Otis Blackwell learned piano as a child and grew up listening to both rhythm & blues and country music. He first became famous by winning a local talent contest ("Amateur Night") at the Apollo Theater, Harlem, New York in 1952, that led to a recording contract with RCA and then with Jay-Dee. His first release was his own composition "Daddy Rolling Stone" which became a favorite in Jamaica where it was recorded by Derek Martin. The song later became part of The Who's Mod repertoire. Enjoying some early recording and performing success, he found his first love was songwriting and by 1955 had settled into the groove that he would ride for decades. His first successes came in 1956 when Little Willie John's rhythm & blues hit, the sultry "Fever" was an even bigger pop success for Peggy Lee. Then, "Don't Be Cruel" began a highly profitable association with Elvis Presley.
Blackwell was one of the leading African American figures of early rock 'n' roll, although he was not well known by the public. His own records never cracked the Top 40, yet he wrote million-selling songs for Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Dee Clark and others. He also recruited other songwriters to write for Presley such as Winfield Scott.
From the jacket liner notes of the Elvis' Golden Records (1958) Anne Fulchino from Radio Corporation of America wrote:
"While sipping coffee, Steve Sholes pulled out a demonstration record of "Don't Be Cruel" and told Elvis it was a new song written by Otis Blackwell, whom Elvis had long admired as a rhythm and blues artist. It took just a few bars to convince Presley that it was a perfect song for him, and he decided to cut it right away. Presley learned the song within minutes—he has an inherent musical sense—and in short order a great master was put on tape.
It isn't often that the title of a song will create a whole new expression in Americana. "All Shook Up" did exactly that. Youngsters and adults alike have made the phrase a common part of everyday usage. The background to the song itself is a rather interesting one. Since the huge success of "Don't Be Cruel", Elvis had been anxious to record another song from the pen of Otis Blackwell. Eventually, Blackwell came around with "All Shook Up (first recorded by David Hill on Aladdin) ." Presley wasn't completely satisfied with the song, and with Blackwell's consent re-wrote part of the lyrics. Thus, as co-writer as well as artist, Presley produced his ninth consecutive gold record, his first in the year 1957."
During an appearance on "Late Night with David Letterman," Blackwell said he'd never met Presley in person. When he was having a contract dispute with his publishing company, he also wrote under the white-sounding pen-name of "John Davenport", Throughout his lifetime, Blackwell composed more than a thousand songs, garnering worldwide sales of close to 200 million records.[5] Colonel Tom Parker, manager of Elvis asked Otis to appear in the Presley movie Girls! Girls! Girls!, for which he had written "Return to Sender," but the superstition about meeting Elvis kept him from accepting.
In 1956 Blackwell first gave "Don't Be Cruel" to friend Frankie Valli's group The Four Lovers but as they were recording it he asked to take it back and in turn gave it to an up and coming Elvis Presley. In exchange for the this song he gave them "You're The Apple Of My Eye" which became a chart hit for the Four Lovers (Billboard #64). The song was performed on the Ed Sullivan show that same year and was probably instrumental in at least shaping events for the group to eventually becoming The Four Seasons. A shortened version of "You're The Apple Of My Eye" is also featured in the Broadway show "Jersey Boys".
As the tide of rock 'n' roll receded, Blackwell recorded R&B material for numerous labels including Atlantic, MGM and Epic. In later years he was in semi-retirement, making only occasional live appearances. Otis Blackwell is the grandfather of Torian Brown.
In 1991, Blackwell was left paralyzed by a stroke. Three years later, Shanachie released Brace Yourself! A Tribute to Otis Blackwell. The album features 15 Blackwell-penned tracks recorded by the likes of Kris Kristofferson ("All Shook Up"), Blondie's Debbie Harry ("Don't Be Cruel"), The Smithereens ("Let's Talk About Us"), Graham Parker ("Paralyzed"), and Ronnie Spector ("Brace Yourself"). Otis Blackwell died in 2002 of a heart attack and was interred in Woodlawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Nashville, Tennessee.
Otis Blackwell was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1986 and in 1991 into the National Academy of Popular Music's Songwriters Hall of Fame. Blackwell's crowning moment came in the late 1980s when the Black Rock Coalition, a prominent organization of black rock musicians, led by Vernon Reid, the lead guitarist of the band, Living Colour, held a tribute for him at the Prospect Park Bandshell in his native Brooklyn. Many prominent musicians and singers took part including Blackwell himself, who performed an assortment of his best songs, including "One Broken Heart for Sale," "Black Trail," "Don't Be Cruel" and "Daddy Rolling Stone."
Blackwell was named one of the 2010 recipients of Ahmet Ertegun Award in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This category encompasses those who primarily work behind the scenes in the music industry.
Otis Blackwell was one of the greatest rhythm & blues songwriters of all time. His songwriting style is as uniquely identifiable as that of Leiber and Stoller, Chuck Berry, or Willie Dixon and helped redefine popular music in America in the 1950s. This is true even though he often collaborated with such partners as Winfield Scott, Eddie Cooley, and Jack Hammer. Blackwell was one of the most important innovators who helped invent the musical vocabulary of rock & roll at its very beginning. Blackwell's works have been recorded into immortality by a host of other major figures in the record field, including Jerry Lee Lewis, Ray Charles, Otis Redding, James Brown, The Who, Johnny Thunders, Billy Joel, James Taylor, Dolly Parton, Conway Twitty, The Judds, Carl Perkins and Peggy Lee, among numerous others. At other times in his career, Blackwell has also been successful as a record producer, having helped turn out hits with artists as diverse as Connie Francis, Mahalia Jackson and Sal Mineo.
Songs he composed a.o., with the performer who made them famous, include:
"All Shook Up" (Elvis Presley)
"Don't Be Cruel" (Elvis Presley); inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002
"Fever" as "John Davenport" with Eddie Cooley (Peggy Lee inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998, Little Willie John, Madonna, The McCoys, Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Over the Rhine, and countless other performers).
"Great Balls of Fire" (Jerry Lee Lewis); inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998
"Breathless" (Jerry Lee Lewis and X)
"Hey Little Girl" (Dee Clark)
"Handy Man" (Jimmy Jones, Del Shannon, James Taylor)
"Return to Sender" (Elvis Presley)
Fever
Otis Blackwell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Never know how much I care
When you put your arms around me
I get a fever that's so hard to bear
You give me fever when you kiss me
Fever when you hold me tight
Fever in the mornin'
A fever all through the night
Sun lights up the day time
Moon lights up the night
I light up when you call my name
And you know I'm gonna treat you right
You give me fever when you kiss me
Fever when you hold me tight
Fever in the mornin'
A fever all through the night
Everybody's got the fever
That is somethin' you all know
Fever isn't such a new thing
Fever started long time ago
Romeo loved Juliet
Juliet she felt the same
When he put his arms around her
He said, "Julie baby you're my flame"
Thou giveth fever, when we kisseth
Fever with thy flaming youth
Fever I'm on fire
Fever yea I burn forsooth
Captain Smith and Pocahontas
Had a very mad affair
When her daddy tried to kill him
She said "daddy oh don't you dare"
"He givess me fever with his kisses"
"Fever when he holds me tight"
"Fever, I'm his misses"
"Daddy won't you treat him right?"
Now you've listened to my story
Here's the point that I have made
Chicks were born to give you fever
Be it Fahrenheit or centigrade
They give you fever when you kiss them
Fever if you live and learn
Fever till you sizzle
What a lovely way to burn
What a lovely way to burn
What a lovely way to burn
What a lovely way to burn
The lyrics of Otis Blackwell's "Fever" depict the singer's overwhelming infatuation with their significant other, as they sing about the feeling of fever that consumes them when they are with their lover. The singer proclaims that their love for the other person is so strong that they have never truly known how much they could love someone before. The lyrics express how the singer is consumed by their lover's touch, and how a kiss or simply being held tight can give them a fever that is difficult to control, even into the morning hours.
The bridge of the song takes a step back from the singer and their lover's relationship to highlight that everyone experiences fever from the intensity of love. The lyrics reference the famous love story of Romeo and Juliet, where Romeo exclaims that when he is with Juliet it feels like they are on fire. The song also references the forbidden love between Captain Smith and Pocahontas, highlighting that even taboo love can evoke the same fever-like feeling in individuals. The lyrics conclude by suggesting that all people feel a fever when they fall in love, and that this fever will continue to burn and sizzle until they cannot help but be consumed by it.
Line by Line Meaning
Never know how much I love you
I have an immeasurable love for you that is difficult to put into words.
Never know how much I care
I care for you more than you realize.
When you put your arms around me
Being wrapped in your arms brings me comfort and security.
I get a fever that's so hard to bear
My passion for you is so intense that it feels like a fever that I cannot control.
You give me fever when you kiss me
Your kisses set my body ablaze with passion.
Fever when you hold me tight
Your embrace has a similar effect on me and raises my body temperature.
Fever in the mornin'
The feeling of desire for you persists even after a night's rest.
A fever all through the night
Even in my sleep, thoughts of you continue to consume me.
Sun lights up the day time
The sun illuminates the world during the day.
Moon lights up the night
The moon provides light during the night.
I light up when you call my name
My face illuminates with happiness when you address me.
And you know I'm gonna treat you right
You can trust that I will treat you with respect and affection.
Everybody's got the fever
The feeling of intense passion is universal.
That is somethin' you all know
Everyone is familiar with the feeling of desire and passion.
Fever isn't such a new thing
These feelings have been experienced by people for a long time.
Fever started long time ago
Passion and desire are a deeply embedded part of human experience.
Romeo loved Juliet
The famous romantic tale of Romeo and Juliet is about intense passion and desire.
Juliet she felt the same
Juliet reciprocated Romeo's feelings of love.
When he put his arms around her
Physical touch, like embracing, intensifies feelings of passion and desire.
He said, "Julie baby you're my flame"
Romeo expressed his feelings of love and passion for Juliet.
Thou giveth fever, when we kisseth
Kissing intensifies the feeling of passion and desire.
Fever with thy flaming youth
The intensity of passion experienced by young people can feel overwhelming.
Fever I'm on fire
The feeling of passion can burn like a fire.
Fever yea I burn forsooth
The feeling of passion and desire is all-consuming.
Captain Smith and Pocahontas
A historical account of a romantic relationship based on passion and desire.
Had a very mad affair
Their relationship was exciting and intense.
When her daddy tried to kill him
A sign of how intense and dangerous their love was perceived to be.
She said "daddy oh don't you dare"
Pocahontas stood up for her love and expressed her desire to protect him.
"He givess me fever with his kisses"
Passionate physical contact like kissing intensifies feelings of desire.
"Fever when he holds me tight"
Embracing and holding closely heighten feelings of passion and desire.
"Fever, I'm his misses"
Pocahontas is expressing her feelings of deep attachment and desire for Captain Smith.
"Daddy won't you treat him right?"
Pocahontas begs for her father to accept her love and treat her beloved with respect.
Now you've listened to my story
The song is about the universal human experience of passion and desire.
Here's the point that I have made
The song has a clear message and theme about the feelings of passion and romance.
Chicks were born to give you fever
Women have the power to affect men with intense feelings of desire and passion.
Be it Fahrenheit or centigrade
Desire and passion can be felt no matter what the temperature scale is.
They give you fever when you kiss them
Kissing a woman can cause feelings of intense passion.
Fever if you live and learn
Experience and maturity may help us understand and better control our feelings of passion.
Fever till you sizzle
The feeling of passion can be so intense that it is almost unbearable.
What a lovely way to burn
The song presents the burning feeling of intense passion and desire as something beautiful and desirable.
What a lovely way to burn
Repetition of the final line to emphasize the beauty and allure of passion and desire.
What a lovely way to burn
Final repetition of the closing line for emphasis and effect.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc., BMG Rights Management, CARLIN AMERICA INC
Written by: Eddie Cooley, Otis Blackwell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind