Born Ruth Alston Weston on 30th January 1928 in Portsmouth, Virginia, she attended I. C. Norcom High School, a historically black high school. Brown's father was a dockhand who directed the local church choir, but the young Ruth showed more of an interest in singing at USO shows and nightclubs. She was inspired by Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday and Dinah Washington. In 1945, Brown ran away from her home in Portsmouth along with a trumpeter, Jimmy Brown, whom she soon married, to sing in bars and clubs. She then spent a month with Lucky Millinder's orchestra, but was fired after she brought drinks to the band for free, and was left stranded in Washington, D.C.
Blanche Calloway, Cab Calloway's sister, also a bandleader, arranged a gig for Brown at a Washington nightclub called Crystal Caverns and soon became her manager. Willis Conover, a Voice of America disc jockey, caught her act and recommended her to Atlantic Records bosses, Ahmet Ertegün and Herb Abramson. Brown was unable to audition as planned though, because of a serious car accident that resulted in a nine-month hospital stay. In 1948, however, Ertegün and Abramson drove to Washington from New York City to hear her sing in the club. Although her repertoire was mostly popular ballads, Ertegün convinced her to switch to rhythm and blues. His productions for her, however, retained her pop style, with clean, fresh arrangements and the singing spot on the beat with little of the usual blues singer's embroidery.
In her first audition, in 1949, she sang "So Long", which became a hit. This was followed by "Teardrops from My Eyes" in 1950; written by Rudy Toombs, it was the first upbeat major hit for Ruth Brown, establishing her as an important figure in R&B. Recorded for Atlantic Records in New York City in September 1950, and released in October, it was on Billboard's List of number-one R&B hits (United States) for eleven weeks. The huge hit earned her the nickname "Miss Rhythm", and within a few months Ruth Brown became the acknowledged queen of R&B.
She followed up this hit with "I'll Wait for You" (1951), "I Know" (1951), "5-10-15 Hours" (1953), "(Mama) He Treats Your Daughter Mean" (1953), "Oh What a Dream" (1954), "Mambo Baby" (1954), and "Don't Deceive Me" (1960). She also became known as "Little Miss Rhythm" and "the girl with the teardrop in her voice". In all, she was on the R&B charts for 149 weeks from 1949 to 1955, with sixteen top-ten blues records including five number ones, and became Atlantic's most popular artist, earning Atlantic records the proper name of "The House that Ruth Built".
During the 1960s, Brown faded from public view to become a housewife and mother, and only returned to music in 1975 at the urging of Redd Foxx, followed by a series of comic acting gigs, including roles in the sitcom Hello, Larry and the John Waters film Hairspray as local DJ Motormouth Maybelle, as well as Broadway appearances in Amen Corner and Black and Blue, which earned her a Tony Award for her performance and a Grammy award for her album Blues on Broadway, featuring hits from the show.
Brown's fight for musicians' rights and royalties in 1987 led to the founding of the Rhythm and Blues Foundation. She was inducted as a Pioneer Award recipient in its first year, 1989. In 1993, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as "The Queen Mother of the Blues".
She has become an iconic symbol to many black women for later generations, where she is also a favourite artist and inspiration for later blues artists such as Bonnie Raitt. Brown recorded and sang along with fellow rhythm and blues performer Charles Brown, a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and toured with Raitt on Raitt's tour in the late 1990s, "Road Tested". Her 1995 autobiography, Miss Rhythm, won the Gleason Award for music journalism.
Brown died in a Las Vegas-area hospital on 17th November 2006, from complications following a heart attack and stroke she suffered after surgery in October 2006. A memorial concert for her was held on 22nd January 2007 at the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, New York.
As Long as I'm Moving
Ruth Brown Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You're crazy 'bout lovin', I'm crazy 'bout love myself
When I'm with you baby, can't think about nothin' else
I've seen so many men, it's like looking through a fine tooth comb
I've seen so many men, it's like looking through a fine tooth comb
But these young cats 'll make a good girl lose her home
Every which way, as long as I'm movin'
Long as I'm movin', long as I'm movin'
Long as I'm movin', long as I'm movin' baby, I don't care
You got big broad shoulders, build like a trailer truck
You got big broad shoulders, build like a trailer truck
Let me run with you daddy and maybe I'll change my luck
I gotta watch myself, these boys are gettin' out of hand
I gotta watch myself, these boys are gettin' out of hand
They get twelve years old, start acting like a natural man
I wanna go north, east, south, west
Every which way, as long as I'm movin'
Long as I'm movin', long as I'm movin'
Long as I'm movin', long as I'm movin' baby, I don't care
Move, move, move, move!
