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.
You Set My Soul On Fire
LaVern Baker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And as it fell, you rose to claim it
It was dark and I was over
Until you kissed my lips and you saved me
My hands, they were strong, but my knees were far too weak
To stand in your arms without falling to your feet
But there′s a side to you that I never knew, never knew
All the things you'd say, they were never true, never true
But I set fire to the rain
Watched it pour as I touched your face
Well, it burned while I cried
'Cause I heard it screaming out your name, your name
When laying with you I could stay there
Close my eyes, feel you here forever
You and me together, nothing is better
'Cause there′s a side to you that I never knew, never knew
All the things you′d say, they were never true, never true
And the games you's play, you would always win, always win
But I set fire to the rain
Watched it pour as I touched your face
Well, it burned while I cried
′Cause I heard it screaming out your name, your name
I set fire to the rain
And I threw us into the flames
When we fell, something died
'Cause I knew that that was the last time, the last time
Sometimes I wake up by the door
That heart you caught must be waiting for you
Even now when we′re already over
I can't help myself from looking for you
I set fire to the rain
Watched it pour as I touch your face
Well, it burned while I cried
′Cause I heard it screaming out your name, your name
I set fire to the rain
And I threw us into the flames
When we fell, something died
'Cause I knew that that was the last time, the last time, oh
Oh, no
Let it burn, oh
Let it burn
Let it burn
"You Set My Soul on Fire" is a classic R&B track delivered by the legendary singer LaVern Baker. The song is filled with passion and heartbreak. The lyrics follow a story of a young lady whose heart is broken and then she falls in love with someone who eventually causes her nothing but pain. The title signifies the enduring effect that this person has on her life, setting her soul on fire.
The opening lines "I let it fall, my heart / And as it fell, you rose to claim it / It was dark, and I was over" reminisce the singer's vulnerability and how she felt defeated in this situation. She becomes convinced that only fate can save her and is surprised when the person she is with unexpectedly reciprocates her affections. The lines "But there's a side of you that I never knew, never knew / All the things you'd say, they were never true, never true / And the games you play, you would always win, always win" cast doubt upon the extent of the person's love for her.
The chorus is tough and empowering. It announces the singer's strength and power, which she finds in accepting that this isn't a love story, but an incendiary one. She is determined not to go down as a victim. By setting fire to the rain and lighting the flames, the singer is asserting that, rather than being put out by the rain or the person that she's been in love with, she's going to set everything else around her ablaze. The intense lyricism comes through at this point, with the sultry vocals of LaVern Baker and the dramatic music setting the stage. This song is so evocative because of its excellent craftsmanship, its boldness of expression, and its fusion of different sounds.
Line by Line Meaning
I let it fall, my heart
I gave you my heart and trust.
And as it fell, you rose to claim it
You gained my love as I fell out of it.
It was dark and I was over
I was in a dark place and losing hope.
Until you kissed my lips and you saved me
Your love and affection saved me from a hard time.
My hands, they were strong, but my knees were far too weak
I was strong on my own, yet you made me feel vulnerable in love.
To stand in your arms without falling to your feet
Simply being in your presence made me feel weak in the knees.
But there′s a side to you that I never knew, never knew
You had a hidden side to your personality that I had never seen before.
All the things you'd say, they were never true, never true
You didn't always tell the truth in our relationship.
And the games you′d play, you would always win, always win
You were good at manipulating situations to your advantage in our relationship.
But I set fire to the rain
I let go of our relationship and accepted the emotions that came with it.
Watched it pour as I touched your face
I faced my emotions head-on and allowed myself to feel them.
Well, it burned while I cried
The emotional aftermath was painful and difficult to process.
'Cause I heard it screaming out your name, your name
The pain of losing you was at the forefront of my thoughts.
When laying with you I could stay there
Being with you was comforting and I could lose myself in it.
Close my eyes, feel you here forever
I wanted to feel the love we had shared forever.
You and me together, nothing is better
Our relationship was the best thing in my life.
And the games you's play, you would always win, always win
Again, you always knew how to get what you wanted in our relationship.
When we fell, something died
The ending of our relationship was like a death.
'Cause I knew that that was the last time, the last time
I knew deep down that our relationship was over for good.
Sometimes I wake up by the door
I'm haunted by memories of our relationship.
That heart you caught must be waiting for you
I feel like you will find love again, but it won't be with me.
Even now when we′re already over
Even though we're not together anymore.
I can't help myself from looking for you
I still find myself searching for you and missing you.
Let it burn, oh
I accept the pain and move on from our relationship.
Let it burn
I let the emotions take over and allow them to pass.
Writer(s): Gerald Wexler, Ahmet Ertegun, Lavern Baker
Contributed by Aubrey K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ayla MisguidedGhost
LYRICS:
Well I could play with Tom, Dick and Harry
But for me you're the only one
Who makes me me shiver, makes me tingle
And who brings my loving down
I played the love game before I met him
It's a game I've always won
But now you set my soul on fire
And I really had my fun
With other boyfriends, the good-time men friends
I still had to walk this road all by myself
I was their play girl, a careless gay girl
But I put them all on the shelf
I found my true love with you forever
And my life has just begun
'Cause now you set my soul on fire
And I really had my fun
Good bye to play boys, those hey hey boys
Good bye to everyone but you my love
Well no more heart aches, no more heart breaks
I swear by all the stars above
Well, well on my soul, my love, my heart
Miss you darling from now on
'Cause now you set my soul on fire
And I really had my fun
johnny zell
Well I could play with Tom, Dick and Harry
But for me you're the only one
Who makes me me shiver, makes me tingle
And who brings my loving down
I played the love game before I met him
It's a game I've always won
But now you set my soul on fire
And I really had my fun
With other boyfriends, the good-time men friends
I still had to walk this road all by myself
I was their play girl, a careless gay girl
But I put them all on the shelf
I found my true love with you forever
And my life has just begun
'Cause now you set my soul on fire
And I really had my fun
Good bye to play boys, those hey hey boys
Good bye to everyone but you my love
Well no more heart aches, no more heart breaks
I swear by all the stars above
Well, well on my soul, my love, my heart
Miss you darling from now on
'Cause now you set my soul on fire
And I really had my fun
voicegirl555
She died 25 years today. What a singer she was. This song was played in the movie Angel Heart. Hearing Lavern's voice was the best thing about the film. Thank you for all the music you left behind.
Nick Drake
(To whom it may concern) This song, probably the best number in the whole movie (Angel Heart), was included in the former vinyl release of the soundtrack, but unfortunately removed in the later CD reissue (for copyright reasons AFAIK). A similar thing happened to the haunting "Girl of my dreams": the original version sung by Glen Gray (widely quoted in the movie) was replaced by the sax excerpt by Courtney Pine. Some others, like Dr John's "Zu Zu Mamou", were never featured in any of those releases, but just in the movie itself.
Hallands
Oh how I love to listen to LaVern Baker. Perfect timing and a wealth of nuances. Nothing mecanical or rutine here. She must have been very special.
LouisL1963
Heard this for the first time over 30 years ago, and it still sounds great. So much soul & passion in her voice equalled by very few since then.
Ayla MisguidedGhost
LYRICS:
Well I could play with Tom, Dick and Harry
But for me you're the only one
Who makes me me shiver, makes me tingle
And who brings my loving down
I played the love game before I met him
It's a game I've always won
But now you set my soul on fire
And I really had my fun
With other boyfriends, the good-time men friends
I still had to walk this road all by myself
I was their play girl, a careless gay girl
But I put them all on the shelf
I found my true love with you forever
And my life has just begun
'Cause now you set my soul on fire
And I really had my fun
Good bye to play boys, those hey hey boys
Good bye to everyone but you my love
Well no more heart aches, no more heart breaks
I swear by all the stars above
Well, well on my soul, my love, my heart
Miss you darling from now on
'Cause now you set my soul on fire
And I really had my fun
Jerra Maurice
Thank you
Ayla Edip
Hey bird. I love music that speaks from the heart. This woman spoke like she knew what she wanted but spent her life pining for it so that makes it so f**king special xxxxxx 🌹❤
monica bella
What a song, what a voice. Amazing!
C C
I have loved LaVern Baker's music since 195? Back in the day, in any case. She was Superb!
Heynard L Paz-Chow
"...Now you set, my soul on fire!!! And I really, had my fun!!!" Nothing beats that melodic, strong, delivery, and voice from Ms. LaVern Baker. It is the essence of this lovely song. Thank you Jodie Butler because "I really had my fun!"