Born in Covington, Tennessee, he released a record on Sun Records in 1954, just after Elvis Presley.
Yelvington began performing in local venues at the age of 14, having learned to sing and play guitar as a boy. His voice was a baritone, somewhat comparable to Ernest Tubb (one of Yelvington's major influences). He continued with mostly local engagements into his 20s, and was passed over for military service in World War II because of his health. In the late 1940s, he began playing with Reece Fleming's band, The Tennesseeans, at the Memphis Gem Theater. This group disbanded in 1952, and several of its members, including Yelvington, picked up with local troupe the Star Rhythm Boys. They performed daily on local radio and had a steady and popular gig at the Clover Club north of Covington, but family attachments prevented most of the players from traveling or touring with the group. Yelvington began playing side gigs in Memphis whenever he wasn't playing with the Star Rhythm Boys.
Yelvington and guitarist Gordon Mashburn first heard word of Sam Phillips's Sun Records in 1953, and arranged a meeting. Philips was initially unimpressed with Yelvington and the Star Rhythm Boys, because he was not interest in recording straight-ahead country music; however, he thought the band had potential, and had them audition a large number of songs. The first cut he recorded with them was a blues number written by Sticks McGee called "Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee". The result was a record with blues roots and a blues feel but a steel guitar that sounded unmistakably country. This recording was issued on Sun Records immediately after Elvis Presley's "That's All Right Mama". Phillips did not give Yelvington promotional backing, and so he and the band self-marketed the record to local stations, to little avail. The record was picked up neither by blues nor by country radio stations, each of which seemed to think it sounded too much like the other.
"Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee" was the only record Yelvington cut for Sun. In 1955 he released a single, "Yakety Yak" (not the same tune as "Yakety Yak" by The Coasters), on competitor Meteor Records. The record was released under the name Mac Sales and the Esquire Trio so as to avoid legal action by Phillips, to whom he was still contractually obliged. In 1955, the Star Rhythm Boys, without Yelvington, recorded again with Sun, releasing the rockabilly track "Rockin' With My Baby".
Yelvington, now in his late thirties, was not excited about the rockabilly sound, and by 1958 he and his bandmembers parted ways. Yelvington struck out on his own as a solo artist, but had no luck and eventually quit music, concentrating on raising his family of five children. He was essentially forgotten until the 1980s, when popular music historians began digging into the Sun back catalogue; fans and concert promoters attempted to bring him out of retirement. His career saw a resurgence in Memphis as a rockabilly revivalist, and in 1997, he released his first full-length album at the age of 79. By the time of his death in 2001, in Memphis, Tennessee, he was regarded as an elder statesman of country music and rockabilly.
A live show in the Netherlands during his first European tour in 1988 was taped and released on Collector Records (CLCD 4403) in 1991. In 2006, Bear Family Records reissued his Sun Records recordings on compact disc.
Rockin' with My Baby
Malcolm Yelvington Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You heard Kokomo and The Birth Of The Blues
And Tutti Frutti, but nobody flopped
Everytime they play it, it makes you wanna bop
Now, Tutti Frutti and The Birth Of The Blues
Sixteen Tons and Blue Suede Shoes
Well, there′s Maybellene down in Kokomo
I′m wanna rock, rock, rock 'n' roll
Yeah, rock, rock, rock ′n′ roll
Well, rock, rock, rock 'n′ roll
Come on and rock, rock, rock 'n′ roll
We're gonna rock, rock, I′m rockin' with my baby
There's a Boll Weevil and a Jukebox Baby
They′re both great and I don′t mean maybe
But I'm the one that tought her how
To bop to the boogie with a solid jive
Now there′s Tutti Frutti and The Birth Of The Blues
Sixteen Tons and Blue Suede Shoes
There's Maybellene down in Kokomo
Sayin′, look out cat, here I go!
I'm gonna rock, rock, rock ′n' roll
Yeah, rock, rock, rock 'n′ roll
Well, rock, rock, rock ′n' roll
Come on and rock, rock, rock ′n' roll
We′re gonna rock, rock, I'm rockin′ with my baby
There's a Boll Weevil and Jukebox Baby
They're both great and I don′t mean maybe
But I was the one that tought her how
To bop to the boogie with a solid jive
Tutti Frutti and The Birth Of The Blues
Sixteen Tons and Blue Suede Shoes
There′s Maybellene down in Kokomo
Sayin', look out cat, here we go!
We′re gonna rock, rock, rock 'n′ roll
Yeah, rock, rock, rock 'n′ roll
Well, rock, rock, rock 'n' roll
Come on and rock, rock, rock ′n′ roll
We're gonna rock, rock, I′m rockin' with my baby
The lyrics to Malcolm Yelvington's song "Rockin' with My Baby" emphasize the sheer joy and excitement that rock and roll music brings. The song references various popular songs from the time like "Sixteen Tons," "Blue Suede Shoes," "Kokomo," "The Birth of the Blues," and "Tutti Frutti." These songs are recognized as iconic and highly influential in shaping the rock and roll genre.
The repetition of these songs throughout the lyrics suggests that each time they are played, they elicit a desire to dance or bop to the music. The line "Sayin', look out cat, here I go!" indicates a strong desire to let loose and fully immerse oneself in the rhythm and energy of rock and roll.
The references to a "Boll Weevil" and a "Jukebox Baby" indicate that there are other great songs out there, but the singer takes pride in being the one who taught their baby how to dance or "bop to the boogie with a solid jive." This line highlights the singer's authority and influence in the rock and roll scene, shaping their partner's understanding and enjoyment of the genre.
Overall, "Rockin' with My Baby" captures the essence of the early rock and roll era, celebrating the electrifying power of music to inspire movement, freedom, and pure enjoyment.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, you heard Sixteen Tons and Blue Suede Shoes
You have listened to popular songs like Sixteen Tons and Blue Suede Shoes
You heard Kokomo and The Birth Of The Blues
You have also listened to songs like Kokomo and The Birth Of The Blues
And Tutti Frutti, but nobody flopped
Even Tutti Frutti was a hit and no one failed
Everytime they play it, it makes you wanna bop
Whenever those songs are played, they make you want to dance with excitement
Now, Tutti Frutti and The Birth Of The Blues
Now, let's mention again the songs Tutti Frutti and The Birth of the Blues
Sixteen Tons and Blue Suede Shoes
We can't forget about Sixteen Tons and Blue Suede Shoes either
Well, there's Maybellene down in Kokomo
There is a girl named Maybellene who lives in Kokomo
Sayin', look out cat, here I go!
She's saying, get ready because I'm about to show you something impressive
I'm wanna rock, rock, rock 'n' roll
I want to rock and roll
Yeah, rock, rock, rock ′n′ roll
Yeah, let's rock and roll
Well, rock, rock, rock 'n′ roll
Well, let's rock and roll
Come on and rock, rock, rock 'n′ roll
Come on, let's rock and roll
We're gonna rock, rock, I'm rockin' with my baby
We're going to rock and I'm dancing with my baby
There's a Boll Weevil and a Jukebox Baby
There are other popular songs like Boll Weevil and Jukebox Baby
They're both great and I don't mean maybe
Both songs are fantastic and there's no doubt about it
But I'm the one that tought her how
But I'm the one who taught my baby how
To bop to the boogie with a solid jive
To dance energetically to the music with a great rhythm
There's Tutti Frutti and The Birth Of The Blues
Let's not forget about Tutti Frutti and The Birth of the Blues
Sixteen Tons and Blue Suede Shoes
And of course, we can't leave out Sixteen Tons and Blue Suede Shoes
There's Maybellene down in Kokomo
And there's still Maybellene living in Kokomo
Sayin', look out cat, here I go!
She's still saying, watch out because I'm about to impress you
I'm gonna rock, rock, rock 'n' roll
I'm going to rock and roll
Yeah, rock, rock, rock 'n′ roll
Yeah, let's rock and roll
Well, rock, rock, rock 'n' roll
Well, let's rock and roll
Come on and rock, rock, rock 'n′ roll
Come on, let's rock and roll
We're gonna rock, rock, I'm rockin′ with my baby
We're going to rock and I'm dancing with my baby
There's a Boll Weevil and Jukebox Baby
We can't forget about other songs like Boll Weevil and Jukebox Baby
They're both great and I don′t mean maybe
Both songs are amazing, and there's no doubt about it
But I was the one that tought her how
But it was me who taught my baby how
To bop to the boogie with a solid jive
To dance energetically and rhythmically to the music
Tutti Frutti and The Birth Of The Blues
Let's remember again Tutti Frutti and The Birth of the Blues
Sixteen Tons and Blue Suede Shoes
And of course, Sixteen Tons and Blue Suede Shoes
There's Maybellene down in Kokomo
And once again, Maybellene is in Kokomo
Sayin', look out cat, here we go!
She's saying, watch out because we are about to impress you
We're gonna rock, rock, rock 'n′ roll
We are going to rock and roll
Yeah, rock, rock, rock 'n′ roll
Yeah, let's rock and roll
Well, rock, rock, rock 'n' roll
Well, let's rock and roll
Come on and rock, rock, rock ′n′ roll
Come on, let's rock and roll
We're gonna rock, rock, I'm rockin' with my baby
We are going to rock and I am dancing with my baby
Writer(s): Malcolm Yelvington, Lavern Flemming-jones
Contributed by Wyatt F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@richardtester2859
Malcolm Yelvington was great. Love his music
@TITICAT91
👍👍👍