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.
Missing You
John Waite Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I always catch my breath
And I'm still standing here
And you're miles away
And I'm wondering why you left
And there's a storm that's raging
Through my frozen heart tonight
I hear your name in certain circles
I spend my time
Thinking about you
And it's almost driving me wild
And that's my heart that's breaking
Down this long distance line tonight
I ain't missing you at all
Since you've been gone away
I ain't missing you
No matter
What my friends say
There's a message in the wild
And I'm sending you this signal tonight
You don't know how desperate I've become
And it looks like I'm losing this fight
In your world I have no meaning
Though I'm trying hard to understand
And it's my heart that's breaking
Down this long distance line tonight
But I ain't missing you at all
Since you've been gone away
I ain't missing you
No matter what I might say
And there's a message that I'm sending out
Like a telegraph to your soul
And if I can't bridge this distance
Stop this heartbreak overload
'Cause I ain't missing you at all
Since you've been gone away
I ain't missing you
No matter what I might say
I ain't missing you (I ain't missing you)
No way
Since you've been gone away (I can lie to myself these days)
I ain't missing you
And there's a storm that's raging
Through my frozen heart tonight
And I ain't missing you at all
Since you've been gone away
I ain't missing you
No matter what my friends say
I ain't missing you
I ain't missing you (I can lie to myself these days)
I ain't missing you at all, I ain't missing you (No way, baby)
No matter what my friends say (I'm doing fine here)
And I ain't missing you at all
I ain't missing you
I keep lying to myself every time I think of you
I'm okay
I'm doing fine here from day to day
I ain't missing you
I can lie to myself
The song "Missing You" by John Waite is a heart-wrenching ballad about love and loss. The lyrics describe the feeling of longing for someone who is no longer there, and the struggle to come to terms with that absence. The opening lines set the tone for the song, as the singer admits that the very thought of his lost love makes him catch his breath. He reflects on how he is still standing in the same place, while she is miles away. He questions why she left, and confesses that his heart feels frozen with a storm raging through it.
As the singer spends his time thinking about his lost love, he admits that it is almost driving him wild. He acknowledges that his heart is breaking down a long-distance line tonight, and that he feels desperate to reach out to her. He admits that in her world, he has no meaning, but he is still trying to understand. The singer sends a message, like a telegraph to her soul, hoping to bridge the distance between them and stop the heartbreak overload.
Throughout the song, the singer repeats the lines "I ain't missing you at all, since you've been gone away," and "I can lie to myself." These lyrics reveal the singer's internal struggle to come to terms with his feelings. Although he tries to convince himself that he is not missing her, the storm raging in his heart tells a different story. Ultimately, the song is a powerful testament to the enduring power of love, and the deep pain that can come from its absence.
Line by Line Meaning
Every time I think of you
Each moment you cross my mind
I always catch my breath
I feel a sudden rush of emotion
And I'm still standing here
Despite everything, I haven't given up
And you're miles away
But you are physically distant
And I'm wondering why you left
I'm questioning why you abandoned me
And there's a storm that's raging
My emotions are in turmoil
Through my frozen heart tonight
My heart is cold and unfeeling
I hear your name in certain circles
I come across your name sometimes
And it always makes me smile
But it still has a positive effect on me
I spend my time
Most moments of my day are consumed with
Thinking about you
Thoughts of you occupy my mind
And it's almost driving me wild
It's overwhelming and consuming
And that's my heart that's breaking
The pain I feel is coming from my heart
Down this long distance line tonight
The distance between us is making it worse
I ain't missing you at all
I pretend that I don't miss you
Since you've been gone away
Since you left me behind
No matter
Regardless of
What my friends say
Despite what my friends believe
There's a message in the wild
I'm trying to communicate with you
And I'm sending you this signal tonight
I hope you receive my message soon
You don't know how desperate I've become
I'm in dire need of you
And it looks like I'm losing this fight
But it seems like I'm not winning
In your world I have no meaning
I don't seem to matter in your life
Though I'm trying hard to understand
Even though I'm putting in effort to comprehend
But it's my heart that's breaking
My heart is the one in pain
Down this long distance line tonight
The distance between us is making it worse
But I ain't missing you at all
Still pretending that I don't miss you
And there's a message that I'm sending out
I'm still trying to communicate with you
Like a telegraph to your soul
Hoping that you pick up the message soon
And if I can't bridge this distance
If I fail to close the gap between us
Stop this heartbreak overload
This pain is becoming too much to handle
'Cause I ain't missing you at all
Still pretending that I don't miss you
I ain't missing you
Even though I really do
No matter what I might say
Despite what I express
No way
Definitely not
Since you've been gone away
Ever since you left
I can lie to myself these days
I'm really good at deceiving myself
And there's a storm that's raging
My emotions are still in turmoil
Through my frozen heart tonight
My heart still feels cold and unfeeling
And I ain't missing you at all
Still pretending that I don't miss you
No matter what my friends say
Despite what others believe
I keep lying to myself every time I think of you
I keep deceiving myself whenever you come to mind
I'm okay
I'm trying to convince myself that I'm fine
I'm doing fine here from day to day
I'm managing to get through each day
I ain't missing you
Still pretending that I don't miss you
I can lie to myself
I'm quite good at deceiving myself
I ain't missing you at all, I ain't missing you
I really am missing you, but I won't admit it
No way, baby
Absolutely not, darling
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Charles Alan Sandford, John Charles Waite, Mark Leonard, Roberto Casini
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@tressapardue9857
There are several future classics in todays world.
"Ace In The Whole "
Struggle Jennings
" A Thousand Years "
Christina Perri
"Open My Eyes "
Buckcherry
Those are just the first that came to my mind.
There are more if people just have to listen for them and there are so many different genres to open our minds along with our already established heart & soul.
I hope you find a way to broaden your mind along with adding to your music library.
"MISSING YOU" by
JOHN WAITE
is one of my all time favorite songs.
@Cindy-mj3kx
I’m an 80’s kid . Music was it for me. I’d watch MTV for hours when it played only music.
God bless you John Waite. This song helped so many of us get through teen excruciating breakups.
Iconic song and phenomenal vocalist.
The music of the 80’s hands down the best.
Real singers, real musicians, lyrics that we could relate to.
This iconic masterpiece was during John’s solo career. He was also lead vocalist for Bad English, The Babys, and Ringo Starrs All Starr band.
Last summer I went to a concert with John and Rick Springfield.
Tears streaming down my face, and goosebumps all over STILL! He still has that magic and sounds almost exactly the same.
❤❤❤
@bennetmarques4546
Every time I think of you
I always catch my breath
And I'm still standing here
And you're miles away
And I'm wondering why you left
And there's a storm that's raging
Through my frozen heart tonight
I hear your name in certain circles
And it always makes me smile
I spend my time
Thinking about you
And it's almost driving me wild
And there's a heart that's breaking
Down this long distance line tonight
I ain't missing you at all
Since you've been gone away
I ain't missing you
No matter what I might say
There's a message in the wire
And I'm sending you this signal tonight
You don't know
How desperate I've become
And it looks like I'm losing this fight
In your world
I have no meaning
Though I'm trying hard to understand
And it's my heart that's breaking
Down this long distance line tonight
I ain't missing you at all
Since you've been gone away
I ain't missing you
No matter what my friends say
And there's a message that I'm sending out
Like a telegraph to your soul
And if I can't bridge this distance
Stop this heartbreak overload
I ain't missing you at all
Since you've been gone away
I ain't missing you
No matter what my friends say
I ain't missing you
I ain't missing you
I can lie to myself
And there's a storm that's raging
Through my frozen heart tonight
I ain't missing you at all
Since you've been gone away
I ain't missing you
No matter what my friends say
Ain't missing you
I ain't missing you
I ain't missing you
I can lie to myself
Ain't missing you
@davidantonioespinozaaybar9079
ANYONE 2024?
@HamBoneJr
I'm here. Listening, and remembering. So many things have changed.
@nettynoodle8336
He was lead in the baby's.. Such talent
@lindapearcr3138
❤ here in Idaho!
@5ych0t1c50u1
❤
@jaimereynolds258
Yep! I mostly just listen to 80s music
@cristongumban2086
2024 and still listening this masterpiece. Anyone?
@RosieHWeinstein-vl1nm
Me too hunny
@louisefrater
Absolutely 💯🤟🔥🩷
@vikithesnowpuma3546
Yo