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.
http://www.classicbands.com/jrwalker.html
How Sweet It Is
Junior Walker & The All Stars Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How sweet it is to be loved by you
I needed the shelter of someone's arms and there you were
I needed someone to understand my ups and downs and there you were
With sweet love and devotion
Deeply touching my emotions
I want to stop and thank you baby
I want to stop and thank you baby
How sweet it is to be loved by you
I close my eyes at night
And wonder what would I be without you in my life
Everything was just a bore
All the things I did seems I'd done'em before
But you brighten up for me all of my days
With a love so sweet in so many ways
I want to stop and thank you baby
I want to stop and thank you baby
How sweet it is to be loved by you
How sweet it is to be loved by you
You were better to me than I've been to myself
For me, there's you and nobody else
I want to stop and thank you baby
I want to stop and thank you baby
How sweet it is to be loved by you
How sweet it is to be loved by you
How sweet it is to be loved by you
The lyrics to Junior Walker & The All Stars' song "How Sweet It Is" are a beautiful tribute to the power of love, and how it can transform someone's life. The song begins with the singer expressing his gratitude for being loved by someone special. He describes how he needed an emotional shelter from life's ups and downs, and this person was there to provide it. Their sweet and devoted love has touched his emotions deeply, and he wants to stop and thank them for all they've done. The repetition of the line "How sweet it is to be loved by you" emphasizes the joy and appreciation he feels.
In the second verse, the singer reflects on how his life was before he met this person. Everything was dull and uninteresting, and he was stuck in a repetitive cycle. But since they came into his life, they've brightened up his days and brought him so much happiness. He closes his eyes at night and thinks about how different his life would be without them. Once again, he expresses his gratitude for all they've done.
The final verse is particularly poignant, as the singer acknowledges just how much this person has done for him. They've been better to him than he's been to himself, and he knows that there's nobody else like them. He wants to stop and thank them again for their love, which has made his life so much sweeter.
Overall, "How Sweet It Is" is a beautiful testament to the transformative power of love. It reminds us that having someone to love and who loves us in return can make all the difference in our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
How sweet it is to be loved by you
Expressing how wonderful it feels to be loved by the person being addressed
I needed the shelter of someone's arms and there you were
Acknowledging the presence of the addressed person as a source of comfort in a time of distress
I needed someone to understand my ups and downs and there you were
Grateful for the understanding and empathy provided by the addressed person during difficult times
With sweet love and devotion
Describing the type of love and care given by the addressed person
Deeply touching my emotions
Recognizing how the addressed person's love and care affects one's emotional state
I want to stop and thank you baby
Expressing the desire to show appreciation and gratitude to the addressed person
I close my eyes at night
Reflecting on one's feelings and thoughts about the addressed person before sleeping
And wonder what would I be without you in my life
Contemplating how different one's life would be without the presence and love of the addressed person
Everything was just a bore
Feeling uninspired and unexcited about life prior to being loved by the addressed person
All the things I did seems I'd done'em before
Experiencing a sense of monotony and repetition in life before the addressed person's love
But you brighten up for me all of my days
Highlighting the positive impact of the addressed person's love and presence on one's daily life
With a love so sweet in so many ways
Describing the addressed person's love as being multi-faceted and delightful
You were better to me than I've been to myself
Recognizing how the addressed person treats one better than one treats oneself
For me, there's you and nobody else
Expressing the importance and irreplaceability of the addressed person in one's life
How sweet it is to be loved by you
Reiterating the joy and happiness of being loved by the addressed person
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Brian Holland, Edward Jr. Holland, Lamont Dozier
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@DavidSmith-cx9cu
By far the best version
@takethesky8478
Huge huge Marvin Gaye fan here but I’d say this is the best version of the song.
@sandyhoward3734
Yes
@tomtresco2952
Loved Marvin ,however , the Sax in this is just heaven to hear
@rubadubsoldier1419
You got it.
@teresacalladine7479
Marvin Gaye for me
@takethesky8478
@@teresacalladine7479 I think it’s more like you are gaye for Marvin
@milesmead2232
It made it up to 18 on Billboard charts in 1966. Marvin Gaye made it to #6 in '65 and James Taylor pushed it to #5 in '75. I like this version best.
@dennisbuono5415
1966!!
@peterhutchins9246
This is one of the truly great American songs of the 60s - there were a few!