Born in Tallahassee, Florida, Lavoie was raised by his mother in Winter Haven, Florida with his six siblings. He began his musical career in 1961 as a member of a local band, The Rumours. The band included Gram Parsons and Jim Stafford, as well as drummer Jon Corneal, who later joined Parsons' International Submarine Band.
In 1964, while attending the University of South Florida, Lavoie joined a band called the Sugar Beats and met producer Phil Gernhard. He recorded a regional hit for the band, a cover of Johnny Rivers' song, "What Am I Doing Here".
During the 1960s, Lavoie performed with many other bands, including US Male, The Uglies, and Me and the Other Guys. It was in the latter band that he met musician Billy Aerts, who became a member of Lobo's touring band in the early 1970s and produced Lobo's comeback album in 1989.
Again working with Gernhard, his first solo record was released in 1969, the single "Happy Days In New York City" backed with "My Friend Is Here". Both were original tracks. It was released on Laurie Records.
By 1971, Lavoie had started calling himself Lobo (Spanish for wolf). Gernhard was an executive for Big Tree Records, and the company released his first single, "Me and You and a Dog Named Boo". The first major hit for the label, it reached number 5 in the US and launched a successful series of singles. The song also reached number 4 in the UK.
His debut album, Introducing Lobo, followed that May. In June his second single, "She Didn't Do Magic", was released. In September, "California Kid And Reemo" was released. Another single was The Albatross. It was around this time that Big Tree Records was merged with Bell Records. In the confusion, Lobo's second album Close Up was lost and never released.
Maintaining the Lobo alias, he released Of a Simple Man in 1972, which yielded back-to-back Top 10 hits, including "Don't Expect Me To Be Your Friend", which reached #8 in the US charts, and "I'd Love You to Want Me". "I'd Love You To Want Me" was Lobo's biggest hit, climbing to #2 on the Billboard charts in 1972, and later reached #1 in Germany and in mid-1974, #5 in the United Kingdom.
With the release of Calumet in 1973, Lobo had three more Top 40 hits: "It Sure Took a Long, Long Time," "How Can I Tell Her" and "Standing at the End of the Line." He made an appearance on American Bandstand that year and also released a fourth single from Calumet, "There Ain't No Way." A fifth, "Standing At The End Of The Line" was released in 1975.
In June 1974 Lobo's fourth album Just A Singer. It was the first album by Lobo to contain tracks not written by Lobo. The only single from the album was "Rings".
His last Top 30 single for Big Tree, "Don't Tell Me Goodnight", was released in 1975. Lobo also released the album, A Cowboy Afraid Of Horses and his last single for Big Tree, "Would I Still Have You", was released. The label followed up with a compilation that year, "The Best Of Lobo".
In 1976, Lobo started to break from Big Tree and Phil Gernhard, releasing the album Come With Me in Europe on the Philips label. "At First Sight" was the single. Neither were released in US.
1977 Lobo signed with Curb Records in 1977 and released the single "Afterglow", which was co-produced by Lobo and Gernhard. Another single, "You Are All I Ever Need" was released in 1978. It was last single to have Gernhard as producer.
In 1979, Lobo resurfaced on MCA Records, where he was paired with producer Bob Montgomery and released the single "Where Were You When I Was Falling In Love", which reached #23. He also released his first US album in four years, Lobo. Other singles for Curb were "Holding On For Dear Love", "With A Love Like Ours" and "Fight Fire With Fire".
Dissatisfied with the production of his records, Lobo sought a release from his Curb contract. He moved to Nashville and in 1981 he started his own label, Lobo Records, and released several singles including "I Don't Want To Want You", written by his brother, Roger Lavoie, "Come Looking For Me" and "Living My Life Without You". All making the country charts.
NOTE: The 1981 Disco Single by LOBO - "The Caribbean Disco Show" (Mercury - 1981) is not the same person as this Lobo.
Lobo Records became Evergreen Records in 1985. It released two singles, "Am I Going Crazy" and "Paint The Town Blue", a duet with Robin Lee.
Meanwhile, Lobo's popularity was growing in Asia, fanned by the release of his greatest hits compilations in 1987 and 1988.
In 1989, Lobo released his first new album in 10 years, Am I Going Crazy, made in Taiwan on UFO/WEA records and produced by Billy Aerts.
With his popularity in Asia sustained by the reissue of all his albums on CD, he signed a multi-album deal with PonyCanyon Records in Singapore, releasing Asian Moon (repackaging of tracks from Am I Going Crazy along with newly recorded tracks) in 1994, Classic Hits (re-recorded Lobo hits and some cover versions other artists' hits) in 1995 and in 1996 Sometimes (all new original songs). On another Asian label, Springroll Entertainment, he released You Must Remember This in 1997, an album of pop standards that was released in two formats, one with vocals and the other with instrumental tracks.
The East Asian financial crisis in 1997 drove his record labels out of business and Lobo retired to his home in Florida.
Retirement was short-lived, however, as in 2000 Lobo signed with a German record company, Gmbh Entertainment, and recorded a few tracks for various Hits CD's. He also co-wrote two Christmas songs with Billy Aerts, "A Big Kid's Christmas" and "Late Christmas Eve", which have been released on various Christmas compilations from 2000 to present.
Singles recorded during this period include "Caribbean Disco Show", "Let It Be Me", "Who'll Stop The Rain" and "Different Drum". These were all available on different "Greatest Hits" releases.
His popularity in Asia is having a resurgence, and in 2006 he toured in Southeast Asia.
Strangely, his music has been sampled by Melbourne experimental band Kooties, although they paid little respect to Lobo's original intentions.
In 2008 Lobo released his first new album in over 10 years. Out of Time features some new songs as well as the old favorites. Out of Time represents a step back to the original era of these recordings, revisiting his old songs the same way he wrote them; by doing all the instruments himself, they are Out of Time. It refers to the classic nature of the old songs, how they are still favorites, even though they don’t follow the norm of today’s songs.
Morning Sun
Lobo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like a lady of Kings Cross
I've watched your eyes flow
Like a fountain
'Cause your good friend might have lost
I've seen you hold your head in honor
Stand your ground, refuse to run
But I've never once seen
I've seen you rage up like an ocean
Pushed on by an evil wind
I've seen you laugh
And beam like sunshine
Over some little thing I might send
I watched you keep
Your head about you
When weaker minds have come undone
But I've never once seen
Your morning sun
I've seen you turn up like a savior
When I needed someone near
I've heard you talk just like a sailor
When no one else was around to hear
I've held you close to me at nighttime
And felt our bodies breathe as one
But I've never once seen
Your morning sun
In Lobo's song "Morning Sun," the lyrics describe the singer's observations and experiences with the subject of the song. The subject is portrayed as a complex and multifaceted person, who can be both forceful and gentle, noble and flawed.
The first verse describes the subject's use of her physical beauty and her ability to hold her ground in difficult situations. However, the singer notes that they have never seen her "morning sun," which could be interpreted as a metaphor for her true self or her vulnerable side.
In the second verse, the singer has witnessed the subject's intense emotions, both positive and negative. They have also seen her maintain her composure, even when others have lost their minds. However, the singer still has not seen her "morning sun."
The final verse describes the subject's loyalty and honesty, but the singer still feels that they have not seen the true essence of the subject. The repeated phrase "I've never once seen your morning sun" adds to the sense of longing and mystery surrounding the subject.
Overall, the lyrics of "Morning Sun" explore the idea that people are complex and multifaceted, and it can be difficult to truly know someone.
Line by Line Meaning
I've seen you use your pretty body
I have observed you using your attractive body
Like a lady of Kings Cross
Like a woman of questionable reputation
I've watched your eyes flow
I have observed your eyes move
Like a fountain
Continuously and effortlessly, like water from a fountain
'Cause your good friend might have lost
Because your dear friend may have suffered a loss
I've seen you hold your head in honor
I have observed you carry yourself with dignity and self-respect
Stand your ground, refuse to run
Being steadfast and unyielding in the face of adversity
But I've never once seen
Despite all of these experiences, I have never witnessed
Your morning sun
Your true self, the person you are when you first wake up in the morning
I've seen you rage up like an ocean
I have witnessed you become angry like a turbulent sea
Pushed on by an evil wind
Motivated by external negative influences
I've seen you laugh
I have witnessed you experience joy
And beam like sunshine
Incredibly happy and radiant, like the sun
Over some little thing I might send
In response to something small I might do
I watched you keep
I have observed that you always maintain
Your head about you
A clear and level head, even in difficult situations
When weaker minds have come undone
While people with less emotional stability would falter
I've seen you turn up like a savior
I have witnessed you come to my rescue like a hero
When I needed someone near
When I required someone to be close to me
I've heard you talk just like a sailor
I have heard you use profanity and coarse language
When no one else was around to hear
When no one else was present to listen
I've held you close to me at nighttime
I have embraced you intimately at night
And felt our bodies breathe as one
Experienced the exchange of breath as our bodies were physically close
But I've never once seen
Despite all of these experiences, I have never witnessed
Your morning sun
Your true self, the person you are when you first wake up in the morning
Contributed by Henry D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.