Lou Rawls, who learned of gospel music through his grandmother in Chicago, became a successful singer, primarily from the 1950s through the 1980s. He was a high school classmate of music giant Sam Cooke, and they sang together in the Teenage Kings of Harmony, a '50s gospel group.
After graduating from Chicago's Dunbar Vocational High School, he sang briefly with Cooke in the Teenage Kings of Harmony, a local gospel group, and then with the Holy Wonders. In 1951, Rawls replaced Cooke in the Highway QC's after Cooke departed to join The Soul Stirrers in Los Angeles. Rawls was soon recruited by the Chosen Gospel Singers and himself moved to Los Angeles, where he subsequently joined the Pilgrim Travelers
After graduating from Chicago's Dunbar Vocational Career Academy, Rawls enlisted in the U.S. Army as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division. He left the "All-Americans" three years later as a sergeant, and hooked up with The Pilgrim Travelers as he traveled to Los Angeles. In 1958, while touring the South with the Travelers and Sam Cooke, Rawls was in a serious car crash. Rawls was pronounced dead before arriving at the hospital, where he stayed in a coma for five and a half days. It took him months to regain his memory, and a year to fully recuperate. Rawls considered the event to be life-changing.
Alongside Dick Clark as master of ceremonies, Rawls was recovered enough by 1959 to be able to perform at the Hollywood Bowl. He was signed to Capitol Records in 1962, the same year he sang the soulful background vocals on the Sam Cooke recording of "Bring it on Home to Me." Rawls himself charted with a cover of the song in 1970 (with the title shortened to "Bring It On Home").
Rawls' first Capitol solo release was Stormy Monday (a.k.a. I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water), a jazz album. On August 21, 1966, he opened for The Beatles at Crosley Field in Cincinnati.
Though his 1966 album Live! went gold, Rawls would not have a star-making hit until he made a proper soul album, appropriately named Soulin', later that same year. The album contained his first R&B #1 single, "Love Is a Hurtin' Thing". In 1967 Rawls won his first Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance, for the single "Dead End Street."
In 1969, the singer was co-host of NBC's summer replacement series for the Dean Martin Show along with Martin's daughter, singer Gail Martin.
After leaving Capitol in 1971, Rawls joined MGM, at which juncture he released his Grammy-winning single "Natural Man." He had a brief stint with Bell Records in 1974, where he recorded a cover of Hall & Oates' "She's Gone." In 1976, Rawls signed with Philadelphia International Records, where he had his greatest album success with the million-selling All Things in Time. The album produced his most successful single, "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine", which topped the R&B and Adult Contemporary charts and went to number two on the pop side, becoming Rawls' only certified million-selling single in the process.
Subsequent albums, such as 1977's When You've Heard Lou, You've Heard It All yielded such hit singles as "Lady Love". Other releases in the 1970s included the classic album Sit Down And Talk To Me.
In 1982, Rawls received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
On the night of September 29, 1977, Rawls performed the national anthem of the United States prior to the Earnie Shavers-Muhammad Ali title fight at Madison Square Garden. He would be requested to sing the anthem many times over the next 28 years, and his final performance of it came on October 23, 2005. The crowd at that performance may not have known that Rawls was extremely ill with cancer, but he reportedly delivered an electrifying performance to kick off Game Two of the 2005 World Series between the Chicago White Sox and Houston Astros.
In 1980, Rawls began the "Lou Rawls Parade of Stars Telethon" which benefits the United Negro College Fund. The annual event, known since 1998 as "An Evening of Stars: A Celebration of Educational Excellence", consists of stories of successful African-American students who have benefited from and/or graduated from one of the many historically black colleges and universities who receive support from the UNCF, along with musical performances from various recording artists in support of the UNCF's and Rawls' efforts. The event has raised over US$200 million in 27 shows for the fund through 2006.
In January 2004, Rawls was honored by the United Negro College Fund for his more than 25 years of charity work with the organization. Instead of hosting and performing as he usually did, Rawls was given the seat of honor and celebrated by his performing colleagues, including Stevie Wonder, The O'Jays, Gerald Levert, Ashanti, and many others. His final television performance occurred during the 2005-2006 edition of the telethon, honoring Stevie Wonder in September 2005, just months before entering the hospital and after having been diagnosed with cancer earlier in the year. This program, aired in January, 2006, contains his final public television performance, where he performed two classics, "You Are the Sunshine of My Life," and a final ode to Frank Sinatra with, "It Was A Very Good Year."
At the time of Rawls' death, news and UNCF figures noted the significance of Rawls' final performance, "It Was a Very Good Year." The song is a retrospective of one's life and its lyrics include, "When I was seventeen, it was a very good year. It was a very good year for small town girls and soft summer nights...And now those days grow short, it is the autumn of years, and now I think about life as vintage wine from fine old kegs, from the brim to the dregs, it pours sweet and clear, it was a very good year."
Rawls appeared in a segment of the first season of Sesame Street, to sing the alphabet. He dismissed the concept of using cue cards for the performance, but reversed such decision when he forgot the order of the letters.
Throughout Rawls' singing career, he had the opportunity to appear in many films, television shows, and commercials. He can be seen in such films as Leaving Las Vegas, Blues Brothers 2000, and Angel, Angel, Down We Go. He had a supporting role in the Baywatch spin-off, Baywatch Nights. He also appeared in the western television series, Big Valley, (starring legend Barbara Stanwyck, along with Lee Majors and Linda Evans) where he played a hired hand. Here, he delivered the memorial line: "Ain't a horse that can't be rode; ain't a man that can't be throwed".
Rawls lent his rich baritone voice to many cartoons, including Hey Arnold! as the voice of Harvey The Mailman, Garfield, and The Proud Family. For many of the Film Roman Garfield specials, Rawls would often compose songs for them, which he would then sing usually doing a duet with Desiree Goyette. He also was famously in American sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.
For many years, he was a spokesperson for the Colonial Penn Life Insurance Company. He was also a spokesman for Budweiser, helping promote the brand on radio and TV to African-American markets much as Ed McMahon did for the white audience. Budweiser was a key sponsor for the Rawls telethon and UNCF.
Rawls was also a regular guest host on "Jazz Central", a program aired on the BET Jazz cable channel.
He appears as "Dr. Rawls" in a dream on an episode My Wife and Kids, where he breaks into a parody version of "You'll Never Find", which a frightened Damon Wayans is afraid of having a colonoscopy the following day. Rawls uses the scope as a microphone in the scene. Rawls appears as a commentator in the second half of the unrated commentary of Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.
Rawls was also a guest star during the second season of The Muppet Show. He also made a brief appearance on the series finale of Martin. (The show's character Tommy is excited to see Lou Rawls at Nipsey's and mentioned that his favorite song is "Natural Man." Lou replied that he received a letter from a female claiming that she and her boyfriend broke up because of the song. This eludes to the episode where Tommy and Pam decide to move in together, but winded up fighting and ultimately breaking up because Tommy played the song "Natural Man" so much that it drove Pam crazy.)
The following is a list of Lou Rawls singles that made the top 50 on the Billboard Hot 100. His first Hot 100 entry was "Three O'Clock in the Morning" in 1965, and his final was "Wind Beneath My Wings" in 1983. In addition to those two, nine other singles peaked at positions below the top 50 on the Hot 100, and additional singles reached the R&B, Adult Contemporary and Bubbling Under charts.
* "Love Is a Hurtin' Thing" - 1966, #13 (also #1 R&B)
* "Dead End Street" - 1967, #29
* "Show Business" - 1967, #45
* "Your Good Thing (Is About to End)" - 1969, #18
* "A Natural Man" - 1971, #17
* "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine" - 1976, #2 (also #1 R&B and #1 Adult Contemporary); certified Gold for sales of one million copies
* "Lady Love" - 1978, #24
Ol' Man River
Lou Rawls Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dat's de ol' man dat I'd like to be
What does he care if de world's got troubles
What does he care if de land ain't free
Ol' man river, dat ol' man river
He mus' know sumpin', but don't say nuthin'
He jes' keeps rollin'
He don' plant taters, he don't plant cotton
An' dem dat plants' em is soon forgotten
But ol'man river
He jes' keeps rollin' along
You an' me, we sweat an' strain
Body all achin' an' wracked wid pain,
Tote dat barge! Lif' dat bale!
Git a little drunk an' you lands in jail
Ah gits weary an' sick of tryin'
Ah'm tired of livin' an' skeered of dyin'
But ol' man river
He jes' keeps rolling' along
Niggers all work on de Mississippi**
Niggers all work while de white folks play**
Pullin' dose boats from de dawn to sunset
Gittin' no rest till de judgement day
(Don't look up an' don't look down)
(You don' dar'st make de white boss frown)
(Bend your knees an' bow your head)
(An' pull dat rope until you're dead)
Let me go 'way from the Mississippi
Let me go 'way from de white man boss
Show me dat stream called de river Jordan
Dat's de ol' stream dat I long to cross
(Ol' man river, dat ol' man river)
(He mus' know sumpin', but don't say nothin')
(He just keeps rollin')
(He keeps on rollin' along)
Long, low river
Forever keeps rollin'
(Don' plant taters, he don' plant cotton)
(And dem dat plants' em is soon forgotten)
(But ol' man river
(He jes' keeps rollin' along)
Long low river
Keeps singin' dis song
You an' me, we sweat an' strain
Body all achin' and wracked wid pain
Tote dat barge! Lift dat bale!
Git a little drunk and ya lands in jail
Ah gits weary an' sick o' tryin'
Ah'm tired o livin' an' skeered o' dyin'
But ol' man river
He jes' keeps rollin' along!
The song "Ol' Man River" is a powerful and emotional tribute to the Mississippi River by Lou Rawls. It speaks of the many struggles and hardships faced by the African American community that worked on the river during the time of segregation and racism. The lyrics reflect the resilience and strength of the people who worked tirelessly, despite the difficult working and living conditions. The song is full of symbolism and metaphors, and it expresses hope for a better future while acknowledging the harsh realities of the time.
The first stanza speaks of the singer's admiration for the Mississippi River and how he wishes to be like it. The river is portrayed as an uncaring entity that continues to flow despite the problems of the world. The second and third stanzas delve into the plight of the African American community, who worked on the river as laborers, doing back-breaking work without any recognition. The last stanza speaks of the hope for a better future, a stream called River Jordan, where the singer can finally be free and away from the troubles of the Mississippi River.
"Ol' Man River" by Lou Rawls was originally written for the 1927 musical "Show Boat," which was based on the novel by Edna Ferber. The song was composed by Jerome Kern, with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II.
The song has been covered by several other artists, including Paul Robeson, Sammy Davis Jr., and Bing Crosby.
In 1932, Paul Robeson starred as Joe in the film version of "Show Boat" and performed "Ol' Man River" in a slowed-down, somber version that became the most famous rendition of the song.
"Ol' Man River" has become a symbol of the struggle for civil rights and equality, and it is often played at funerals and other memorial services for African American leaders and activists.
The song was included in the American Film Institute's 100 Years...100 Songs list, which recognizes the greatest songs in American cinema.
The phrase "Ol' Man River" has become a colloquialism, used to refer to something that is consistently reliable or unchanging over time.
The song has been featured in numerous films and TV shows, including The Cosby Show, The Simpsons, and The West Wing.
The song has been parodied in several comedic sketches throughout the years, including by The Muppets and SCTV.
Chords: G, Bm, Em, Am, D, C, G7.
Line by Line Meaning
Dere's an ol' man called de Mississippi
There is an old river called the Mississippi
Dat's de ol' man dat I'd like to be
That's the old river that I aspire to be like
What does he care if de world's got troubles
The river does not care about worldly troubles
What does he care if de land ain't free
The river does not care if the land is free or not
Ol' man river, dat ol' man river
Old man river, that old man river
He mus' know sumpin', but don't say nuthin'
The river must know something but chooses to remain silent
He jes' keeps rollin'
The river just keeps flowing
He keeps on rollin' along
The river continues to move forward
He don' plant taters, he don't plant cotton
The river does not plant crops
An' dem that plants' em is soon forgotten
Those who plant crops are easily forgotten
But ol'man river
But the river
He jes' keeps rollin' along
Continues to flow
You an' me, we sweat an' strain
We work hard
Body all achin' an' wracked wid pain
Our bodies are tired and in pain
Tote dat barge! Lif' dat bale!
We carry heavy loads
Git a little drunk an' you lands in jail
If we drink and get caught, we will go to jail
Ah gits weary an' sick of tryin'
I become tired and sick of trying
Ah'm tired of livin' an' skeered of dyin'
I am tired of living and scared of dying
But ol' man river
But the river
He jes' keeps rolling' along
Continues to flow
Niggers all work on de Mississippi**
Black people work on the Mississippi
Niggers all work while de white folks play**
White people play while black people work
Pullin' dose boats from de dawn to sunset
Pulling boats from sunrise to sunset
Gittin' no rest till de judgement day
Getting no rest until death
(Don't look up an' don't look down)
(Don't look up, and don't look down)
(You don' dar'st make de white boss frown)
(Do not make the white boss frown)
(Bend your knees an' bow your head)
(Bend your knees and bow your head)
(An' pull dat rope until you're dead)
(And pull that rope until you die)
Let me go 'way from the Mississippi
Let me leave the Mississippi
Let me go 'way from de white man boss
Let me leave the white man boss
Show me dat stream called de river Jordan
Show me the river Jordan
Dat's de ol' stream that I long to cross
That's the old stream that I desire to cross
(Long, low river)
(Long, flowing river)
Forever keeps rollin'
It keeps flowing incessantly
(Don' plant taters, he don' plant cotton)
(The river does not plant potatoes, nor cotton)
(And dem dat plants' em is soon forgotten)
(Those that plant them are easily forgotten)
(But ol' man river
(But the river)
(He jes' keeps rollin' along)
(Continues to flow)
(Long low river)
(Long, flowing river)
Keeps singin' dis song
Keeps singing this song
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Songtrust Ave
Written by: Jerome Kern, Oscar Ii Hammerstein
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
rockmyworld
Do you have the full episode with Barbara Eden? I'd love to see that posted!
Vinnie Rattolle
Check the comments in the Eden clip, I gave someone a link to download the full show. I can get away with posting individual clips, but with YouTube such as it is (music copyright b.s.), I'm not posting complete episodes of this one.
rockmyworld
@Vinnie Rattolle Weird... When I check there, it says there's one comment, but it doesn't show it. Can you please comment with the link again?
Vinnie Rattolle
@rockmyworld Ah, YouTube is maddening, probably thought it was spam. Eden's is the first episode in this folder: https://mega.nz/folder/7ppmnIgb#LXcz13MzFADZBgrBmqcHhw
rockmyworld
@Vinnie Rattolle Thank you! Do you happen to have any other Barbara Eden clips? The one you posted is such a gem!
Vinnie Rattolle
@rockmyworld Nothing else like this. I've got her show "A Brand New Life," and probably a few obscure TV movies, but the quality's not great on any of 'em.