Baker was born in Chicago, Illinois. She is occasionally referred to as Delores Williams because of an early marriage to Eugene Williams; in the late 1940s she was identified in RCA Victor record company files as "D. L. McMurley." She was the niece of blues singer Merline Johnson and was also related to Memphis Minnie.
She began singing in Chicago clubs such as the Club DeLisa around 1946, often billed as Little Miss Sharecropper, and first recorded under that name in 1949. She changed her name briefly to Bea Baker when recording for Okeh Records in 1951, and then became LaVern Baker when singing with Todd Rhodes and his band in 1952.
In 1953 she signed for Atlantic Records as a solo artist, her first release being "Soul on Fire". Her first hit came in early 1955, with the Latin-tempo "Tweedlee Dee" reaching #4 on the R&B chart and #14 on the national US pop charts. Georgia Gibbs' note-for-note cover of Baker's "Tweedle Dee" reached #1; subsequently Baker made an unsuccessful attempt to sue her and petitioned Congress to consider such covers copyright violations.
Baker had a succession of hits on the R&B charts over the next couple of years with her backing group The Gliders, including "Bop-Ting-A-Ling" (#3 R&B), "Play It Fair" (#2 R&B), and "Still" (#4 R&B). At the end of 1956 she had another smash hit with "Jim Dandy" (#1 R&B, #17 pop). It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. Further hits followed for Atlantic, including the follow-up "Jim Dandy Got Married" (#7 R&B), "I Cried a Tear" (#2 R&B, #6 pop in 1959), "I Waited Too Long" (#5 R&B, #3 pop, written by Neil Sedaka), "Saved" (#17 R&B, written by Leiber and Stoller), and "See See Rider" (#9 R&B in 1963).
In addition to singing, Baker also did some work with Ed Sullivan and Alan Freed on TV and in films, including Rock, Rock, Rock and Mr. Rock & Roll. In 1964, she recorded a Bessie Smith tribute album, before leaving Atlantic and joining Brunswick Records, where she recorded the album "Let Me Belong to You".
In 1966, Baker recorded a duet single with Jackie Wilson. The controversial song, "Think Twice", featured raunchy lyrics that were not considered appropriate for airplay at that time or even today. Three versions were recorded, one of which is the X-rated version with the raunchy lyrics.
In the late 1960s, Baker became seriously ill after a trip to Vietnam to entertain American soldiers. While recovering at the US Subic Bay Naval Base in the Philippines, her husband, Slappy White filed for a divorce. A friend recommended that she stay on as the entertainment director at the Marine Corps Staff NCO club there, and she remained there for 22 years.
In 1988 she returned to perform at Madison Square Garden for Atlantic Records' 40th anniversary. She then worked on the soundtracks to films such as Shag, (1989), Dick Tracy, (1990) and A Rage in Harlem (1991), which were all issued on CD.
In 1990, she made her Broadway debut replacing Ruth Brown as star of the hit musical Black and Blue. In 1991, Rhino Records released a new album Live in Hollywood recorded at the Hollywood Roosevelt Cinegrill, as well as a compilation of her greatest Atlantic hits entitled Soul on Fire. In 1992, she recorded a well-received studio album, Woke Up This Morning, for DRG Records. She continued performing after having both legs amputated from diabetes complications in 1994 and made her last recording, "Jump Into the Fire," for the 1995 Harry Nilsson tribute CD, For the Love of Harry on the Music Masters label.
She received the 1990 Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation. In 1991, Baker became the second female solo artist inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, following Aretha Franklin in 1987. Her song "Jim Dandy" was named one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll and was ranked #343 on the Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
LaVern Baker died from cardiovascular disease on March 10, 1997, at the age of 67. Originally buried in an unmarked plot in Maple Grove Cemetery in Kew Gardens, Queens, New York, her grave received a headstone on May 4, 2008, after a fundraiser was held by local historians.
After You've Gone
LaVern Baker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
After you've gone there's no denyin',
You'll feel blue, you'll feel sad.
You'll miss the dearest pal you've ever had.
There'll come a time, now don't forget it.
There'll come a time when you'll regret it,
Someday, when you grow lonely
Your heart will break like mine
And you'll want me only after you've gone,
After you've gone away.
After you've gone and left me cryin',
After you've gone there's no denyin',
You're gonna feel blue,
And you're gonna feel sad,
You're gonna feel bad.
And you'll miss, and you'll miss,
And you'll miss the bestest pal you ever had.
There'll come a time, now don't forget it,
There'll come a time when you'll regret it
But, baby, think what you're doin'.
I'm gonna haunt you so,
I'm gonna taunt you so.
It's gonna drive you to ruin after you've gone,
After you've gone away.
The song "After You've Gone" by LaVern Baker is a sad and poignant reflection on the pain that comes from a relationship ending. The lyrics describe the aftermath of a breakup, with the singer left crying and alone after her partner has gone. The first two verses warn the departing lover that they will also become sad and lonely, missing the closeness that they once shared. The chorus suggests that the singer will not easily forget the pain and that her ex-partner will ultimately regret leaving her behind.
The third verse takes a more threatening tone, with the singer warning her former lover that she will "haunt" and "taunt" them until they are ruined. This is a warning to the ex-partner not to take the singer for granted or assume that she will always be waiting for them when they come back. The final verse is a repetition of the chorus, emphasizing the singer's determination to hold on to her pain and not forgive easily.
Overall, the song is a powerful portrayal of the pain that comes from a relationship ending, and the ways in which it can transform both parties. The lyrics are filled with emotion and honesty, making the track as relevant today as it was when it was first released.
Line by Line Meaning
After you've gone and left me cryin'
Once you've left me, causing me to cry
After you've gone there's no denyin'
Once you've gone, it will be obvious
You'll feel blue, you'll feel sad.
You will experience feelings of sadness and melancholy.
You'll miss the dearest pal you've ever had.
You will realize that I was the best friend you ever had.
There'll come a time, now don't forget it.
There will be a moment in the future when this will become clear.
There'll come a time when you'll regret it,
Eventually you will feel remorse for what you have done.
Someday, when you grow lonely
At some point in time, when you become lonely
Your heart will break like mine
You will feel the same pain and heartache I am feeling.
And you'll want me only after you've gone,
You will realize how much you need me only after leaving me.
After you've gone and left me cryin',
Once you've left me, causing me to cry
You're gonna feel blue,
You will experience feelings of sadness.
And you're gonna feel sad,
You will feel melancholy and regretful.
You're gonna feel bad.
You will feel guilty for what you have done.
And you'll miss, and you'll miss,
You will feel the absence of my company.
And you'll miss the bestest pal you ever had.
You will realize that I was the closest and most important friend you ever had.
But, baby, think what you're doin'.
Pay attention to the consequences of your actions.
I'm gonna haunt you so,
My memory and the pain I feel will always be with you.
I'm gonna taunt you so.
You will be constantly reminded of what you have lost.
It's gonna drive you to ruin after you've gone,
The regret and pain will have a destructive impact on you, even after leaving me.
After you've gone away.
Once you have left and gone away.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
ramon alfredo Rebai
una de las mejores versiones,de las decenas que existen de este clàsico, por calidad de voz y el sentimiento con que es cantado por esta maravillosa interprete.
MORETHANJAZZ SPAIN
Un timbre de voz precioso y una interpretación fantástica.
chinalaine2
¡Qué gran voz la de LaVern Baker! En este tema lo borda...!!
John Benn
WOW WOW WOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
From a 73yo Aussie fan.