Mable John (born in Bastrop, Louisiana, on 3 November 1930; died 25 August … Read Full Bio ↴Mable John (born in Bastrop, Louisiana, on 3 November 1930; died 25 August 2022) was an American blues vocalist and the first female signed by Berry Gordy to Motown's Tamla label. She received a Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation in 1994.
At a very young age, John moved with her parents to Arkansas, where her father got a job in a paper mill. There four brothers (including Rhythm & Blues singer Little Willie John) and two sisters were born. In 1941, after her father was able to secure a better job, the family moved to Detroit, where two additional brothers were born. The family lived in a new housing development at Six Mile and Dequindre Road. She attended Cleveland Intermediate School, and then Pershing High School, which is at Seven Mile and Ryan Road. After graduating from Pershing High School, she took a job as an insurance representative at Friendship Mutual Insurance Agency, a company run by Berry Gordy's mother, Bertha. Later, she left the company and spent two years at Lewis Business College. She subsequently ran into Mrs. Gordy again, who told Mable that her son Berry was writing songs and was looking for people to record them. Gordy began coaching her and would accompany John on piano at local engagements. This continued until 1959, when John performed at the Flame Show bar on John R Street at the last show that Billie Holiday did in Detroit, just weeks before Holiday's death.
The same year, John began recording for Gordy. First she was signed to United Artists, but nothing was released there. Eventually, she became one of the first artists signed to Tamla, Gordy's own label. In 1960, she released her first Tamla single, "Who Wouldn't Love a Man Like That?," a blues number, to no success. John followed with "No Love" in June of that year and then with "Actions Speak Louder Than Words" by year's end. While Motown was beginning to have success with acts like The Miracles and The Marvelettes (and later The Supremes, who had sang background vocals for John) that appealed to teenagers and young adults, it failed to make an impact in the established blues market. As a result, Gordy soon thinned out his roster of early blues artists. While John continued to be used as a background singer, Gordy dissolved her contract in 1962.
After leaving Motown, John spent several years as a Raelette, backing many Ray Charles hits. In 1966 she attempted a solo career again, signing with Stax Records. Her first single with the label was "Your Good Thing Is About To End." The song peaked at #6 on the R&B chart, and even managed to cross over onto pop radio, peaking at #95 there. She released six more singles for the label, none of which captured her first single's success. After leaving Stax Records in 1968, John rejoined The Raelettes for several years. She left secular music in 1973, and began managing Christian gospel acts, occasionally returning to the studio as a singer.
John received a Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation in 1994. She appeared in John Sayles' 2007 movie Honeydripper and in the 2014 Oscar-winning documentary 20 Feet from Stardom.
Discography
Albums
Stay Out of the Kitchen (1966, Stax)
[edit]Singles
"Who Wouldn't Love a Man Like That?" (1960, Tamla)
"(I Guess There's) No Love" (1960)
"Actions Speak Louder Than Words" (1961)
"Your Good Thing Is About to End" (1966, Stax) R&B: #6 US: #95
"You're Taking Up Another Man's Place" (1966)
"Same Time, Same Place" (1967)
"I'm a Big Girl Now" (1967)
"Don't Hit Me No More" (1967)
"Able Mable" (1968)
"Running Out" (1968)
At a very young age, John moved with her parents to Arkansas, where her father got a job in a paper mill. There four brothers (including Rhythm & Blues singer Little Willie John) and two sisters were born. In 1941, after her father was able to secure a better job, the family moved to Detroit, where two additional brothers were born. The family lived in a new housing development at Six Mile and Dequindre Road. She attended Cleveland Intermediate School, and then Pershing High School, which is at Seven Mile and Ryan Road. After graduating from Pershing High School, she took a job as an insurance representative at Friendship Mutual Insurance Agency, a company run by Berry Gordy's mother, Bertha. Later, she left the company and spent two years at Lewis Business College. She subsequently ran into Mrs. Gordy again, who told Mable that her son Berry was writing songs and was looking for people to record them. Gordy began coaching her and would accompany John on piano at local engagements. This continued until 1959, when John performed at the Flame Show bar on John R Street at the last show that Billie Holiday did in Detroit, just weeks before Holiday's death.
The same year, John began recording for Gordy. First she was signed to United Artists, but nothing was released there. Eventually, she became one of the first artists signed to Tamla, Gordy's own label. In 1960, she released her first Tamla single, "Who Wouldn't Love a Man Like That?," a blues number, to no success. John followed with "No Love" in June of that year and then with "Actions Speak Louder Than Words" by year's end. While Motown was beginning to have success with acts like The Miracles and The Marvelettes (and later The Supremes, who had sang background vocals for John) that appealed to teenagers and young adults, it failed to make an impact in the established blues market. As a result, Gordy soon thinned out his roster of early blues artists. While John continued to be used as a background singer, Gordy dissolved her contract in 1962.
After leaving Motown, John spent several years as a Raelette, backing many Ray Charles hits. In 1966 she attempted a solo career again, signing with Stax Records. Her first single with the label was "Your Good Thing Is About To End." The song peaked at #6 on the R&B chart, and even managed to cross over onto pop radio, peaking at #95 there. She released six more singles for the label, none of which captured her first single's success. After leaving Stax Records in 1968, John rejoined The Raelettes for several years. She left secular music in 1973, and began managing Christian gospel acts, occasionally returning to the studio as a singer.
John received a Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation in 1994. She appeared in John Sayles' 2007 movie Honeydripper and in the 2014 Oscar-winning documentary 20 Feet from Stardom.
Discography
Albums
Stay Out of the Kitchen (1966, Stax)
[edit]Singles
"Who Wouldn't Love a Man Like That?" (1960, Tamla)
"(I Guess There's) No Love" (1960)
"Actions Speak Louder Than Words" (1961)
"Your Good Thing Is About to End" (1966, Stax) R&B: #6 US: #95
"You're Taking Up Another Man's Place" (1966)
"Same Time, Same Place" (1967)
"I'm a Big Girl Now" (1967)
"Don't Hit Me No More" (1967)
"Able Mable" (1968)
"Running Out" (1968)
Running Out
Mable John Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'Running Out' by these artists:
6. Scissor Sisters One two three four give me more Cause I think we're…
Andrea Marie I've tried to make it all work out But I'm running…
Andy Bell Show no emotion, inside I?m chocking I can?t decide if I…
Arab! Baby can you love again Lately I've been falling out of…
Astrid S I was thinking about the day we met And the love…
Barstool Prophets Once again they scrape your carcass off the floor From wher…
Claire Kelly Running Out Vs 1 It’s not the miles, It’s not the…
David Cairol I don't know where I don't know why I don't know when I…
Denton I found myself in another dimension I found myself floating …
Etham I don't have the time to Wait for a breakthrough I'm tired…
Ghosts on T.V. Running out of time, gotta keep living Running out of time,…
Hand of the Tribe They say we'll drift away Outside the Purple Haze Out beyond…
James Barnett Go, go, go, go Why'd you shoot him Just get in the…
James Hersey You take each and every chance you get To right the…
Jazz And Java You Running Man Woman You Running Listen Mama didn't raise…
Juliana Hatfield Everyone alive is a survivor And everything's the matter You…
Lee & Sun Countless hours selling flowers from my heart from my home T…
Mates of State You have the upper hand, To open up the door Running out,…
MATOMA I was thinking about the day we met And the love…
Mudhoney So you caught me flying by the seat of your…
Pivit Today I was thinking of our world that's sinking and…
Polytype Just say anything that works Whatever helps you sleep at…
Pretty Maids Don't need no one to tell me what to do I…
Psychoheads I forget what is our right way I run so fast…
Rah V Running out of time, gotta keep living Running out of time,…
Remainder I believe there's place for our comfort, I believe there's…
Scissor Sisters One two three four give me more Cause I think we're…
Shiey I'm following only my dreams You could not undo this beliefs…
Stateless Can you lie still without making a sound? Pacified hell, jus…
Sweethead You've saturated lines From the compass that I use And you…
The Georgia Satellites (tommy rivers, rick richards) Been around the world but you…
The Heat Stop. Take a moment if the pressure's too much. You've been …
The Iveys Are we running out of time running out of stories Running…
The Tremeloes I'm running out of teardrops Running out of heart aches S…
Valkyrie Riding out tonight - I'm leaving I'm not part of this…
Verse We are destroying everything We are leaving nothing unscar…
Wull If you don't know what you want You're stuck with all…
We have lyrics for these tracks by Mable John:
Able Mable My name is Mable, And don't you think I ain't able I…
Actions Speak Louder Than Words Tell me that you love me Put no one above me Go…
I I need another one for the cryin', the cryin' Be sure…
I'm A Big Girl Now I need another one for the cryin', the cryin' Be sure…
Love Tornado Just like a big tornado He whipped into my life His love…
Say You'll Never Let Me Go SHow can I make it through the day Without you You have…
Shouldn't I Love Him Girls, I've found myself a man He's so sweet And he understa…
That Woman Will Give It A Try I know you can understand How a woman needs a man Oh,…
The Man's Too Busy Reuben, take two Two, one-two-three-four I'm in love w…
You Made a Fool out of Me I should have never let you know That I love you,…
Your Good Thing I don't have to beg you to hold me 'Cause somebody…
Your Good Thing (Is About To End) I don't have to beg you to hold me Cause somebody…
Your Good Thing Is About to End I don't have to beg you to hold me 'Cause somebody…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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