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.
Just a Closer Walk With Thee
LaVern Baker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Grant it Jesus, if you please
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.
Through this world of toil and snares,
If I falter, Lord, who cares?
Who with me my burden shares?
None but Thee, dear Lord, none but Thee.
And when my feeble life is o'er,
Time for me will be no more;
Guide me gently, safely o'er
To Thy kingdom shore, to Thy shore.
In LaVern Baker's song "Just a Closer Walk With Thee," the singer is praying to Jesus to grant them the opportunity to walk closely with Him every day. They express a desire to stay near to the Lord, acknowledging that only He can provide the guidance, strength, and support they need to navigate the world and overcome its challenges. The singer recognizes that life can be difficult and painful, filled with obstacles and temptations, but they place their trust in Jesus alone, confident that He will bear their burdens and never abandon them. Finally, the song ends with a plea for Jesus to lead the singer safely to their final resting place, where they will be reunited with Him in Heaven.
One of the central themes of this song is the idea of faith and trust in God. The singer emphasizes that no one else can provide the comfort and guidance that only Jesus can offer, and they repeatedly turn to Him as their source of strength and hope. Additionally, the song speaks to the idea of mortality and the finiteness of human life. The singer acknowledges that their time on earth is limited and that they will one day have to cross over into eternity. However, they express confidence in Jesus' ability to guide and support them throughout this process and to ultimately lead them to eternal life in Heaven.
Line by Line Meaning
Just a closer walk with Thee,
I desire to walk more closely with you, Jesus
Grant it Jesus, if you please
If it is your will, Jesus, please grant me this desire
Daily walking close to Thee,
I want to walk with you every day, Lord
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.
Please let it happen, dear Lord
Through this world of toil and snares,
This world is full of difficulties and challenges
If I falter, Lord, who cares?
If I stumble, Lord, who will be there for me?
Who with me my burden shares?
Who will help me carry my burdens?
None but Thee, dear Lord, none but Thee.
Only you, dear Lord, can help me with my burdens
And when my feeble life is o'er,
When I am at the end of my life
Time for me will be no more;
I will have no more time left
Guide me gently, safely o'er
Please guide me safely through the transition to the next life
To Thy kingdom shore, to Thy shore.
Guide me to your eternal kingdom, dear Lord
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BILL (USA) BLACK, TRADITIONAL, PD TRADITIONAL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Gerwyn Evans
There are over one hundred recordings of this traditional gospel hymn, experts believe its origin pre-dates the US Civil War. Ella Fitzgerald's version and this are my favourites.
John Benn
Back again.
GOD--LaVern sure is fantastic.
AreThe Gliders doing the back-up vocals???????
John Benn
WOW WOW WOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
From a 73yo Aussie fan.