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
Night Time Is The Right Time
Rufus Thomas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(night and day)
Is the right time
(night and day)
To be
(night and day)
With the one you love, now
(night and day)
(night and day)
When I come home baby, now
(night and day)
I wanna be with the one I love, now
(night and day)
You know what I'm thinking of
(night and day)
I know the night time
(night and day, oh)
Whoa, is the right time
(night and day, oh)
To be with the one you love, now
(night and day)
I said to be with the one you love
(night and day)
You know my mother, now
(night and day)
Had to die, now
(night and day)
Umm, and my father
(night and day)
Well he broke down and cry
(night and day)
Whoah! whoa baby
(night and day)
When I come home baby now
(night and day)
I want you to hold my hand
(night and day)
Yeah, tight as you can
(night and day)
I know the night time
(night and day, oh)
Whoah is the right time
(night and day, oh)
To be with the one you love
(night and day)
You know what I'm thinking of
(night and day)
Whoah! sing your song, Margie
Baby
(night and day)
Baby
(night and day)
Baby
(night and day)
Oh, Baby
(night and day)
Do I love you?
(night and day)
No one above you
(night and day)
Hold me tight
(night and day)
And make everything all right
(night and day)
Because the night time
(night and day)
Oh, is the right time
(night and day)
To be with the one you love now
(night and day)
Oh yeah
(night and day)
Tease me
(night and day)
Squeeze me
(night and day)
Leave me
(night and day)
Ah, don't leave me
(night and day)
Lawdy baby
(night and day)
Take my hand, now
(night and day)
I don't need
(night and day)
No other man
(night and day)
Because the night time
(night and day)
Ow, is the right time
(night and day)
To be with the one you love
(night and day)
Oh yeah
(night and day)
I said baby
(night and day)
Baby
(night and day)
Baby
(night and day)
Baby
(night and day)
Whoah! baby now
(night and day)
Oh come on baby
(night and day)
You know I want you by my side
(night and day)
I want you to keep
(night and day)
Oh keep me satisfied
(night and day)
I know the night time
(night and day)
Everyday is the right time
(night and day)
Yeah to be with the one you love now
(night and day)
Well you know it's all right
"Night Time Is The Right Time" by Rufus Thomas is a song about the joys of spending time with the one you love during the night, when everything seems to be in the right place. The lyrics speak to the idea that the night time is a great opportunity to be with the person you care about most. The song also touches on the theme of sadness and loss, as the singer shares the story of losing both his parents. Even in times of difficulty, he finds comfort in the presence of his lover.
The song's repetitive lyrics and catchy melody create a fun and upbeat feel that is hard not to dance along to. The lyrics, however, are not just about having a good time. They also express a deeper meaning about the importance of human connection and love. The line "Hold me tight and make everything all right" speaks to the idea that love can provide comfort and solace even in the darkest of times.
Overall, "Night Time Is The Right Time" is a celebration of love, happiness, and the joy of being alive.
Line by Line Meaning
You know the night time, darling
The nighttime is the right time, no matter the specific moment, to be together
Is the right time
The nighttime is the ideal moment for us to be together
To be
We have to spend this time together
With the one you love, now
We need to be spending time together, us two alone
Say now oh baby
Listen to what I have to say, my love
When I come home baby, now
Once I'm back home, my love
I wanna be with the one I love, now
I need to be with you, my love
You know what I'm thinking of
You know what is on my mind right now
I know the night time
I understand that the night time is the perfect moment for us to spend together
Whoa, is the right time
This moment right now is suitable for us to be together
To be with the one you love, now
We should be spending this moment together, just the two of us
I said to be with the one you love
I meant that we should be spending time together, only the two of us
You know my mother, now
You know my mother
Had to die, now
She had to pass away, unfortunately
Umm, and my father
And my father
Well he broke down and cry
He cried uncontrollably after the loss of my mother
Whoah! whoa baby
Oh, my dear love
I want you to hold my hand
Please, hold my hand
Yeah, tight as you can
As tight as humanly possible, please
You know what I'm thinking of
You know exactly what my thoughts and feelings are, right now
Whoah! sing your song, Margie Baby
Oh, Margie Baby, sing for me
Do I love you?
Do I really love you?
No one above you
You are above everyone else
Hold me tight
Embrace me firmly
And make everything all right
Make everything fine and good again
Tease me
Please, tease me playfully
Squeeze me
Hold me tight and don't let go
Leave me
No, don't go and leave me alone
Ah, don't leave me
No, please don't leave me all alone
Lawdy baby
Oh my, my love
Take my hand, now
Please, hold my hand
I don't need
I don't want
No other man
I don't want anyone else but you
Everyday is the right time
No matter the time of day or night, we should always be together
Yeah to be with the one you love now
We should be together, just the two of us, right now
Well you know it's all right
It's okay, everything is fine and good
Oh come on baby
Please, my dear love
You know I want you by my side
I need you to be next to me
I want you to keep
Please, keep
Oh keep me satisfied
Make me happy and pleased
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: James Oden, Roosevelt Sykes
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bertha Daniels
Amazing !! Wow...💕
cristianofm
love and applauses from Brazil!
Marshall Malone
Brings back my childhood.
Grizzell Long
I love that song
Kenya Nkhrumah
Classic R& Blues
Marc Leroy
Yes it is! check out the original version of 'Tramp' by Lowell Fulson on my channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plRaZXnLA5c
adel adalli
This is love.
Pearline Richardson Alston
Thats really some good by rufus and carla thomas
G. Saint Louis D'Dean Hardin
anything more right than this????? Rufus (funky chicken, et al) Thomas and daughter Carla (also duet pardner of Otis Redding)...... check the rest of their very "common sense" work.... I loves it and wants to share 'cuzzin i loves ya cousin neighbors.....
Capt Larry -
gotta love Carla and Rufus.. or you just aint right in the head...