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.
Rock And Roll
John Waite Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If I'd ever make it through
Through this world
without having in you
I just wouldn't have a clue
Cause sometimes it seems
Like this world's closing in on me
And there's no way of breaking free
Sometimes I want to give up
want to give in
I want to quit the fight
And then I see you baby
And everything's alright
Everything's alright
When I see you smile
I can face the world
Oh you know I can do anything
When I see you smile
I see a ray of light
Oh I see it shining
right through the rain
When I see you smile
Baby when I see you smile at me
Oh yeah
Baby there's nothing in this world that could ever do
What the touch of your hand can do
It's like nothing that I ever knew
Hey
And when the rain is falling
I don't feel it
Cause you're here with me now
I want to ask you baby
It's all I'll ever need
All I'll ever need
When I see you smile
I can face the world
Oh you know I can do anything
When I see you smile
I see a ray of light
Oh I see it shining
right through the rain
When I see you smile baby
Baby when I see you smile at me
Sometimes I want to give up
I want to give in
I want to quit the fight
Then one look at you baby
And everything's alright
Hey everything's alright
It's alright
When I see you smile
I can face the world
Oh you know I can do anything
When I see you smile
I see a ray of light
Oh I see it shining
right through the rain
Yeah
When I see you smile
Yeah I can face the world
Oh you know I can do anything now
When I see you smile
Oh yeah
Baby when I see you smile
Smile at me
John Waite's song, "When I See You Smile," is a love song that expresses how having someone's love and affection can help get through life's difficulties. The lyrics suggest that the world can be a dark and lonely place, but with the love of someone special, a ray of light can break through the storm clouds. Waite's viewpoint is that having his love interest in his life is vital to him. He admits that he struggles with life's challenges and thinks of giving up, but looking at his lover's smile gives him the strength he needs to keep going.
The chorus, "When I see you smile, I can face the world. Oh, you know I can do anything," emphasizes how important his lover's smile is to him, that the very sight of it can change everything. It's evident that the singer has immense respect and love for his partner, and this sentiment is demonstrated in the lines, "There's nothing in this world that could ever do what the touch of your hand can do," which emphasizes how much he values his lover.
In conclusion, the essence of the song is that it is a love letter that emphasizes the power of a smile and how the love of someone special can make life's storm clouds disappear.
Line by Line Meaning
Sometimes I wonder
I am plagued with uncertainty
If I'd ever make it through
If I'll survive this journey
Through this world
In this life
Without having in you
Without you by my side
I just wouldn't have a clue
I'd be lost without you
Cause sometimes it seems
Often times it feels
Like this world's closing in on me
That the world is suffocating me
And there's no way of breaking free
And I am trapped
And then I see you reach for me
But then, I catch sight of you trying to hold on to me
Sometimes I want to give up
There are times when I just want to surrender
want to give in
Want to quit
I want to quit the fight
I want to stop struggling
And then I see you baby
But when I look at you
And everything's alright
All becomes well
Everything's alright
Everything turns out fine
When I see you smile
Your smile gives me hope
I can face the world
I can confront anything
Oh you know I can do anything
I can overcome any obstacle
I see a ray of light
Your smile is a beacon of hope
Oh I see it shining
It shines so bright
right through the rain
Even through the tough times
Baby when I see you smile at me
My heart overflows with joy
Baby there's nothing in this world that could ever do
Nothing in the world is quite like
What the touch of your hand can do
What your touch can accomplish
It's like nothing that I ever knew
It's beyond my imagination
Hey
Listen to me
And when the rain is falling
Even when things get difficult
I don't feel it
I don't feel the pain
Cause you're here with me now
Because you're by my side
I want to ask you baby
I want to tell you
It's all I'll ever need
You are my everything
When I see you smile
Your smile fills me with hope
Then one look at you baby
Just one glance at you
Hey everything's alright
Everything feels right
It's alright
Everything is fine
Yeah
Yes
Oh yeah
Yes, definitely
Yeah I can face the world
I can take on anything
Oh you know I can do anything now
I am capable of anything now
Smile at me
Just smile at me
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BILLY SMITH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind