The group was spotted by Johnny Bristol. He recommended them to Harvey Fuqua, who had his own recording labels. When this labels were taken over by Berry Gordy, Jr. Walker & The All Stars became members of the Motown label.
Their first and signature hit was Shotgun. It was written by Junior Walker himself, but under his real name Autry DeWalt. The song was produced by Motown president Berry Gordy. The song begins with a shot from a shotgun. The song reached #4 on the Pop chart and #1 on the R&B chart. Shotgun was followed by many other hits, such as (I'm A) Road Runner, Shake And Fingerpop and covers of the Motown classics Come See About Me and How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You).
In 1969 the group had another hit entering the top 5. What Does It Take (To Win You're Love) reached #4 on the Pop chart and #1 on the R&B chart. From that time on Walker sang more on the records than earlier in their carreer.
In 1979, Junior Walker went solo and was signed to Norman Whitfield's label. He wasn't as succesful as he had been with the All Stars in his Motown period. Junior Walker also played the sax on the group Foreigner's Urgent in 1981. The solo was actually cobbled together from tapes that he had made with the band. He later recorded his own version of the Foreigner song.
In 1983 Walker was re-signed with Motown. He died on November 23, 1995 in Battle Creek, Michigan of cancer. Drummer James Graves died in 1967 in a car accident and guitarist Willie Woods in 1997
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jr._Walker_%26_the_All_Stars
Gotta Hold on to This Feeling
Jr. Walker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is a day without your loving baby
One look, one look and well seem as one
That's how easy we communicate
A single match can make a fire begin
A single kiss and I'm warm within girl
Gotta hold on to this feeling
Gotta hold on to this feeling
Gotta hold on to this feeling we got
Gonna blow, blow for ya
'Cause I love, love, love, ya now
Your love, your love got a hold on me now
Don't change, don't change and turn cold on me, girl
No how it's got a signed guarantee
Your warranty depends on me
If love, if love could sign a dotted line
It would surely fine your name next to mine
To be sure we keep the love we got
Just keep them kisses comin'
It ain't hard, girl
Gotta hold on to this feeling
Gotta hold on to this feeling we got now
Gotta hold on to this feeling
Gotta hold on to this feeling we got now
Gotta blow, blow, blow for ya
'Cause I love, love, love ya now
The lyrics of Jr. Walker & The All Stars's song "Gotta Hold On To This Feeling" communicate the theme of the power of love and the importance of maintaining a strong connection with your partner. The opening lines suggest that without the warmth and presence of a lover, life is incomplete and without light. The following lines highlight the ease of communication between two lovers and how something as simple as a match or a single kiss can ignite a fire within.
In the chorus, the singer implores his lover to hold on to the feeling they share and not let it go, as it is something special and rare. He promises to fight for their love and even blow for her, indicating his commitment to the relationship. The following verses emphasize the importance of not taking each other for granted and maintaining the warmth and intimacy they share.
Overall, the lyrics suggest that love is a powerful force that can make life worthwhile, and it's essential to cherish and hold on to that feeling.
Line by Line Meaning
The day without the shining sun
Without your love, life is colorless and dull, like a day without sun.
Is a day without your loving baby
Without the affection of your lover, a day is incomplete and unfulfilling.
One look, one look and well seem as one
Our connection is so strong that merely looking into each other's eyes brings us together as one.
That's how easy we communicate
We have an effortless and intuitive way of communicating with each other.
A single match can make a fire begin
Just as a small spark can ignite a fire, a single gesture from my lover can light up my heart.
A single kiss and I'm warm within girl
One kiss from my beloved can fill me with warmth and happiness.
Gotta hold on to this feeling
I must cherish and preserve this beautiful feeling of love that we share.
Gotta hold on to this feeling we got
We must work to maintain this deep connection and strong emotional bond that we have.
Gonna blow, blow for ya
I will do whatever it takes to make my lover happy and keep our love strong.
'Cause I love, love, love, ya now
I am deeply in love with my partner and am committed to them now and forever.
Your love, your love got a hold on me now
My lover's affection and devotion has completely captured my heart and soul.
Don't change, don't change and turn cold on me, girl
I hope that my lover never loses their warmth and affection towards me.
No how it's got a signed guarantee
Our love is secured and backed by an unbreakable promise.
Your warranty depends on me
I am responsible for ensuring that our love remains strong and fulfilling.
If love, if love could sign a dotted line
If love were a contract, it would be easy to see that my partner and I are meant to be together.
It would surely fine your name next to mine
Our love is so strong that our names would be clearly paired together in any hypothetical love contract.
To be sure we keep the love we got
We must work hard to make sure that our love remains strong and fulfilling.
Just keep them kisses comin'
One of the most important ways we can keep our love strong is through regular acts of affection and intimacy.
It ain't hard, girl
Maintaining our love is not a difficult task because we have such a strong foundation and connection.
Contributed by Mason F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.