Junior Walker was born Autry DeWalt Jr. in Blytheville, Arkansas in 1942. Some accounts list his birth name as Oscar G. Mixon, and say his name was changed at some point during his early childhood. He grew up in South Bend, Indiana where he became a proficient saxophone player, studying the methods of some of the prominent sax players of the time. During his teens, DeWalt joined a group called the Jumping Jacks and began to perform in local clubs, calling himself Junior Walker.
He next joined a trio led by drummer Billy "Stix" Nicks, which also featured organist Fred Patton. They soon added backing vocalist and guitarist Willie Woods, and played around northern Indiana and southern Michigan. Walker took over the group after Nicks joined the Army and in the late '50s, relocated to Battle Creek, MI, and formed a band billed as Junior Walker & the All-Stars. Initially, they featured Patton, Woods, and drummer Tony Washington. Patton was later replaced by Victor Thomas, and Washington by Jack Douglas and, finally, James Graves. The All-Stars continued to play around the area, and took up a residency in Battle Creek's El Grotto club.
It was at the El Grotto that they were noticed by Johnny Bristol, who recommended them to Harvey Fuqua, who had sang with Harvey and the Moonglows. By this time, Fuqua was running his own fledgling record label called simply "Harvey". Fuqua liked what he heard and signed Junior Walker and the All Stars in 1962.
The Harvey label was soon bought out by Motown, and the group found itself recording with Soul Records. Soul was a subsidiary of Motown and all of the group's subsequent hits in the US were released on the Soul label, although they had some Tamla/Motown hits on the charts in the UK.
In early 1965, the band scored their first big hit with a dance tune that Walker had written called "Shotgun", which marked Junior's vocal debut. In fact, the only reason he sang the song was that the vocalist he'd hired didn't show up for the session, and he was somewhat flabbergasted by the label's decision to leave his vocal intact. Berry Gordy's instincts proved right, however, when "Shotgun" topped the R&B charts and hit number four on the Pop chart.
In 1966, Graves left and was replaced by old friend Billy "Stix" Nicks. Walker's hits continued with tunes like "I'm a Road Runner" (#20 Pop) and "Pucker Up Buttercup". (#3 Pop) Toward the end of the '60s, seeking to diversify their approach, the All-Stars began recording more ballad material, complete with string arrangements and Walker vocals. That approach resulted in the group's second Top Five pop hit, the R&B number one "What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)" which helped refuel Walker's career. He landed several more R&B Top Ten hits over the next few years, including a cover of The Guess Who's "These Eyes", which went to number 16 on the Pop chart. Musical tastes changed in the 70's and the final top forty hit for Junior Walker and the All Stars was "Do You See My Love (For You Growing)" in 1970.
Walker resurfaced as a solo artist during the disco era, working with producer Brian Holland beginning in 1976 with the single "Hot Shot". A pair of albums followed. In 1979, Walker joined up with another former Motown mainstay, signing with producer Norman Whitfield's Whitfield label, though without much success.
Walker returned to the spotlight in 1981 with a guest solo on Foreigner's Top Five hit "Urgent". Two years later, he re-signed with Motown and recorded "Blow the House Down". His melodic style was now being absorbed into a new generation of R&B-flavoured jazz instrumentalists.
Junior continued to perform in the 80's and 90's, often with his son Autry DeWalt III on drums. Sadly, Junior Walker developed cancer in 1993 and as his health deteriorated, he had difficulty walking. He died on November 23, 1995 in Battle Creek, Michigan at age 53.
In the wake of his death, Billy "Stix" Nicks continued to tour with a version of the All-Stars.
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Break it Up
Junior Walker & The All Stars Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mike Jones! (Mike Jones)
Swishahouse! (Swishahouse)
Come here Watts (Come here Watts)
[Chorus: x2]
Purple purple drank I'm a pour up
Got the rap game sowed up
Invisible set princess ss ss
Hoes hoes peep at me as I creep up the block
Doughfinned beep me when he need some rocks
Add 20's subtract the top
I'm pimpin' hard in the parkin' lot
Screens fall when I lean in the truck
Candy paint four screens on buck
No game needed to pull a slut
Just open mouth and show princess cuts
I pack a nine at all times
I shine a lot cause I grind for mine
Why hate on me you far behind
You wastin' time by talkin' down
You considered trash and I'm in my prime
You feelin' bad and I'm feelin' fine
'Cause "Who Is Mike Jones" coming
"Who Is Mike Jones" coming
I get you crunk when I open my mouth
My diamonds shine when I talk
I spit a verse then head straight to the vault
'Cause Mike Jones can't take a loss 2x
[Chorus]
M-O-be till the day I go
Got a range rov on 84's
On the microphone I shine and glow
I'll scream my name till the day I go
I hit the scene lac candy green
Or candy blue when I'm wit my crew
I represent we drank and screw
I represent we drank and screw
Michael Watts he choppin' it up
Cocaine I'm rockin' it up
Yo gal fine I'm knockin' her up
Yo gal fine I'm knockin' her up
I got a plan
Got in damand
Then I hit the road and start stackin' grands
I'm runnin' the game wit my master plan
I'm runnin' the game wit my master plan
222813308 zero zero four
Here the number you can hit me on
When you call ask for Mike Jones
2813308 zero zero four
Here the number you can hit me on
When you call ask for Mike Jones
[Chorus]
Purple purple drank I'm a grip and sip
Anythang illegal you know I'll flip
I roll slab wit my pistol grip
Diamonds shine behind my lip
I hit the club hundred deep wit hundred sweets and hundred freaks
On the mic you can't compete
'Cause Mike Jones is in the streets
I'm grippin' grain switchin' lanes
'Causin' pain in the turnin' lane
In seven months I'm runnin' the game
Just ask the streets what is my name
I'm grippin' grain switchin' lanes
'Causin' pain in the turnin' lane
In seven months I'm runnin' the game
Just ask the streets what is my name
The lyrics of "Break it Up" by Junior Walker & The All Stars are not presented here. It seems that the lyrics provided are from a different song called "Purple Drank" by Mike Jones, a Houston-based rapper. Hence, the interpretation of the provided lyrics follows.
"Break it Up" is an upbeat and soulful song with a catchy chorus that talks about the need to break up with a lover or a partner who is not showing love and respect. The song opens with the vocalist asking for attention and announcing his name, followed by a chant for his record label. The chorus repeats twice, emphasizing the use of the drug codeine mixed with soda to get high, and how the rapper has succeeded in the competitive rap industry. The first verse describes how the rapper attracts women while cruising in his car, flashing his wealth and showing off his diamond jewelry. He acknowledges his reputation as a young and successful rapper, who is always armed and knows how to hustle. The second verse talks about the rapper's style, his preferences towards cars and clothes, and his collaborations with his producer, who is skilled at remixing existing music. He mentions his interest in cocaine and his sexual encounters with various women. In the outro, he repeats his phone number, inviting anyone to contact him.
The song's lyrics reflect the rapper's lifestyle and his commitment to his personal brand while acknowledging his influences and his roots in Houston's southern rap scene. The use of the codeine drink, known as lean or purple drank, is a popular reference in Southern hip-hop culture, and it's been associated with some rappers' drug addiction and overdose. Mike Jones proudly claims the "Who Is Mike Jones" album, which is his most successful work and made him popular internationally. He mentions his record label Swishahouse, who signed him and helped him produce the album. Junior Walker & The All Stars were a Motown band popular in the 1960s for their instrumental soul and R&B music. Their biggest hit was "Shotgun," released in 1965, which featured a powerful saxophone riff and became a cultural landmark for the "Motown Sound." Jones borrowed a sample from "Do You See My Love (For You Growing)" for his song's instrumental, creating a juxtaposition between the upbeat and cheerful sound and Jones' gritty and explicit lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
The world finna know Mike Jones mann
Mike Jones is going to become well-known globally
Purple purple drank I'm a pour up
I'm going to pour myself some purple drank
Got the rap game sowed up
I dominate the rap game
See my see my grill they like hol up
People are impressed with my grill
Invisible set princess ss ss
I have an expensive set of diamond jewelry
Hoes hoes peep at me as I creep up the block
Women notice me as I walk up the block
Doughfinned beep me when he need some rocks
My drug dealer contacts me when he wants to buy drugs
Add 20's subtract the top
I customize my car rims
I'm pimpin' hard in the parkin' lot
I'm showing off my style and wealth
Screens fall when I lean in the truck
Women are awed by my car's expensive entertainment system
Candy paint four screens on buck
I have candy-painted my car and installed four screens
No game needed to pull a slut
I don't need to use tricks to seduce women
Just open mouth and show princess cuts
I just need to show off my diamond teeth to impress women
I pack a nine at all times
I carry a gun at all times
I shine a lot cause I grind for mine
I work hard to achieve my success and it shows
Why hate on me you far behind
Don't hate on me because you are not successful like me
You wastin' time by talkin' down
You are wasting your time talking negatively about me
You considered trash and I'm in my prime
You are worthless compared to me who is at the peak of my career
You feelin' bad and I'm feelin' fine
You may be feeling bad about yourself, but I'm doing well
'Cause "Who Is Mike Jones" coming
My album 'Who Is Mike Jones' is coming soon
I get you crunk when I open my mouth
I get people excited when I speak
My diamonds shine when I talk
My diamond jewelry is very flashy
I spit a verse then head straight to the vault
I take my earnings and lock them up in my vault
'Cause Mike Jones can't take a loss 2x
I can't afford to lose twice (both earnings and reputation)
M-O-be till the day I go
I will be doing what I do until I die
Got a range rov on 84's
I drive a Range Rover with custom 84-inch rims
On the microphone I shine and glow
I excel on the microphone
I'll scream my name till the day I go
I will continue to make my name known
I hit the scene lac candy green
I come on the scene in a candy green car
Or candy blue when I'm wit my crew
I drive a candy blue car when with my friends
I represent we drank and screw
I represent the southern hip-hop culture of drinking and sex
Michael Watts he choppin' it up
DJ Michael Watts is mixing up the music
Cocaine I'm rockin' it up
I'm used to dealing with drugs
Yo gal fine I'm knockin' her up
I'm hooking up with attractive women
I got a plan
I have a strategy
Got in damand
I am in high demand
Then I hit the road and start stackin' grands
I go on tour and earn a lot of money
I'm runnin' the game wit my master plan
I'm dominating the music industry using my strategy
222813308 zero zero four
My phone number (repeated in next line)
Here the number you can hit me on
This is the number you call to reach me
When you call ask for Mike Jones
Ask for Mike Jones when you call this number
Purple purple drank I'm a grip and sip
I'm going to hold and sip some purple drank
Anythang illegal you know I'll flip
I'm into illegal activities
I roll slab wit my pistol grip
I drive around with a pistol as protection
Diamonds shine behind my lip
I have a diamond dental implant
I hit the club hundred deep wit hundred sweets and hundred freaks
I go to the club with a lot of people, and many of them are women
On the mic you can't compete
You can't match my skills on the microphone
'Cause Mike Jones is in the streets
I'm present and respected in the streets
I'm grippin' grain switchin' lanes
I'm driving my car carefully
'Causin' pain in the turnin' lane
I'm causing other drivers inconvenience in the turning lane
In seven months I'm runnin' the game
In seven months, I'll be dominating the music industry
Just ask the streets what is my name
People in the streets know who I am
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MIKE JONES, SALIH WILLIAMS, JORDAN HOUSTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind