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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Honey Come Back
Junior Walker & The All Stars Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I sit and wait in vain
I guess I'll rap on your door
Tap on your window pane
I want to tell you baby
The changes I've been going through
Missing you
Listen you
That's what I'm gonna do
Why did you have to decide
You had to set me free
I'm gonna swallow my pride
I'm gonna beg you to (please baby please) see me
I'm gonna walk by meself
Just to prove that my love is true
Oh, for you baby
'Till you come back to me
That's what I'm gonna do
Living for you my dear
Is like living in a world of constant fear
In my plea, I've got to make you see
That our love is dying
Although your phone you ignore
Somehow I must explain
I'm gonna rap on your door
Tap on your window pane
I'm gonna camp on your step
Until I get through to you
I've got to change your view baby
'Till you come back to me
That's what I'm gonna do
The song "Honey Come Back" by Junior Walker & The All Stars is a heartfelt plea from the singer to their lost love. The lyrics express the deep longing and desperation to have their lover back in their life. They mention waiting in vain and attempting to reach out to the person through various means like knocking on the door or tapping on the window pane. The singer wants to communicate the changes they have been going through and how much they miss their lover. They are willing to swallow their pride and beg for a chance to be seen and heard again. They even go as far as saying they will walk alone just to prove their love is true. The song emphasizes the singer's determination to wait and do whatever it takes until their beloved returns to them.
The lyrics also reveal the emotional pain the singer is experiencing while living without their lover. They describe it as living in a world of constant fear, implying that their existence has become filled with uncertainty and anxiety. The plea is to make the lover understand that their love is dying, and it is crucial for them to acknowledge it. Despite being ignored on the phone, the singer expresses their desire to continue trying to reach out, whether it is by knocking on the door or tapping on the window pane. They even mention camping on the lover's doorstep until they can make their presence known. The final line highlights the ultimate objective of changing the lover's perspective and bringing them back into the singer's life.
Overall, "Honey Come Back" captures the raw emotions and vulnerability of someone desperate to be reunited with their lost love. The lyrics showcase the singer's persistence and willingness to go to great lengths in order to reconnect.
Line by Line Meaning
Though you don't call anymore
Even though you no longer reach out to me
I sit and wait in vain
I patiently wait, hoping for your return
I guess I'll rap on your door
I suppose I will knock on your door
Tap on your window pane
Gently touch the glass of your window
I want to tell you baby
I desire to express to you, my love
The changes I've been going through
The transformations I have experienced
Missing you
Longing for your presence
Listen you
Pay attention, my love
'Till you come back to me
Until you return to my embrace
That's what I'm gonna do
That is my intended course of action
Why did you have to decide
Why did you choose
You had to set me free
To release me from your hold
I'm gonna swallow my pride
I will put aside my ego
I'm gonna beg you to (please baby please) see me
I will plead for your attention and presence
I'm gonna walk by meself
I will wander alone
Just to prove that my love is true
To demonstrate the authenticity of my affection
Oh, for you baby
Oh, my dear, for you
'Till you come back to me
Until the moment you return to my side
That's what I'm gonna do
That is my intended course of action
Living for you my dear
Existing solely for your sake, my love
Is like living in a world of constant fear
Feels comparable to residing in an everlasting state of anxiety
In my plea, I've got to make you see
Within my heartfelt appeal, I must make you understand
That our love is dying
That our affection is fading away
Although your phone you ignore
Even though you disregard my phone calls
Somehow I must explain
In some way, I need to clarify
I'm gonna rap on your door
I will knock on your door rhythmically
Tap on your window pane
Gently touch the glass of your window
I'm gonna camp on your step
I will reside on your doorstep
Until I get through to you
Until I successfully communicate with you
I've got to change your view baby
I must alter your perspective, my dear
'Till you come back to me
Until the moment you return to my embrace
That's what I'm gonna do
That is my intended course of action
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, O/B/O DistroKid, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Sentric Music, Downtown Music Publishing, Songtrust Ave, Reservoir Media Management, Inc., Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Morris Broadnax, Clarence O. Paul, Stevie Wonder
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind