He was born in Memphis, Tennessee, and raised in Arkansas. Wells moved to Chicago in 1948 and first made his mark at age 18 playing in Muddy Waters' band. He later worked with Buddy Guy in the 1960s and recorded for Delmark Records. His most memorable songs are "Messin' With the Kid" and "Little by Little," and his best-known album, 1965's Hoodoo Man Blues, which evokes the smoky atmosphere of the era's Westside Chicago blues bars.
Wells made an appearance in the 1998 movie Blues Brothers 2000, the sequel to The Blues Brothers. The movie was released less than a month after his death.
On his passing in 1998, Junior Wells was interred in the Oak Woods Cemetery, Chicago.
Give Me One Reason
Junior Wells Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I'll turn right back around
Give me one reason to stay here
And I'll turn right back around
I don't want leave you lonely
You got to make me change my mind
Baby I got your number and I know that you got mine
You can call me baby, you can call me anytime
You got to call me
Give me one reason to stay here
And I'll turn right back around
Give me one reason to stay here
And I'll turn right back HOME
Because I don't want leave you lonely
you got to make me change my mind
I don't want no one to squeeze me, they might take away my life
I don't want no one to squeeze me, they might take away my life
I just want someone to hold me and rock me through the night
This youthful heart can love you and give you what you need
This youthful heart can love you and give you what you need
But I'm too old to go chasing you
Wasting my precious energy
Give me one reason to stay here
And I'll turn right back home
Give me one reason to stay here
And I'll turn right back home
I don't want leave you lonely
But You got to make me change my mind
Baby just give me one reason, Give me just one reason why
Baby just give me one reason, Give me just one reason why I should stay
Because I told you that I loved you
And there ain't no more to say
The lyrics of Junior Wells's song "Give Me One Reason" express the uncertainty and indecisiveness of a person who is contemplating leaving their partner. They want a compelling reason to stay, and if they find one, they will change their mind and stay. When the singer says, "I don't want to leave you lonely," it suggests that the person they're addressing might be dependent on them in some way. They're looking for a substantial reason to stay, and they want their partner to convince them that they should stay.
The next line, "Baby, I got your number and I know you got mine," indicates that the two people have been involved with each other for a while. The repetition of "give me one reason" suggests that the singer is unwilling to leave, but they need a good enough reason to stay. They've invested too much in this relationship to just walk away, but at the same time, they're tired of feeling unfulfilled, as stated in "I just want someone to hold me and rock me through the night."
The final line, "I told you that I loved you, and there ain't no more to say," reveals that the song's protagonist loves their partner deeply but is conflicted. In the end, the decision to stay or leave lies in their partner's hands. The song captures the complexity of relationships and the way we sometimes need a push to realize what we truly want.
Line by Line Meaning
Give me one reason to stay here
I am contemplating leaving you, but if you can give me a single convincing reason to stay, I'll change my mind
And I'll turn right back around
If you give me a good reason to stay, I'll immediately reverse my decision and stay with you
I don't want leave you lonely
I don't want to hurt you by leaving you all alone, that's why I need you to convince me to stay
You got to make me change my mind
It's up to you to persuade me to stay as I have already made up my mind to leave
Baby I got your number and I know that you got mine
I have your phone number and I know you have mine as well
But you know that I called you, I called too many times
I know that I have called you many times and it may have bothered you
You can call me baby, you can call me anytime
You are free to contact me, and I'm willing to answer your call at any time
I don't want no one to squeeze me, they might take away my life
I don't want anyone to control or harm me, as it may have fatal consequences
I just want someone to hold me and rock me through the night
All I need is someone to comfort me and give me reassurance during the night
This youthful heart can love you and give you what you need
I have an affectionate and caring heart that is willing to love you and support you
But I'm too old to go chasing you, Wasting my precious energy
I'm not young enough to keep pursuing you endlessly, as it's time-consuming and exhausting
Baby just give me one reason, Give me just one reason why
All I need is a single convincing reason why I should stay with you
Because I told you that I loved you, And there ain't no more to say
I have expressed my love for you before, and if you want me to stay, that should be enough
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Tracy L Chapman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ratisyanihla7891
Give me one reason to stay here
And I'll turn right back around
Give me one reason to stay here
And I'll turn right back around
Because I don't want leave you lonely
But you got to make me change my mind
Baby I got your number and I know that you got mine
But you know that I called you, I called too many times
You can call me baby, you can call me anytime
But you got to call me
Give me one reason to stay here
And I'll turn right back around
Give me one reason to stay here
And I'll turn right back around
Because I don't want leave you lonely
But you got to make me change my mind
I don't want no one to squeeze me, they might take away my life
I don't want no one to squeeze me, they might take away my life
I just want someone to hold me and rock me through the night
This youthful heart can love you and give you what you need
This youthful heart can love you and give you what you need
But I'm too old to go chasing you around
Wasting my precious energy
Give me one reason to stay here
And I'll turn right back around
Give me one reason to stay here
And I'll turn right back around
Because I don't want leave you lonely
But you got to make me change my mind
Baby just give me one reason, Give me just one reason why
Baby just give me one reason, Give me just one reason why I should stay
Because I told you that I loved you
And there ain't no more to say
@aadvandersluijs5443
The song was covered in 1996 by blues vocalist and harmonica player, Junior Wells, on his album Come On in This House. Tracy Chapman wrote this song for the people who asks about it in the comments, but this is a beautiful rendition of the songs! Love & feel the blues! <3
@kav6666
I got here from listening to Chapman,AND found this man,RESULT.
@cliffstates63
Who's Tracy Chapman ? 😘
@susannelson9281
@@cliffstates63 LOL, I know Junior blows it out the park here, but what a great song Tracy gave us all
@rogerray1853
Clif state's I have 5cds of her she sings fast car great song and good version of this one
@Ville420able
blues version is nice
@johnlammergeier2890
the harmonica solo in this freaked me out so much I ran to the music store the next day after hearing it and prayed to God that I could one day do something close to it. It took me a few years, but now I can. Love you Junior Well for the harmonica gift in my life.
@HowlinWilf13
Aaah, the blues, the blues! There aint nothin' better. And there aint none better than Junior Wells. That voice! That harp! With some beautiful guitar accompaniment. That solo at 2:55! Delightful!
@Commandordster
Jr was the best Blues singer. Unaffected,untrained,and completely and only from the heart.No showmanship bullshit,just sweet straight Blues right from the soul. And,the most underrated harp player of all the greats.Little Walter,Big Walter,Sonny Boy,nobody could wring as much pure feeling out of five notes as Jr Wells. Yeah,I miss your Grandpa,too,Southie.
@Kricura
Didnt think this song couldnt get any better... but it Got the Blues 👍