Delores LaVern Baker (November 11, 1929 – March 10, 1997) was an American r… Read Full Bio ↴Delores LaVern Baker (November 11, 1929 – March 10, 1997) was an American rhythm and blues singer, who had several hit records on the pop chart in the 1950s and early 1960s. Her most successful records were "Tweedlee Dee" (1955), "Jim Dandy" (1956), and "I Cried a Tear" (1958).

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.

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I Ain
LaVern Baker Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Let me tell you daddy,
Momma ain't gonna sit here and grieve
Pack up your stuff and get ready to leave
I stood your foolishness long enough,
So now I'm gonna call your bluff
Oh, I'm gonna call your hand,
So, now daddy here's my plan

Ain't gonna play no second fiddle 'cause,
I'm used to playin' lead
You must think that I am blind,
You've been cheatin' me all the time
Whoa yeah, you still flirt
And you'll notice I ain't hurt,
To see you with my chum
Do you think that I am dumb
You 'cause me to drink,
When I sit down and think

And notice that you never take heed
I went to your house the other night,
Caught you and your good girl havin' a fight
Ain't gonna play no second fiddle 'cause
I'm used to playin' lead

Caught you with your good-time tramp
So, now I'm gonna put out your lamp
Oh, poppa, I ain't sore

You ain't gonna mess up with me no more
I'm gonna flirt with another guy
Then you're gonna hang your head an' cry
Ain't gonna play no second fiddle 'cause
I'm used to playin' lead

Overall Meaning

In "I Ain't Gonna Play No Second Fiddle," LaVern Baker sings about a woman who has had enough of her man's dishonesty and infidelity. She is fed up and ready to take matters into her own hands by leaving him behind and finding someone else. She refuses to be a "second fiddle" in his life, always playing second best to his other women. She is determined to take control of her own life and find a man who will treat her right.

The song is filled with strong, assertive lyrics that empower women to stand up for themselves and demand respect. LaVern Baker's powerful vocals bring these lyrics to life, and the upbeat tempo of the song encourages listeners to dance and sing along. The song also features a catchy melody and memorable chorus that make it a classic of rhythm and blues music.

Overall, "I Ain't Gonna Play No Second Fiddle" is a song about finding the courage to break free from a toxic relationship and start anew. It encourages women to take control of their own lives and find partners who will treat them with the love and respect they deserve.

Line by Line Meaning

Let me tell you daddy,
I need to talk to you, dad,

Momma ain't gonna sit here and grieve
Mom won't be sad anymore if you leave,

Pack up your stuff and get ready to leave
Collect your belongings, it's time to go,

I stood your foolishness long enough,
I tolerated your nonsense for too long,

So now I'm gonna call your bluff
I'm going to expose your lies,

Oh, I'm gonna call your hand,
I will challenge you to show your cards,

So, now daddy here's my plan
Here's what I'm going to do,

Ain't gonna play no second fiddle 'cause,
I won't be in the background because,

I'm used to playin' lead
I have always been the main character,

You must think that I am blind,
You assume that I am unaware of your actions,

You've been cheatin' me all the time
You've been unfaithful to me consistently,