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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Three Four Three
Junior Walker & The All Stars Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Put a little love in your heart
You see, it's getting late, oh, please don't hesitate
Put a little love in your heart
And the world will be a better place
And the world will be a better place for you and me
You just wait and see
Another day goes by, and still the children cry
Put a little love in your heart
If you want the world to know, we won't let hatred grow
Put a little love in your heart
And the world will be a better place
And the world will be a better place for you and me
You just wait and see
Wait and see
Take a good look around and if you're lookin' down
Put a little love in your heart
I hope when you decide kindness will be your guide
Put a little love in your heart
And the world will be a better place
And the world will be a better place for you and me
You just wait and see
Put a little love in your heart
Put a little love in your heart
The lyrics of Junior Walker & The All Stars’ song Three Four Three encourage people to put a little love in their hearts and lend a helping hand to their fellow men. The singer urges listeners to not hesitate and act now before it’s too late. By doing so, the world will be a better place for everyone. The lyrics also highlight the importance of reducing hatred and promoting kindness. The song emphasizes the need for people to look around and show compassion towards those who are less fortunate.
The repeated phrase “put a little love in your heart” serves as a call to action, urging people to make a difference in the world. By doing so, they can help alleviate the suffering of others and promote peace and goodwill. The song reminds listeners that small acts of kindness can have a big impact and that everyone can contribute to making the world a better place.
Overall, the lyrics of Three Four Three encourage people to be more compassionate and empathetic towards others, and to take action to create positive change in the world. The song serves as a reminder that even simple gestures can make a big difference.
Line by Line Meaning
Think of your fellow man, lend him a helping hand
Encouraging people to think of and help others by lending a hand.
Put a little love in your heart
Spread love and kindness to others.
You see, it's getting late, oh, please don't hesitate
Urging people to act fast and not wait to spread love.
And the world will be a better place
The world will become a better place if more people spread love.
And the world will be a better place for you and me
The world will be better for everyone if more people spread love.
You just wait and see
Believing that positive change will occur if people spread love.
Another day goes by, and still the children cry
Children are still suffering, so we need to spread more love.
If you want the world to know, we won't let hatred grow
Spread love to counteract hatred and prevent it from growing.
Take a good look around and if you're lookin' down
Encouraging people to look around and notice those in need of love and kindness.
I hope when you decide kindness will be your guide
Hoping that people choose to spread kindness in their actions.
Put a little love in your heart
Spread love and kindness to others.
And the world will be a better place
The world will become a better place if more people spread love.
And the world will be a better place for you and me
The world will be better for everyone if more people spread love.
You just wait and see
Believing that positive change will occur if people spread love.
Put a little love in your heart
Spread love and kindness to others.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Jackie DeShannon, Jimmy Holiday, Randy Myers
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind