you been comparing
My every kiss with theirs?
If on the other hand
I'm faithful to you
It's not from a sense of duty
You are too beautiful
And I am a fool
For beauty
The lyrics of Joe Williams's song "You Are Too Beautiful" are centered on a man's awe for the beauty of the woman he loves. The singer begins by acknowledging that his love is too beautiful to be believed and that he is "fooled by a feeling" that he can control her through his love. He recognizes that his beauty is not for him alone and that other men also feel the same way. The singer struggles with the idea of sharing his love with anyone, as he feels that love does not stand sharing, and he cannot bear the thought that his love's beauty might be appreciated by other men. He even questions if his beloved compares his love to other men's.
However, the singer is faithful to the woman he loves out of pure love and admiration for her beauty. He is not dutifully faithful but faithfully devoted to her, and he recognizes that he is a "fool for beauty." The lyrics overall suggest that his love is overwhelmed by her beauty and feels foolish for being so enamored by it.
Line by Line Meaning
You are too beautiful
You possess a striking physical appearance and have a captivating personality
My dear, to be true
Your beauty is so extraordinary that I find it hard to believe it is real
And I am a fool for beauty
I am easily entranced by beauty and find myself acting foolishly around beautiful people
Fooled by a feeling
I am deceived by my emotions, which tell me that you are worth my time and attention
That because I had found you
When I discovered you, I believed that you were the one for me
I could have bound you to me
I thought I could convince you to stay with me and commit to a relationship
For one man alone
Your beauty is so great that it is almost unfair for only one person to bask in it
One lucky fool to be with
I feel fortunate to be the one person in a relationship with someone as beautiful as you
When there are other men
Despite being in a relationship with me, there are other men who also notice and appreciate your beauty
With eyes of their own
They have their own unique perspectives and ideas about what is beautiful
Love does not stand sharing
True love cannot be shared between multiple partners
Not if one cares
If you truly care about someone, you cannot bear to share them with anyone else
Have you been comparing
Are you looking at other men and evaluating their qualities against mine?
My every kiss with theirs?
Are you analyzing my actions and comparing them to how they would behave in a relationship?
If on the other hand
In the event that instead of being jealous, I am faithfully devoted to you
I'm faithful to you
I am committed and loyal to you
It's not from a sense of duty
I am not devoted to you because of an obligation, but because I genuinely want to be with you
You are too beautiful
Your beauty is so captivating that I cannot resist being drawn to you
And I am a fool
My fascination with beauty often leads me to make foolish decisions and lead astray
For beauty
I am willing to act irrationally in pursuit of someone whose physical appearance and personality I find beautiful
Lyrics © TuneCore Inc., Kanjian Music, Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LORENZ HART, RICHARD RODGERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind