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.
Tennessee Waltz
LaVern Baker Lyrics
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When an old friend I happened to see
I introduced him to my loved one and while they were dancin'
My friend stole my sweetheart from me
I remember the night and the Tennessee Waltz
Now I know just how much I have lost
Yes, I lost my little darlin' the night they were playing
I was dancin' with my darlin' to the Tennessee Waltz
When an old friend I happened to see
I introduced him to my loved one and while they were dancin'
My friend stole my sweetheart from me
I remember the night and the Tennessee Waltz
Now I know just how much I have lost
Yes, I lost my little darlin' the night they were playing
The beautiful Tennessee Waltz
LaVern Baker's song Tennessee Waltz tells the story of a heartbroken narrator who reminisces about losing his sweetheart to his old friend during a dance to the tune of the Tennessee Waltz. The singer describes how he was happily dancing with his darling when he saw an old friend and introduced him to his loved one. While they were dancing, the friend heartlessly stole the singer's sweetheart, leaving him feeling lost and alone.
The song's lyrics are deceptively simple, but they convey a depth of emotion that many listeners can relate to. The use of the Tennessee Waltz as the backdrop for the story adds to the sense of nostalgia and melancholy that infuses the song. The singer looks back on that fateful night with a mix of regret and sadness, and regrets that the beautiful Tennessee Waltz will always be tainted by the memory of his lost love.
Line by Line Meaning
I was dancin' with my darlin' to the Tennessee Waltz
I was dancing with my significant other to the romantic tune of the Tennessee Waltz
When an old friend I happened to see
Suddenly, I spotted an acquaintance from the past
I introduced him to my loved one and while they were dancin'
I made a proper introduction between my friend and my partner and while they were enjoying themselves on the dance floor
My friend stole my sweetheart from me
Unfortunately, my friend took advantage of our dance and managed to steal my beloved from my arms
I remember the night and the Tennessee Waltz
The memory of that fateful evening and the romantic melody of Tennessee Waltz is still fresh in my mind
Now I know just how much I have lost
I fully understand the great loss that I have suffered
Yes, I lost my little darlin' the night they were playing
Indeed, I lost my sweetheart on the very night when the Tennessee Waltz was played
The beautiful Tennessee Waltz
The sad but beautiful melody of the Tennessee Waltz
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Redd Stewart, Pee Wee King
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind