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

Strolling Beale No. 1
Rufus Thomas Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I woke up this mornin'
Just as blue as I could be
I woke up this mornin'
Just as blue as I could be

I looked all around my bedroom
My woman had cut out on me

So I started strollin' and drinkin'
Strolling Beale Street, up and down
Strolling Beale Street, up and down, oh, oh

I enquired about my baby
But my woman could not be found, oh, no, no

I saw my baby comin'
She was comin' with a smile
She said, "I'm comin' home to you, baby
Comin' home to my baby child"

I, I'll never leave you
Oh, oh, you know just how I feel

I'll forever be with you, baby
So you won't have to keep on strolling Beale

Overall Meaning

In Strolling Beale No. 1, Rufus Thomas narrates the story of a man who wakes up heartbroken because his woman has left him. He looks around his bedroom and realizes that she had indeed left him. He decides to go for a stroll down Beale Street while drinking his sorrows away. He enquires about his woman but she cannot be found. As he continues walking and drinking, he sees his woman walking towards him with a smile on her face. She assures him that she is coming home to him and they will never have to separate again. The song, therefore, carries the themes of heartbreak, sorrow, search, and reconciliation.

The lyrics of Strolling Beale No. 1 tell a story of love, heartbreak, and reconciliation, which is a recurring theme in many of Rufus Thomas' songs. Beale Street, which is a famous street in Memphis that is known for its musical heritage and nightlife, plays a significant role in the song. Perhaps Rufus Thomas chose to use Beale Street as a location in the lyrics because of its significance in the city's music scene.

One interesting fact about Strolling Beale No. 1 is that it was released in 1953 and was one of the first Memphis R&B records to gain national attention. Additionally, the song was produced by Sam Phillips, who is best known for his work with Elvis Presley and other early rock and roll artists. Another interesting fact is that Strolling Beale No. 1 was later covered by several artists including Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, and Carla Thomas, who was Rufus Thomas' daughter. The song has also been featured in several films and TV shows, including the movie Heart and Souls and the TV show American Gods.

Chords (Key of C):
Verse: C7 | C7 | C7 | C7 | F7 | F7 | C7 | C7 | G7 | F7 | C7 | G7 |
Bridge: C7 | C7 | F7 | F7 | C7 | C7 | G7 | G7 | C7 | C7 | F7 | F7 |
Outro: C7 | C7 | F7 | F7 | C7 | C7 | G7 | G7 | C7 | C7 | F7 | F7 | C7 | C7 | G7 | G7 | C7 | C7 | C7 | C7

Line by Line Meaning

I woke up this mornin'
I started my day feeling down

Just as blue as I could be
I was feeling extremely sad

I looked all around my bedroom
I searched my bedroom

My woman had cut out on me
My girlfriend had left me

So I started strollin' and drinkin'
I began walking and drinking as a way to deal with my emotions

Strolling Beale Street, up and down
I walked up and down Beale Street

I enquired about my baby
I asked around about my girlfriend

But my woman could not be found, oh, no, no
Nobody knew where she was

I saw my baby comin'
I saw my girlfriend approaching

She was comin' with a smile
She was happy to see me

She said, "I'm comin' home to you, baby
She told me she was coming back to me