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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Money
Junior Walker & The All Stars Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But you can keep them for the birds and bees
Now give me money
That's what I want
That's what I want, yeah
That's what I want
You're lovin' gives me a thrill
Now give me money
That's what I want
That's what I want, yeah
That's what I want
Money don't get everything it's true
What it don't get, I can't use
Now give me money
That's what I want
That's what I want, yeah
That's what I want, wah
Money don't get everything it's true
What it don't get, I can't use
Now give me money
That's what I want
That's what I want, yeah
That's what I want
Well now give me money
A lot of money
Wow, yeah, I wanna be free
Oh I want money
That's what I want
That's what I want, well
Now give me money
A lot of money
Wow, yeah, you need money
Now, give me money
That's what I want, yeah
That's what I want
The lyrics to Junior Walker & The All Stars' song "Money" talk about the importance of money in life. The song suggests that while the best things in life are free, one cannot survive without money. The opening lines of the song "The best things in life are free, but you can keep them for the birds and bees" imply that the singer is not interested in the free things in life and instead desires money. The singer goes on to explain how even though love and affection are important, they cannot pay the bills or buy necessities.
The chorus of the song repeats the line "That's what I want" several times, emphasizing the importance of money to the singer. The lyrics also suggest that while money may not be able to buy everything, it is still a necessary resource to survive.
The overall message of the song is one of practicality and financial necessity. The singer wants money to be able to live freely without financial burdens. A recurring theme in many blues and soul songs, the song showcases the importance of money in everyday life.
Line by Line Meaning
The best things in life are free
Although there are plenty of good things in life that don't require money, I am not interested in those things.
But you can keep them for the birds and bees
Those 'best things' that don't cost anything are only valuable to animals, not to me as a human.
Now give me money
I am demanding that you give me money because it is the most important thing to me.
That's what I want
Money is my top priority and what I desire most.
You're lovin' gives me a thrill
Although I enjoy being loved, it doesn't pay my bills or provide financial security.
But you're lovin' don't pay my bills
Love is not enough to sustain me and I need money to survive.
Money don't get everything it's true
I acknowledge that money can't solve all problems and there are things it can't buy.
What it don't get, I can't use
Even if money can't buy everything, there are things that I need it for and without it I am helpless.
Well now give me money
I am reiterating my demand for money because it is my primary goal and desire.
A lot of money
I don't just want a little bit of money, I want a large amount of it to fulfill my needs and wants.
Wow, yeah, I wanna be free
Money would provide me with financial freedom and independence to live the life I desire.
Oh I want money
Money is my ultimate desire and I will do whatever it takes to obtain it.
Wow, yeah, you need money
I point out that everyone needs money to survive and thrive, further emphasizing its importance.
Lyrics © DistroKid, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Janie Bradford, Berry Gordy Jr., BERRY JR GORDY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind