Rufus Thomas (March 26, 1917 – December 15, 2001) was a rhythm and blues an… Read Full Bio ↴Rufus Thomas (March 26, 1917 – December 15, 2001) was a rhythm and blues and soul singer from Memphis, Tennessee, United States, who recorded on Sun Records in the 1950s and on Stax Records in the 1960s and 1970s. He was the father of soul singer Carla Thomas (best known for the classic song "B-A-B-Y") and keyboard player Marvell Thomas. A third daughter, Vaneese, a former French teacher, for years had a recording studio in upstate New York where she sang for television commercials.

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 Workin' Blues
Rufus Thomas Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Well I'm a hard night worker
And I work hard every night
Well I'm a hard night worker
And I work hard every night
And I can't understand
Why my woman won't treat me right

When I come home every morning

Everything I do is wrong
When I come home every morning
Everything I do is wrong
Well I ain't got no breakfast
And my woman she is gone

Well I bring home my money
Just like a man gives it to me
Well I bring home my money
Just like a man gives it to me
Well I try to make her happy
But my life is misery

I want all you men to listen
There's something that you should know
I want all you men to listen
There's something that you should know

Get a job, get a job while the sun is shining
And let this hard night worker go

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Rufus Thomas's song "Night Workin' Blues" convey the frustration and hardships of a man who works tirelessly through the night. The repetition of the line "I'm a hard night worker" emphasizes his dedication and commitment to his job. Despite his hard work, the man feels perplexed by the fact that his woman doesn't treat him right.

Coming home in the morning, the man faces disappointment and criticism. Everything he does is deemed wrong, and he mentions not having breakfast, indicating a lack of care and support from his woman. Her absence further highlights the strain in their relationship, leaving the man feeling neglected and unappreciated.

In the following stanza, the man emphasizes his effort in bringing home money, as if to assert his role as a provider. However, he feels that his attempts to make his woman happy are in vain, leading to a life filled with misery. This line suggests that despite his dedication to work and providing for his woman, their relationship is lacking fulfillment and happiness.

The final stanza serves as a message to all men listening to the song. The man advises them to get a job while the sun is shining, implying that they should secure stable employment during daylight hours. This advice implies that working during the night, as the singer does, may lead to unfulfilled relationships and dissatisfaction. The phrase "let this hard night worker go" could also imply that the man is considering leaving his job and pursuing a better work-life balance. Overall, the lyrics express the hardships faced by a hardworking man and offer a cautionary message about the potential sacrifices and consequences that may come with a night job.

Line by Line Meaning

Well I'm a hard night worker
I am a diligent worker who works during the night

And I work hard every night
I put in a lot of effort and dedication into my work every night

And I can't understand
I am unable to comprehend

Why my woman won't treat me right
Why my partner doesn't treat me well or show me kindness

When I come home every morning
Upon returning home each morning

Everything I do is wrong
Every action I take is considered incorrect

Well I ain't got no breakfast
I do not have any breakfast

And my woman she is gone
And my partner is absent

Well I bring home my money
I earn and bring home my wages

Just like a man gives it to me
Similar to how a man hands me the money

Well I try to make her happy
I attempt to bring joy or satisfaction to her