Many sources erroneously give his middle name as Edgar. He is best known for his popular music chart successes with songs such as, "All Around the World" (1955), "Need Your Love So Bad" (1956) and "Fever" the same year, the latter covered in 1958 by Peggy Lee. An important figure in early R&B music, Little Willie John was a 1996 Inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
He was born in Cullendale, Arkansas, one of ten children, his family moving to Detroit, Michigan when he was four so that his father could pursue factory work. In the late 1940s, the eldest children, including Willie, formed a gospel singing group, and Willie also performed in talent shows, which brought him to the notice of Johnny Otis and, later, musician and producer Henry Glover. After seeing him sing with the Paul "Hucklebuck" Williams orchestra, Glover signed him to a recording contract with King Records in 1955. He was nicknamed "Little Willie" John for his short stature.
His first recording, a version of Titus Turner's "All Around the World", was a hit, reaching # 5 on the Billboard R&B chart. He followed up with a string of R&B hits, including the original version of "Need Your Love So Bad", written by his elder brother Mertis John Jr. One of his biggest hits, "Fever" (1956) (Pop #24), was more famously covered by Peggy Lee in 1958. However, John's version alone sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. Another song, "Talk to Me, Talk to Me" recorded in 1958, reached #5 in the R&B chart and #20 in the Pop chart, and also sold over one million. A few years later it was a hit once again by Sunny & the Sunglows. He also recorded "I'm Shakin'" by Rudy Toombs, "Suffering With The Blues", and "Sleep" (1960) (Pop #13). In all, John made the Billboard Hot 100 a total of fourteen times. A cover version of "Need Your Love So Bad" by Fleetwood Mac was also a hit in Europe. Another of his songs to be covered was "Leave My Kitten Alone", (1959). The Beatles recorded a version in 1964, intended for their Beatles for Sale album, but it went unreleased until 1995.
Willie John was known for his short temper and propensity to abuse alcohol, and was dropped by his record company in 1963. In 1966, he was convicted of manslaughter and sent to Washington State Penitentiary for a fatal knifing incident following a show in Seattle. He appealed against his conviction and was released while the case was reconsidered, during which time he recorded what was intended to be his comeback album, but owing to contractual wrangling and the decline of his appeal, it was not released until 2008 (as Nineteen Sixty Six). Little Willie John died in 1968 at Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla, Washington. Despite counter claims, the official cause of death was listed in his death certificate as a heart attack.
His interment was in Warren, Michigan's Detroit Memorial Park East.
Little Willie John was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.
He was the brother of singer Mable John, who recorded for Motown and Stax, and the father of Keith John, a long time backing vocalist for Stevie Wonder.
James Brown, who early in his career had opened shows for John, recorded a tribute album, Thinking about Little Willie John... and a Few Nice Things.
Robbie Robertson, former lead guitarist for The Band, referenced John in a song on his 1987 self-titled album titled "Somewhere Down the Crazy River." He was also referenced in Tom Russell's "Blue Wing."
A biography, Fever: Little Willie John; A Fast Life, Mysterious Death and the Birth of Soul, written by Susan Whitall with Kevin John (another son of Little Willie John) was released in 2011 by Titan Books.
The Very Thought of You
Little Willie John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The little ordinary things that everyone ought to do
I'm living in a kind of daydream
I'm happy as a king
And foolish though it may seem
To me that's everything
The mere idea of you, the longing here for you
I see your face in every flower
Your eyes in stars above
It's just the thought of you
The very thought of you, my love
The mere idea of you, the longing here for you
You'll never know how slow the moments go till I'm near to you
I see your face in every flower
Your eyes in stars above
It's just the thought of you
The very thought of you, my love
The lyrics of "The Very Thought of You" express the intensity of a person's feelings when they are in love. The very thought of their loved one is powerful enough to make them let go of their daily chores, their responsibilities and live in the dream world. The opening line, "The very thought of you and I forget to do the little ordinary things that everyone ought to do" is an expression of how the thoughts of the loved one completely overtake their mind.
Furthermore, the lyrics show how the person is living in a kind of daydream and is incredibly happy with the thought of their loved one. Even though their happiness might seem foolish to others, to them, it is everything. The verses also express the longing for the loved one, and how time seems to slow down until they are near. The person sees the image of their loved one in everything around them, the flowers, the stars, and their thoughts.
Overall, the lyrics paint a picture of someone deeply and profoundly in love, whose mind is consumed with the thought of their loved one. The feeling of love is so powerful that it has a way of bringing out the poetic and imaginative side in a person.
Line by Line Meaning
The very thought of you and I forget to do
The very thought of you is so mesmerizing that I get lost in it and forget to do even the most ordinary things.
The little ordinary things that everyone ought to do
I forget to do the little things that should be done by everyone on a regular basis because I am so caught up in thinking about you.
I'm living in a kind of daydream
Thinking about you puts me in a state of reverie, where I am lost in my thoughts and forget about the reality of life around me.
I'm happy as a king
The mere thought of you fills me with happiness equivalent to that of a king, and I feel content and fulfilled.
And foolish though it may seem
Despite it appearing foolish to others, thinking about you is everything to me and brings me immense joy.
To me that's everything
For me, thinking about you is paramount and essential, and it is everything that I need to feel complete and happy.
The mere idea of you, the longing here for you
The very concept of being around you, and the yearning that I feel to be with you, is all-encompassing and overpowering.
You'll never know how slow the moments go till I'm near to you
The moments pass by painfully slow until I am close to you and can be in your presence, which makes time feel like it's flying by.
I see your face in every flower
Every flower that I see reminds me of your face and brings me joy and comfort.
Your eyes in stars above
When I look up at the stars, I see your eyes staring back at me, and it makes me feel like you are always with me.
It's just the thought of you
The mere thought of you is enough to bring me happiness and contentment; I don't need anything else.
The very thought of you, my love
Simply thinking of you, my beloved, fills me with happiness, and that thought alone is enough to make my heart sing.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CARLIN AMERICA INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ray Noble
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind