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.
Knock on Wood
LaVern Baker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That I got cause if I do
I will surely surely lose a lot
Cause your love is better than any love I know
It's like thunder and lightning
The way you love me is frightening
You better knock, knock on wood, baby
I'm not superstitious about ya
But I can't take no chance
I got me spinnin', baby, you know I'm in a trance
Cause your love is better
Than any love I know
It's like thunder and lightning
The way you love me is frightening
You better knock, knock on wood, baby
It's no secret about it
That woman is my loving cup
Cause she sees to it, that I get enough
Just one touch from here
You know it means so much
It's like thunder and lightening
The way you love me is frightening
You better knock, knock on wood, baby
You better knock, knock, knock on wood.
The lyrics to LaVern Baker's song Knock on Wood express the singer's fear of losing their love and their desire to protect it. The lyrics start with the singer expressing their fear of losing the good thing they have and the consequences they will face if they lose it. The singer then goes on to describe the intensity of their love, comparing it to thunder and lightning. The way their lover loves them is described as frightening, indicating that it is powerful and intense. The singer believes that their love is better than any love they know, emphasizing its importance to them.
The chorus of the song urges the lover to knock on wood, a phrase that is commonly used as a superstitious way to prevent bad luck. The singer admits that they are not superstitious, but they cannot take any chances when it comes to their love. The fear of losing their love and the power of their lover's love is expressed throughout the song, creating a sense of urgency and importance.
Overall, the lyrics to Knock on Wood convey the feelings of love and fear that often come with a strong relationship. The singer's desire to protect their love partner and their fear of losing them are at the forefront of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't want to lose you, this good thing
I value our relationship and do not want to lose it.
That I got cause if I do
If I lose you, I will lose a lot.
I will surely surely lose a lot
Losing you would have a significant impact on my life.
Cause your love is better than any love I know
Your love is unmatched and better than any love I have experienced.
It's like thunder and lightning
Your love is powerful and electrifying.
The way you love me is frightening
Your love is intense and overwhelming.
You better knock, knock on wood, baby
We need to knock on wood for good luck and make sure our love lasts.
I'm not superstitious about ya
I am not normally superstitious, but I want to ensure our relationship lasts.
But I can't take no chance
I cannot take any risks with our relationship.
I got me spinnin', baby, you know I'm in a trance
Your love has me feeling dizzy and mesmerized.
It's no secret about it
Our love is obvious and well-known.
That woman is my loving cup
Your love is my source of sustenance and happiness.
Cause she sees to it, that I get enough
You ensure that I have all the love and support I need.
Just one touch from here
Your touch has a significant impact on my emotions.
You know it means so much
Your touch holds great value and importance to me.
You better knock, knock, knock on wood.
We need to knock on wood for good luck and make sure our love lasts.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Eddie Floyd, Steve Cropper
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
thecountofbasie
WOW...forgot how great this song was...and to see LaVern rockin' it...PRICELESS
XZYAFFAIR
What an amazing talent!
jim wragg
thank you for putting some great stuff on youtube aithough I get to listen to a lot of this type of music at rocknroll dances and I have got loads myself it is always nice to see someone else has got good taste again thanks alot it appreciated
Sean Ryan
Greatest female voice of the 50's era.
hhrtwo
So true...I'm 67 now and I remember danceing to this at the sock hops in 1957...Thanks for the memories!! We're crossing the finish line...sob
EyeLikeTooWatch
This is LaVern's soundalike follow-up "Jim Dandy Got Married." According to Marv Goldberg, ""Jim Dandy" was such a big hit, that Lincoln Chase was commissioned to do a follow-up. Lavern's next release was 'Jim Dandy Got Married,' which expresses the theme that it's easier to rescue women than to be married to them. This made it to the (US) R&B Top Ten, but climbed no higher than #76 on the (US) Pop charts."
thandie09
I used to do competion jive and just watching those 50's rockers and listening to that song made me want to spring from my chair!
Mr. DC Memories
Do a YouTube search for the video titled "Dr Jive's RnB Show" and you'll find a performance of Tweedlee Dee by LaVern as well as some other amazing '50s jive acts, including Gator Tail Jackson. I can't believe he appeared on coast-to-coast national television on a Sunday night. CRAZY, MAN, CRAZY!
BLAKPEARL69
her voice was a boomin one. miss singers like her, real sangers.
Rosaland Harris
love this! the Coasters sang backup on this record. Didn't know, huh?