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.
Manana
LaVern Baker Lyrics
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My pocket needs some money, so I can't go into town
My brother isn't working and my sister doesn't care
The car she needs a motor so I can't go anywhere
(manana, manana, manana is soon enough for me)
My mother's always working, she's working very hard
But every time she looks for me I'm sleeping in the yard
I'll go to work manana but I gotta sleep tonight
(manana, manana, manana is soon enough for me)
Oh, once I had some money but I gave it to my friend
He said he'd pay me double, it was only for a lend
But he said a little later that the horse she was so slow
Why he give the horse my money is something I don't know
(Manana, manana, manana is soon enough for me)
(Manana, manana, manana is soon enough for me)
My brother took a suitcase and he went away to school
My father said he only learned to be a silly fool
My father said that I should learn to make a chile pot
But then I burned the house down, the chile was too hot
(manana, manana, manana is soon enough for me)
The window she is broken and the rain is comin' in
If someone doesn't fix it I'll be soaking to my skin
But if we wait a day or two the rain may go away
And we don't need a window on such a sunny day
(manana, manana, manana is soon enough for me) Oba! Oba!
(manana, manana, manana is soon enough for me) Oba! Oba!
The lyrics of LaVern Baker's song "Manana" depict a family's laid-back and procrastinating lifestyle. The song captures the essence of the phrase "manana" which translates to "tomorrow" in Spanish, and it's used as a representation of the family's approach to life. The singer's faucet is dripping, and the fence is falling down, but he can't fix it as he has no money. He can't go to town because his pocket is empty, his brother isn't working, and his sister doesn't care. The car needs a motor, and he can't go anywhere. However, the singer seems content with the situation, and he willingly delays solving his problems, saying "manana is soon enough for me."
Moreover, the lyrics are about the singer's family, who seem unmotivated and procrastinate on every task. The mother is always working hard, and the son admits to sleeping in the yard every time his mother looks for him. He acknowledges that his mother thinks he's lazy, and he promises to work the next day but needs to sleep first. He once had money, but he gave it to his friend, who promised to pay him double, but the friend took the money and ran away. The singer states that he will wait for his pay, and he is in no hurry, saying "manana is soon enough for me."
In conclusion, the song "Manana" portrays a family's disregard for the present moment and a preference for delaying tasks. LaVern Baker uses humor to capture the family's approach to life, reflecting a laid-back attitude and the famous phrase "Manana" that has become synonymous with procrastination.
Line by Line Meaning
The faucet she is dripping and the fence she's fallin' down
The house is in disrepair and there is not enough money to fix it right now.
My pocket needs some money, so I can't go into town
There is not enough money to attend to personal needs and wants.
My brother isn't working and my sister doesn't care
The relatives aren't contributing to the household, causing additional stress.
The car she needs a motor so I can't go anywhere
The car is not in a condition to be driven and needs to be fixed.
(manana, manana, manana is soon enough for me)
Procrastination seems like the best option as there are more pressing issues to tackle.
My mother's always working, she's working very hard
The mother is the breadwinner of the family and is always busy to provide for them.
But every time she looks for me I'm sleeping in the yard
The singer is not contributing to the household and is being lazy.
My mother thinks I'm lazy and maybe she is right
The mother is aware of the situation and can see the lack of motivation in the artist.
I'll go to work manana but I gotta sleep tonight
The artist acknowledges the need to work but feels tired and needs rest first.
Oh, once I had some money but I gave it to my friend
The artist used to have some money but made a poor decision to lend it to someone else.
He said he'd pay me double, it was only for a lend
The friend promised to pay back more than what was lent, making it seem like a good deal.
But he said a little later that the horse she was so slow
The friend made up an excuse to not pay back the money as promised.
Why he give the horse my money is something I don't know
The singer is confused and frustrated about the situation and the friend's behavior.
My brother took a suitcase and he went away to school
The brother left to pursue education and better opportunities.
My father said he only learned to be a silly fool
The father thinks that education is not as important as practical skills and experience.
My father said that I should learn to make a chile pot
The father wants the artist to learn how to cook and take care of the household.
But then I burned the house down, the chile was too hot
The artist tried to cook but ended up causing a disaster instead.
The window she is broken and the rain is comin' in
There is another issue in the house that needs attention.
If someone doesn't fix it I'll be soaking to my skin
The broken window will cause discomfort and further problems if not fixed.
But if we wait a day or two the rain may go away
The artist suggests waiting for the rain to stop before fixing the window.
And we don't need a window on such a sunny day
The artist thinks that there is no immediate need to fix the window on a sunny day.
(manana, manana, manana is soon enough for me) Oba! Oba!
Procrastination seems like the best option as there are more pressing issues to tackle, despite the potential consequences.
(manana, manana, manana is soon enough for me) Oba! Oba!
Procrastination seems like the best option as there are more pressing issues to tackle, despite the potential consequences.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Dave Barbour, Peggy Lee
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind