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
Baby It
Rufus Thomas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This thing I feel, baby, it's real
Something inside said I can't hide
Baby, it's real, I know, I know it's real
I work my fingers down to the bone
And with these hands, I build you a home
My love is strong, stronger than Rome
My friends all say that I'm a fool
But I can't stand my friend's ridicule
Because it's real, oh, the way I feel
Yes, baby, it's real
I know, I know, I know, I know it's real
Sure as the sun shine in the sky
My love for you will never, never, never, never die
And if you feel the way that I feel
Baby, oh, it's real, I know, I know, I know it's real
And if you feel, oh, oh, the way that I feel
Baby it's real, oh, yes, it's real
The song “Baby It’s Real” by Rufus Thomas is a love song that celebrates the reality of true love. The chorus, “My love is real, my love is real, this thing I feel, baby it’s real,” is repeated throughout the song to emphasize the authenticity of the singer’s emotions. The lyrics describe the depth and strength of their love and the certainty that it will endure. The second verse, “I work my fingers down to the bone, and with these hands, I build you a home, my love is strong, stronger than Rome, oh baby it’s real,” expresses the level of sacrifice the singer is willing to make to show their love. The line “stronger than Rome” compares the strength and power of the love to that of the Roman Empire, one of the most powerful empires in history.
In the third verse, the singer acknowledges the opposition they face from friends who ridicule their love, but remains steadfast in their conviction, “My friends all say that I'm a fool, but I can't stand my friend's ridicule, because it's real, oh, the way I feel, yes, baby it's real.” The bridge of the song reinforces the singer’s commitment to their love, “Sure as the sun shine in the sky, my love for you will never, never, never, never die.” The song ends on another repetition of the chorus, emphasizing the reality of the love shared between the singer and their beloved.
Line by Line Meaning
My love is real, my love is real
I assure you that my love for you is honest and true
This thing I feel, baby, it's real
The emotions I am experiencing are genuine and intense
Something inside said I can't hide
My inner voice tells me I cannot conceal my feelings any longer
Baby, it's real, I know, I know it's real
I am certain that what I feel for you is real and not just a passing infatuation
I work my fingers down to the bone
I labor tirelessly to provide for you and make our life together comfortable
And with these hands, I build you a home
I am committed to creating a loving and stable home for us with my own hard work and effort
My love is strong, stronger than Rome
My passion for you is unbreakable and more powerful than any empire in history
Oh, baby, it's real, oh, yes, I know it's real
I am confident that my love is genuine and unwavering
My friends all say that I'm a fool
Although my friends mock me for my devotion to you, I cannot help but love you deeply
But I can't stand my friend's ridicule
I am unable to tolerate the teasing and mockery of my friends when it concerns my love for you
Because it's real, oh, the way I feel
I cannot change the authenticity of my emotions and the intensity of my love for you
Yes, baby, it's real
Yes, my love for you is truly genuine
I know, I know, I know, I know it's real
I am certain, beyond any doubt, that what I feel for you is real and will last forever
Sure as the sun shine in the sky
As certain as the sun rising each day
My love for you will never, never, never, never die
My love for you will endure and never fade away
And if you feel the way that I feel
If your emotions for me match the intensity of mine
Baby, oh, it's real, I know, I know, I know it's real
Then I am absolutely certain that our love for each other is genuine and enduring
And if you feel, oh, oh, the way that I feel
If you share the same passionate emotions towards me as I feel towards you
Baby it's real, oh, yes, it's real
Then our love is undoubtedly sincere and not just a fleeting affair
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Abkco Music Inc.
Written by: JAMES W ALEXANDER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind