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.
Don Juan
LaVern Baker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And when your money's gone, Don, your baby's gone
Don Juan, your baby's gone
Stiff upper lip now, Don, you'll have to carry on
The yacht we sailed on, the yacht we wailed on
I got to tell you, Don, I loved that yacht
You used to look so cute in your white sailor suit
Don Juan, your money's gone
And when your money's gone, Don, your baby's gone
Don Juan, your baby's gone
Stiff upper lip now, Don, you'll have to carry on
The house we grooved in, the house we moved in
The way we waltzed around the marble floor
You're sure to look deluxe in your white tie an' tux
Up in that big old house that is no longer yours
Don Juan, your money's gone
And when your money's gone, Don, your baby's gone
Don Juan, your baby's gone
Stiff upper lip now, Don, you'll have to carry on
The way you wine me, the way you dine me
I sure I'm gonna miss the Filet Mignon
You know I'm going to miss that special way you kiss
But no cheeky don, no laundry don
Don Juan, your money's gone
And when your money's gone, Don, your baby's gone
Don Juan, your baby's gone
Stiff upper lip now, Don, you'll have to carry on
You'll have to carry on
You'll have to carry, carry on
Oh yeah, carry on, Don
The song "Don Juan" by LaVern Baker is a song that portrays the story of Don, who has lost all his money and is left to deal with the consequences of his actions. The lyrics suggest that Don had a lavish lifestyle, sailing on yachts, living in grand houses, and enjoying the finer things in life. His money was the source of this lifestyle, and without it, he is left with nothing. The woman singing the song was Don's lover, who also enjoyed the luxurious lifestyle, but she has now left him because his money is gone. She sings to Don, telling him that he must carry on despite his misfortunes and that he must put on a brave face, hence the phrase "Stiff upper lip now, Don, you'll have to carry on."
The song also touches on the idea of materialism and how it can lead to one's downfall. It portrays how one can become so consumed with money that it becomes their identity, and when it's gone, so is everything else. The mentioning of the Filet Mignon, white sailor suit, and white tie and tux symbolizes the extravagant lifestyle that Don once had, and the loss of it all.
LaVern Baker's "Don Juan" is not just a song about a fictional character but has a deeper meaning. It is a commentary on the dangers of materialism, how it can quickly spiral out of control and lead one to ruin. It is a reminder that true happiness comes from within and not from possessions or wealth.
Line by Line Meaning
Don Juan, your money's gone
Don Juan, you've lost all your money
And when your money's gone, Don, your baby's gone
When you have no money, your partner will leave you
Don Juan, your baby's gone
Your partner has left you, Don Juan
Stiff upper lip now, Don, you'll have to carry on
You need to remain strong and continue despite the hardship
The yacht we sailed on, the yacht we wailed on
Remember that yacht we had so much fun on?
I got to tell you, Don, I loved that yacht
I loved that yacht, Don
You used to look so cute in your white sailor suit
Don, you used to look so adorable in your white sailor outfit
Up on that big white yacht that you no longer got
That big white yacht we used to ride on, you don't have it anymore
The house we grooved in, the house we moved in
Remember that house where we had so much fun?
The way we waltzed around the marble floor
We used to dance on that marble floor
You're sure to look deluxe in your white tie an' tux
Don, you always looked so grand in your white suit and tuxedo
Up in that big old house that is no longer yours
Unfortunately, you no longer own that big old house
The way you wine me, the way you dine me
Don, I loved the way you treated me so well
I sure I'm gonna miss the Filet Mignon
I'm really going to miss that mouth-watering Filet Mignon
You know I'm going to miss that special way you kiss
I'm really going to miss the way you used to kiss me
But no cheeky don, no laundry don
But Don, you can't just charm your way out of this situation
You'll have to carry on
You have to keep going
You'll have to carry, carry on
Don't give up, keep persevering
Oh yeah, carry on, Don
You can do it, Don
Contributed by Lillian R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.