The above biography taken from: Wikipedia - Rufus Thomas
The Crown Prince of Dance; an early rock & roll DJ, Memphis soul icon and creator of the Funky Chicken.
Artist Biography (below) by Richie Unterberger
Few of rock & roll's founding figures are as likable as Rufus Thomas. From the 1940s onward, he has personified Memphis music; his small but witty cameo role in Jim Jarmusch's Mystery Train, a film which satirizes and enshrines the city's role in popular culture, was entirely appropriate. As a recording artist, he wasn't a major innovator, but he could always be depended upon for some good, silly, and/or outrageous fun with his soul dance tunes. He was one of the few rock or soul stars to reach his commercial and artistic peak in middle age, and was a crucial mentor to many important Memphis blues, rock, and soul musicians.
Thomas was already a professional entertainer in the mid-'30s, when he was a comedian with the Rabbit Foot Minstrels. He recorded music as early as 1941, but really made his mark on the Memphis music scene as a deejay on WDIA, one of the few black-owned stations of the era. He also ran talent shows on Memphis' famous Beale Street that helped showcase the emerging skills of such influential figures as B.B. King, Bobby Bland, Junior Parker, Ike Turner, and Roscoe Gordon.
Thomas had his first success as a recording artist in 1953 with "Bear Cat," a funny answer record to Big Mama Thornton's "Hound Dog." It made number three on the R&B charts, giving Sun Records its first national hit, though some of the sweetness went out of the triumph after Sun owner Sam Phillips lost a lawsuit for plagiarizing the original Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller tune. Thomas, strangely, would make only one other record for Sun, and recorded only sporadically throughout the rest of the 1950s.
Thomas and his daughter Carla would become the first stars for the Stax label, for whom they recorded a duet in 1959, "'Cause I Love You" (when the company was still known as Satellite). In the '60s, Carla would become one of Stax's biggest stars. On his own, Rufus wasn't as successful as his daughter, but issued a steady stream of decent dance/novelty singles.
These were not deep or emotional statements, or meant to be. Vaguely prefiguring elements of funk, the accent was on the stripped-down groove and Rufus' good-time vocals, which didn't take himself or anything seriously. The biggest by far was "Walking the Dog," which made the Top Ten in 1963, and was covered by the Rolling Stones on their first album.
Thomas hit his commercial peak in the early '70s, when "Do the Funky Chicken," "(Do The) Push and Pull," and "The Breakdown" all made the R&B Top Five. As the song titles themselves make clear, funk was now driving his sound rather than blues or soul. Thomas drew upon his vaudeville background to put them over on-stage with fancy footwork that displayed remarkable agility for a man well into his 50s. The collapse of the Stax label in the mid-'70s meant the end of his career, basically, as it did for many other artists with the company. In 2001, Rufus Thomas was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame. Later that year, on December 15, he died at St. Francis hospital in Memphis, TN.
The above biography taken from: All Music Biography - Rufus Thomas by Richie Unterberger
'Cause I Love You
Rufus Thomas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I done take very best girl of mine, yeah
Gonna straighten up, baby, stop that cheatin' and lyin'
The way you lied about me, you lied about Louise too, (oh no, oh no) yeah
You lied about me, you lied abut Louise too (oh no, oh no)
You got me feeling so bad, I don't what to do
Let me tell you, hurtin' lay deep down inside
Baby, baby, hold you by my side
'Cause I love you, I love you
'Cause I love you, I love you
'Cause I love you, 'cause I love you
'Cause I love you, yes, I love you
'Cause I love you and I'll never let you go
Come on, come on, baby, come home, baby, come on now
Oh, oh, baby, come home, baby, come on now
Oh yeha, oh yeah, come on go home
Let me tell you, well, I'm hurtin', well, I'm hurtin' deep down inside
Baby, baby, want you by my side
'Cause I love you, I love you
'Cause I love you, I love you
'Cause I love you, 'cause I love you
'Cause I love you, yes, I love you
'Cause I love you and I'll never let you go
Hey, hey, everything'll be alright
Hey, hey, everything'll be alright
Hey, hey, everything'll be alright
Hey, hey, everything'll be alright
Hey, hey, everything'll be alright
Hey, hey, everything'll be alright
The song Cause I Love You by Rufus Thomas is a classic R&B love song, which is centered on the theme of trust, love, and relationship issues. The song talks about a woman who has cheated and lied to her partner, and now, he is feeling hurt and betrayed. The first lines of the song suggest that the woman he loved the most has betrayed him, and he is aware of her infidelity. He wants her to straighten up and stop cheating and lying to him.
The chorus of the song is a testament to the man's deep affection and love for his lady, despite her betrayal. He says "Cause I love you, I love you; 'cause I love you, I love you." The repetition of the lyrics emphasizes his devoted love for her and his willingness to forgive her. The song ends on an optimistic note, where the man tells his lady that everything will be alright if they stick together.
Overall, Cause I Love You is an emotional, heartwarming song about the complexities of love and the challenges of trust in a relationship. It highlights the pain and hurt that comes with infidelity and betrayal, but also the power of forgiveness and the strength of love.
Line by Line Meaning
I done take very best girl of mine, yeah
I took the best girl that I had and upset her by cheating and lying.
Gonna straighten up, baby, stop that cheatin' and lyin'
I am going to change my ways and stop cheating and lying to you, my baby.
The way you lied about me, you lied about Louise too, (oh no, oh no) yeah
You have lied not only about me but also about Louise, and I am not happy about it.
You got me feeling so bad, I don't what to do
Your lies have made me feel terrible, and I don't know what to do.
Let me tell you, hurtin' lay deep down inside
I have a deep emotional pain inside me.
Baby, baby, hold you by my side
I want to hold you, my baby, by my side to make me feel better.
'Cause I love you, I love you
I love you very much.
'Cause I love you and I'll never let you go
I will never let you go, my love, because I love you very much.
Come on, come on, baby, come home, baby, come on now
I want you to come home, my baby, as soon as possible.
Oh, oh, baby, come home, baby, come on now
I want you to come home, my baby, as soon as possible.
Let me tell you, well, I'm hurtin', well, I'm hurtin' deep down inside
I am hurt very much and have deep emotional pain.
Hey, hey, everything'll be alright
Everything will be alright, don't worry my love.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: RUFUS THOMAS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@isanchezcoll
Perhaps this is the first musical success of the True R&B label. STAX Records
@reuellucas7187
Thank you Geoff for the recommendation for a 31 year old to listen to an obscure 1950's record and honestly it's not bad. We need a more diversified musical palette nowadays.
@scienz
the dog joining in! 😆 🤣 😂
@alvingay6305
Classic. A real throwback.😊❤️
@adonaiyah2196
This is one of the most catchy records ever
@bigbirdcage753
David Porter took a 15 year old Booker T Jones out of algebra class to play baritone sax on this record because Floyd Newman couldn't make the session. Newman was busy teaching.
@michaeldunne3379
Booker T Jones played baritone sax in this record. He was sixteen.
@raymondjohnsonjohnson3004
I loved it
@customkey
Jayne Mansfield and her little dog…may they rest in peace. Booker T on baritone saxophone.
@MorgenSelmer
Didn't know that was Booker T. Nice catch, brother!