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
Ugly Like Me
Rufus Thomas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm all messed up now
Baby, I like what you're doing to me
Your mama called you no good
And like most other men I see
You can't be true, it ain't in you
And it's no secret to me
But when you hold me in your arms
You're like ten good men wrapped in one
Baby, I like what you're doing to me
Baby, I like what you're doing to me.
You're just like your old Daddy
They say he didn't treat your Mama right
I'm not downing you for what you do
But the truth shall give the light
You're like Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
But, oh, how you keep me satisfied
Baby, I like what you're doing to me
Baby, I like what you're doing to me
You make me feel all right now
La la la la la
You're like Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
But, oh, how you keep me satisfied
Baby, I like what you're doing to me
Though you're no good
Baby, I like what you're doing to me
Oh, I like what you're doing
You make me feel so good
You make me feel so good
I like, I like, I like what you're doing
I like, I like, I like what you're doing
You make me feel so good
You make me feel so good
In this song, Rufus Thomas talks about a woman who has a bad reputation and is not trustworthy. Her own mother has called her "no good." Despite all of this, Rufus is drawn to her and enjoys being with her. He compares her to a combination of Jekyll and Hyde, meaning that she has different sides to her personality. However, he also admits that she keeps him satisfied and makes him feel good. Essentially, the song is about a man who is attracted to a woman who is not good for him.
The lyrics also touch on themes of stereotypes and judgment. The woman in the song is judged by her past and her family, and people assume she can't be trusted. Rufus, however, sees beyond these stereotypes and enjoys being with her despite what others might think. This is a message about not judging people based on their reputations or backgrounds and being open to seeing their true selves.
Overall, the lyrics of "Ugly Like Me" portray a complicated but passionate relationship between two people who are judged by society but find happiness together.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby, I like what you're doing to me
I enjoy the way you're making me feel
I'm all messed up now
You've got me disorientated with your actions
Your mama called you no good
Your mother didn't give you a good reputation
And like most other men I see
You follow the pattern of most other men
You can't be true, it ain't in you
Being faithful isn't in your nature
And it's no secret to me
I'm aware of this fact about you
But when you hold me in your arms
However, when you embrace me
You're like ten good men wrapped in one
You possess the qualities of ten different men
You're just like your old Daddy
You resemble your father
They say he didn't treat your Mama right
Your father mistreated your mother
I'm not downing you for what you do
I'm not criticizing you for your actions
But the truth shall give the light
However, the truth will be revealed
You're like Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
You have two distinct sides to your personality
But, oh, how you keep me satisfied
But, you still satisfy me regardless
Though you're no good
Even though you aren't trustworthy
You make me feel so good
You still make me feel great
Oh, I like what you're doing
I truly enjoy what you're doing
You make me feel so good
You still make me feel great
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BETTYE JEAN BARNES CRUTCHER, HOMER BANKS, RAYMOND E. JACKSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind