Waite was born in Lancaster, and was educated at Lancaster Art College (The Storey Institute).
Waite first came to attention as the lead singer and bassist of The Babys, a British rock band which had moderate chart success, including two pop hits that both coincidentally peaked at No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100, "Isn't It Time" (1977) and "Everytime I Think of You" (1979), and a solid following of their concert tours. Over the course of five years, the band produced five albums ending with the final album On the Edge in October 1980, after which the group disbanded.
Waite subsequently launched his solo career with his 1982 debut album Ignition, which produced the hit single "Change". The Chrysalis 45 failed to chart on Billboard's Hot 100 during its initial release (June 1982) but was a top track on AOR radio stations, as well as a very popular music video on MTV as the 'new' cable channel celebrated its first full year of operation. The song was originally recorded in 1981 by another band, and in 1985 was included on the platinum selling Vision Quest soundtrack. When the single was reissued, it reached the Top 50 on the Hot 100. "Going to the Top" was released as the original follow-up single to "Change".
His next album, No Brakes, resulted in international attention. It was a Top 10 Billboard album in the US due to the smash hit "Missing You" which went to No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.[4] It knocked Tina Turner's "What's Love Got To Do With It?" out of No. 1. For that very reason, Turner later recorded and released Waite's smash song herself. (Turner's single peaked at No. 84 on Billboard's Hot 100 in 1996.) "Missing You" also hit No. 1 on Billboard's Album Rock Tracks as well as the Top 10 of Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart. No Brakes sold over a million and a half US copies yet has never been certified above the RIAA Gold standard (a record company must apply to the RIAA for such certification). Two more singles from No Brakes followed, including "Tears" which was a Top 10 hit on the Billboard Mainstream Rock charts.
The next album Mask of Smiles followed in 1985 featuring the hit single "Every Step of the Way". Another single, "If Anybody Had a Heart", was released from the soundtrack of the 1986 film About Last Night.... In 1987, Rover's Return was released with the single "These Times Are Hard For Lovers". Waite would have another soundtrack appearance in 1990 from Days of Thunder with "Deal for Life"
In 1988, Waite joined former Babys bandmates Jonathan Cain and Ricky Phillips, along with Neal Schon from Journey and drummer Deen Castronovo, to form the supergroup Bad English. In 1989, the Bad English ballad "When I See You Smile" (penned by Diane Warren) went to No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 and earned a Gold-certified single. Its parent album reached Billboard's Top Five and sold nearly two million copies in the United States alone. Bad English released two albums before tensions amongst the members led to the band's dissolution by 1992.
Waite returned to solo work. He released the album Rough And Tumble. He has continued to tour, such as in 2003 with Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band
In 2006, "Missing You" was released as a duet with Alison Krauss and reached the Top 40 on the Country Charts in the United States. Waite appeared with Krauss on The Tonight Show on 5 February 2007 to perform the song. Waite's songs have reappeared in other media as well: 2013 saw "Missing You" featured heavily in the movie Warm Bodies, and "Change" is on the soundtrack of the US movie Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues.
In 2008 he recorded a guest vocal on the track "In God's Shadow" from the Keith Reid Project's The Common Thread.
Waite appears as himself and performs two songs in the 2010 feature film, New Day, from L'Oiseau Blanc Films.
In 2011 the title track from his tenth solo album Rough and Tumble went number one on Classic Rock radio.
A longtime resident of New York City, Waite now lives in Santa Monica, California. John Waite is divorced.
Girl From The North Country
John Waite Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where the winds hits heavy on borderline
Remember me to the one who lives there
She once was a true love of mine
Hope you see her hairs hanging long
It flows and rolls all down her breast
Please see for me that if her hair is hanging long
If you go when the snowflakes fall
When the rivers freeze and summer ends
See for me she has a coat so warm
To keep her from the howling winds
So if you're travelin' in the north country fair
Where the winds hits heavy on the borderline
Remember me the one who loves that
She once was a true love, true love of mine
The song "Girl from the North Country" by John Waite is a heartfelt plea from someone who is sending a message to a friend or acquaintance who is about to embark on a journey to a place called the North Country Fair. The singer implores his friend to seek out a woman who once was his true love. The song is hence a nostalgic romantic ballad, with the singer ruminating on what was perhaps lost and trying to make a connection to the past.
The opening lines suggest that the North Country Fair is a place that is characterized by harsh winds blowing at the border, perhaps metaphorically indicating the ruggedness and remoteness of the place. The singer then asks his friend to convey his greetings to his former lover, who still resides in the North Country Fair. He also requests his friend to describe the woman's long hair to him, as that is one of the ways he remembers her. The reference to the hair suggests that the singer holds some fond memories of the woman from his past. He then implores his friend to ensure that the woman is well-dressed in warm clothing to protect herself from the cold, harsh winter conditions prevalent in the area.
Line by Line Meaning
If you're traveling to north country fair
If you happen to journey to the fair in the Northern country
Where the winds hits heavy on borderline
Where the strong winds blow along the border
Remember me to the one who lives there
Please give my regards to the person who resides there
She once was a true love of mine
She used to be someone I truly loved
Hope you see her hairs hanging long
I hope you will see her with long flowing hair
It flows and rolls all down her breast
Her hair cascades down her chest
Please see for me that if her hair is hanging long
Can you determine if she still has her long hair
Ohh that is the way I remember her best
My fondest memory of her is with long hair flowing down her body
If you go when the snowflakes fall
If you should go in the winter when it snows
When the rivers freeze and summer ends
When the rivers are frozen and summer has come to a close
See for me she has a coat so warm
Could you confirm she has a warm coat
To keep her from the howling winds
Which will protect her from the strong winds
So if you're travelin' in the north country fair
Therefore, if you happen to be traveling to the fair in the Northern country
Where the winds hits heavy on the borderline
Where the strong winds blow along the border
Remember me the one who loves that
Please remember me, the person who loves her
She once was a true love, true love of mine
I used to love her very deeply
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bob Dylan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind