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
Sister's Got A Boyfriend
Rufus Thomas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
daddy's got a shotgun.
If they ever get together,
boyfriend is gonna run.
Sister's down by the fire,
poppa's going out the back door.
Sister's out all night,
Rufus Thomas's song "Sister's Got a Boyfriend" addresses the topic of a protective father who is over-protective of his daughter's love affairs. The opening line, "Sister's got a boyfriend, daddy's got a shotgun," makes it clear that the father is serious about protecting his daughter. The father knows that if the boyfriend ever wronged his daughter, he would take action.
The father is highly concerned about what might happen if his daughter and her boyfriend are ever together. He wants to make sure that the boyfriend knows that he means business, and the line "If they ever get together, boyfriend is gonna run," confirms this notion. The father's warning is a clear message to the boyfriend that he has to behave properly or face the consequences.
The song's final two lines provide insight into the mindset of the father and daughter. The father is concerned about his daughter and the choices she makes in life, while the daughter is seemingly independent and enjoys her freedom. The father is frustrated with her lifestyle and is upset that she has been out all night. The line "bet she won't do that no more" demonstrates the father's desire for his daughter to remain safe and secure.
Line by Line Meaning
Sister's got a boyfriend,
My sister is in a romantic relationship with someone.
daddy's got a shotgun.
Our father owns a firearm that he may use to protect her honor.
If they ever get together,
If my sister's boyfriend disrespects her or our family, he'll be in big trouble.
boyfriend is gonna run.
My sister's boyfriend will flee for his safety.
Sister's down by the fire,
My sister is cozy around the fireplace.
poppa's going out the back door.
Our father is secretly leaving the house.
Sister's out all night,
My sister is out late at night, possibly with her boyfriend.
bet she won't do that no more.
I predict that after this incident, my sister will not stay out all night again.
Contributed by Adeline H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@joemulleavey5838
Love this Rufus tune
@Perromedic0
Sick groove .
@jackpalance9509
Southern Gold. Gritty
@ke4tud
Biz Ripped this.. Hooker got a boyfriend