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
Breaking My Back
Rufus Thomas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well I love my baby but my baby don't love me
Yes she left this morning went back to tennessee
Well I love my baby even though she's gone
Yes I love my baby even though she's gone
I'm gonna find my baby and bring her straight back home
Well you said you loved me why did you lie
You left me baby didn't even say goodbye
Take it easy, take your time
If you don't get my loving it ain't no fault of mine
Yes I'm going back and find my baby
I'm going back
I'm going and find my baby
I'm going back
Gonna find my baby bring her back to me
The lyrics to Rufus Thomas's song "Love My Baby" tell the story of a man who loves his baby, but unfortunately, his baby doesn't love him back. He laments this situation in the first verse, singing "Well I love my baby but my baby don't love me, yes she left this morning went back to Tennessee." Despite his baby leaving him behind, he still loves her and is determined to find her and bring her back home. In the second verse, he sings "Well you said you loved me why did you lie, you left me baby didn't even say goodbye, take it easy, take your time. If you don't get my loving it ain't no fault of mine." He's questioning why she left and feels betrayed by her actions.
The lyrics paint a picture of heartbreak and loss, but also perseverance and hope that the singer will ultimately be reunited with his love. The repetition of the phrase "I'm going back and find my baby" illustrates his determination to reconcile with his lost love — no matter the cost. Overall, the lyrics are a classic example of a love song that has gone awry, but with the promise of redemption.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I love my baby but my baby don't love me
Despite my love for my partner, they do not reciprocate these feelings.
Yes she left this morning went back to tennessee
My partner has decided to leave me and return to their hometown in Tennessee.
Well I love my baby even though she's gone
Despite my partner leaving, I still have strong feelings for them.
I'm gonna find my baby and bring her straight back home
I am determined to locate my partner and bring them back to our shared home.
Well you said you loved me why did you lie
I am questioning why my partner claimed to love me when they clearly did not.
You left me baby didn't even say goodbye
My partner left me without warning or a proper farewell.
Take it easy, take your time
I am advising my partner to slow down and not rush into anything.
If you don't get my loving it ain't no fault of mine
If my partner does not feel the same affection towards me, it is not due to any fault of my own.
Yes I'm going back and find my baby
I am returning to Tennessee to search for my partner.
Gonna find my baby bring her back to me
My ultimate goal is to locate my partner and bring them back to our shared home.
Lyrics © MADISON LEISURE CORP.
Written by: THOMAS, RUFUS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind