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.
Still
LaVern Baker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm still in love with you
And still, still, still, still
I can't love someone new
No one can take your place
No one ever will, oh, my darling
I love you, love you still
And still, still
I miss your magic touch
Still, still
I need you, oh so much
No one shares my embrace
No one ever will, oh, my darling
I love you, love you still
(I still love you)
Why did you have
To go and grieve me?
Come back, my darling
And never leave me
Still, still, still, still
My heart still aches for you
Still, still, still, still
Until it breaks in two
No one can take your place
No one ever will, oh, my darling
I love you, love you still
Still, still, still
LaVern Baker’s song, “Still,” is a passionate ballad about the lingering feelings of love and heartache after a relationship has ended. The chorus repeats “I’m still, still, still, still / I’m still in love with you / And still, still, still, still / I can’t love someone new” emphasizing that despite the passage of time, the singer’s love for their former partner has not dwindled. The verse highlights the unique connection between the two individuals, suggesting that no one can replace the departed lover: “No one can take your place / No one ever will, oh, my darling / I love you, love you still.” The lyrics also express a plea for the lost love to return, with the hope that they will not leave again: “Why did you have to go and grieve me? / Come back, my darling / And never leave me.” The song ends with a sorrowful line, “Until it breaks in two,” indicating the depth of the pain the singer still feels from the separation.
The repetition of “still” in the chorus creates a sense of eternal love and devotion. Despite the heartache, the singer is unable to move on from the person they loved. The line “I miss your magic touch” invokes a sense of longing for the physical and emotional connection that was shared with the former partner. The song is a classic example of a love ballad, with the lyrics expressing strong emotions of love, loss, and yearning. The message conveyed is one that many people can relate to, as it speaks to the universal experience of heartbreak and the difficulty of letting go.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm still, still, still, still
I am completely still in love with you
I'm still in love with you
My love for you is still as strong as it ever was
And still, still, still, still
Even now, my heart remains completely yours
I can't love someone new
No one else can ever replace you in my heart
No one can take your place
You are the only one who can fill the emptiness in my heart
No one ever will, oh, my darling
No one can ever measure up to what we had
I love you, love you still
My love for you remains unwavering
I miss your magic touch
I long for the warmth and tenderness of your touch
I need you, oh so much
Without you, I feel incomplete and lost
No one shares my embrace
The love we shared was completely unique and irreplaceable
Why did you have To go and grieve me?
I don't understand why you would hurt me by leaving
Come back, my darling And never leave me
Please come back to me and never leave again
My heart still aches for you
The pain of losing you is still very real to me
Until it breaks in two
The pain of being without you is unbearable
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DORIAN BURTON, HOWARD PLUMMER JR.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Lewis Smith
When I was a junior in high school my grandfather died and my mother inherited his victrola. Man, this was one of the 78s I fell in love with, wearing out the grooves even further. Thank you for uploading
Paul Joseph
About her best. What a talent.
Taavi Kaaman
And some years later Emile Ford had a smash hit with this song - arr. very close to this one!!
Donna Mcdonald
Thanks for putting this beautiful song here.
bob fourjs
Never heard of her before, but it is before my time!
Jim Ellison
She has an amazing voice,
Shawn W
Magnificent
Romie Rodriguez
Wondering
Mister Spookcase
Why arent you uploading Beatles records