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.
Gimme a Pig Foot
LaVern Baker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wouldn't pay twenty-five cents to go in nowhere
'Cause listen here.....
Up in Harlem ev'ry Saturday night
When the highbrows get together its just too tight
They all congregates at an all night strut
And what they do is tut-tut-tut
Old Hannah Brown from 'cross town
Gets full of corn and starts breakin' 'em down
Just at the break of day
You can hear old Hannah say
Gimme a pigfoot and a bottle of beer
Send me 'gain, I don't care
I feel just like I wanna clown
Give the piano player a drink
Because he's bringin' me down!
He's gotta rhythm, Y-e-e-a-a-h!
When he stomps his feet
He sends me right off to sleep
Check all your razors and your guns
We gonna be 'rested when the wagon comes
I wanna pigfoot and a bottle of beer
Send me 'cause I don't care
Play me 'cause I don't care
(Trumpet Solo)
Gimme a pigfoot and a bottle of beer
Send me 'gain, I don't care
I feel just like I wanna clown
Give the piano player a drink
Because he's bringin' me down
He's got rhythm, Y-e-e-a-a-h!
When he stomps his feet
He sends me right off to sleep
Check all your razors and your guns
Do the shim-sham-shimmy 'til the risin' sun
Give me a reefer and a gang o' gin
Play me 'cause I'm in my sin
Play me 'cause I'm full of gin
The song "Gimme a Pig Foot" by LaVern Baker is a blues song that takes a look at the nightlife in Harlem in the 1930s. It begins with the singer, who is not willing to pay 25 cents to enter anywhere, setting the scene for the rest of the song. The lyrics describe the "highbrows" of Harlem, who would gather and "congregate" at an all-night party, where they would "tut-tut-tut." In particular, the song highlights the character Hannah Brown, who is said to "get full of corn and starts breakin' 'em down" as the night wears on.
The chorus of the song, "Gimme a pigfoot and a bottle of beer, send me 'cause I don't care," suggests a sense of carefree abandon that seems to characterize the Harlem nightlife of the time. The singer expresses a desire to let loose and have fun, requesting a drink for the piano player and encouraging everyone to dance.
Overall, "Gimme a Pig Foot" is a lively and fun song that celebrates the music and atmosphere of Harlem nightlife in the 1930s. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a bygone era, and the catchy chorus is sure to get stuck in your head.
Line by Line Meaning
Twenty-five cents, hah, no, no
I would never pay just twenty-five cents to go anywhere
'Cause listen here.....
Up in Harlem ev'ry Saturday night
Every Saturday night in Harlem
When the highbrows get together its just too tight
When the sophisticated people gather it's too stuffy and rigid
They all congregates at an all night strut
They all come together for an all-night party
And what they do is tut-tut-tut
And they disapprove of others
Old Hannah Brown from 'cross town
There's a woman named Hannah Brown from across town
Gets full of corn and starts breakin' 'em down
She gets drunk and starts dancing
Just at the break of day
Just as the sun is coming up
You can hear old Hannah say
You can hear Hannah singing
Gimme a pigfoot and a bottle of beer
I want a pig's foot and a bottle of beer
Send me 'gain, I don't care
Give me more, I don't care
I feel just like I wanna clown
I feel like acting silly
Give the piano player a drink
Give the piano player a drink
Because he's bringin' me down!
Because he's depressing me!
He's gotta rhythm, Y-e-e-a-a-h!
He has a great rhythm, yeah!
When he stomps his feet
When he stomps his feet
He sends me right off to sleep
It makes me sleepy
Check all your razors and your guns
Everyone check your weapons
We gonna be 'rested when the wagon comes
We'll get arrested when the police come
I wanna pigfoot and a bottle of beer
I want a pig's foot and a bottle of beer
Send me 'cause I don't care
Give me more, I don't care
Play me 'cause I don't care
Play music for me, I don't care
(Trumpet Solo)
Gimme a pigfoot and a bottle of beer
I want a pig's foot and a bottle of beer
Send me 'gain, I don't care
Give me more, I don't care
I feel just like I wanna clown
I feel like acting silly
Give the piano player a drink
Give the piano player a drink
Because he's bringin' me down
Because he's depressing me
He's got rhythm, Y-e-e-a-a-h!
He has a great rhythm, yeah!
When he stomps his feet
When he stomps his feet
He sends me right off to sleep
It makes me sleepy
Check all your razors and your guns
Everyone check your weapons
Do the shim-sham-shimmy 'til the risin' sun
Dance until the sun comes up
Give me a reefer and a gang o' gin
Give me a joint and a lot of gin
Play me 'cause I'm in my sin
Play music for me because I'm sinning
Play me 'cause I'm full of gin
Play music for me because I'm drunk
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Najponk Jazz
Great record!!!! Thanks for upload!!!! 💿
David Chernofsky
what a great song never go proper exposure R&B in 50s got a very bad deal
BruceTheSillyGoose
ah the STEREO version! i gotta find that CD, the only ones i've sound were the atlantic original mono. :(
Wayne Bennett
Classic 50's R & B. Leave your razors and your guns !
Musicola
Written in 1933 and recorded by Bessie Smith that year.
Ann Bekooy
I couldn't agree more. Fabulous song. Maybe the lack of promotion had something to do with an industry that was known to be racist in the 1950's and the notion of a "Pigsfoot" as being something "black people would eat"? Just curious.
metrogoldwyn mccormick
this song dates back to the '20s and Bessie Smith.
Marius M
now its called a" trotter" - and its a fancy priced item.
Malvern Mascal
Pig foot was the cheapest meat at that time
Jim Roth
Its good eating