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.
If You've Got The Time
John Waite Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And lay it on the line
Yeah
Could you say you need me
And put your hands in mine
Oh I got love that grows
Oh I got love that shows
If you've got the time
Then I've got the time
Do you say you want me
You'll give me everything
Then you could come live here
I'd even buy a ring
Oh I've got lots to learn
Oh I've got love to burn
I got the love
If you've got the time
Oh I've got love that shows
Oh I've got love that grows
I got the love
If you've got the time
Then I've got the time
Yeah
Do you say you need me
You'll give me everything
Then you could come live here
I'd even buy a ring
Oh I've got love that shows
Oh I've got love that grows
I got the love
If you've got the time
Then I've got the time
Oh I've got love that shows
Oh I've got love that grows
I got the love
If you've got the time
Then I've got the time
Oh I've got love that shows
Oh I've got love that grows
I've got the love
The lyrics of John Waite's "If You've Got The Time" are a declaration of love and commitment, asking the recipient of the singer's affection if they feel the same way. The song starts with the singer asking whether they could reciprocate his love and need for them, putting their hands in his. He assures them that he has love to give that grows and shows. He then asks if they would give him everything and come and live with him, even suggesting buying a ring. The singer seems to acknowledge that he has lots to learn but has love to burn. Throughout the song, he reiterates having love to give but only if the person he is addressing has the time.
Overall, the lyrics of the song convey the idea of wanting to be in a serious romantic relationship and being committed to it. It is a passionate declaration of love that seeks to find mutual reciprocity.
Line by Line Meaning
If I say I love ya
If I confess my affection to you
And lay it on the line
And speak honestly and openly about my feelings
Could you say you need me
Would you express that you require me in your life
And put your hands in mine
And hold my hands to signify your commitment
Oh I got love that grows
I have a love that increases and deepens over time
Oh I got love that shows
I have a love that manifests itself in evident ways
I got the love
I possess the capacity to love someone deeply
If you've got the time
If you are willing to devote time to our relationship
Then I've got the time
Then I am willing to devote time to our relationship
Do you say you want me
Do you express a desire to be with me
You'll give me everything
You will offer me your whole self, with nothing held back
Then you could come live here
If confirmed, you could move in with me
I'd even buy a ring
I am willing to commit to you by even purchasing a ring
Oh I've got lots to learn
I have many things to figure out in order to make a relationship work
Oh I've got love to burn
I have an abundance of love to give
If you've got the time
If you are willing to give time to our relationship
Then I've got the time
Then I am willingly committed to investing time into our relationship
Oh I've got love that shows
I have a love that shines through and is plainly visible
Oh I've got love that grows
I have a love that expands and progresses with time
I got the love
I am in possession of the ability to love anyone unconditionally
If you've got the time
If you are willing to allocate time to our relationship
Then I've got the time
Then I am ready to invest time into our relationship as well
I've got love that shows
I am able to exhibit my love for you through my actions
I've got love that grows
I am capable of developing a deeper love for you with time
I got the love
I possess the power to reciprocate your affirmation of love
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group, CARLIN AMERICA INC, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: ANTHONY PAUL BROCK, MICHAEL JOHN SIDDONS-CORBY, WALTER FREDERICK STOCKER, JOHN CHARLES WAITE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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