Well it must be rat, because mink don't feel that way
Well it must be rat, because mink don't feel that way
Well don't you talk that talk, don't believe a thing you say
I wanna go north, east, south, west
Every which way, as long as I'm movin'
Long as I'm movin', long as I'm movin'
Long as I'm movin', long as I'm movin' baby...
I don't care!
The lyrics of Ruth Brown's song As Long as I'm Moving reflect the singer’s desire for movement and avoidance of stagnation. The opening lines of the song are about how she and her partner share an equal passion for love. The singer depicts herself as one who has seen many men, but the men in her surroundings are not to be trusted. The lyrics say that these young cats make a good girl lose her home, and she has to watch out, or else they'll get out of hand.
The lyrics also reflect the singer’s restlessness and desire for adventure. In the lyrics, “I wanna go north, east, south, west/Every which way, as long as I'm movin'," the singer can't stand being in one place for too long. She wants to experience all aspects of life and feels that movement and exploring new places are key to experiencing new things.
Furthermore, the lyrics also portray the importance of self-preservation. Despite the singer’s love for her partner, she knows that she has to look out for herself. She describes her partner as having broad shoulders and asks if she can run with him, but she knows that she has to be careful and watch herself.
Overall, the lyrics of As Long as I'm Moving highlight the artist's feelings of restlessness, her focus on love and self-preservation, all mixed with a healthy dose of distrust and a desire to explore.
Line by Line Meaning
You're crazy 'bout lovin', I'm crazy 'bout love myself
You seem to be always in love with others, but I am more focused on my own emotions and feelings towards love
When I'm with you baby, can't think about nothin' else
I tend to lose focus on other things when I am around you because I am so into you
I've seen so many men, it's like looking through a fine tooth comb
I have experienced many men in my life, just like sifting through a comb, allowing me to find and pick out who is good for me
But these young cats 'll make a good girl lose her home
Despite what appears as wholesome qualities, the actions of a younger partner can lead to me losing everything I have
You got big broad shoulders, build like a trailer truck
You have a large and strong physique like that of a truck
Let me run with you daddy and maybe I'll change my luck
I'd like to be with you and perhaps as a result, see a change in my life's fortunes
They get twelve years old, start acting like a natural man
Boys of young ages act more mature than they actually are, causing certain dangers and issues
Well it must be rat, because mink don't feel that way
What you are saying is clearly untrue, because minks do not have such thoughts and feelings
Well don't you talk that talk, don't believe a thing you say
I don't believe whatever it is you are saying, so please stop trying to convince me otherwise
Move, move, move, move!
Let's move and go wherever we want to go!
I wanna go north, east, south, west
I'd like to go anywhere and everywhere in every direction
Every which way, as long as I'm movin'
In any way or direction, as long as I am constantly on the move
Long as I'm movin', long as I'm movin'
As long as I am constantly on the move, I am happy
Long as I'm movin', long as I'm movin' baby, I don't care
Being in motion constantly is all that matters and will make me content
I don't care!
I am not concerned about external issues, as long as I keep moving
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHARLES E. CALHOUN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
johnny zell
You're crazy 'bout lovin', I'm crazy 'bout love myself
You're crazy 'bout lovin', I'm crazy 'bout love myself
When I'm with you baby, can't think about nothin' else
I've seen so many men, it's like looking through a fine tooth comb
I've seen so many men, it's like looking through a fine tooth comb
But these young cats 'll make a good girl lose her home
[Chorus]
I wanna go north, east, south, west
Every which way, as long as I'm movin'
Long as I'm movin', long as I'm movin'
Long as I'm movin', long as I'm movin' baby, I don't care
You got big broad shoulders, build like a trailer truck
You got big broad shoulders, build like a trailer truck
Let me run with you daddy and maybe I'll change my luck
I gotta watch myself, these boys are gettin' out of hand
I gotta watch myself, these boys are gettin' out of hand
They get twelve years old, start acting like a natural man
[Chorus]
I wanna go north, east, south, west
Every which way, as long as I'm movin'
Long as I'm movin', long as I'm movin'
Long as I'm movin', long as I'm movin' baby, I don't care
Move, move, move, move!
Well it must be rat, because mink don't feel that way
Well it must be rat, because mink don't feel that way
Well don't you talk that talk, don't believe a thing you say
[Chorus]
I wanna go north, east, south, west
Every which way, as long as I'm movin'
Long as I'm movin', long as I'm movin'
Long as I'm movin', long as I'm movin' baby...
I don't care!
johnny zell
You're crazy 'bout lovin', I'm crazy 'bout love myself
You're crazy 'bout lovin', I'm crazy 'bout love myself
When I'm with you baby, can't think about nothin' else
I've seen so many men, it's like looking through a fine tooth comb
I've seen so many men, it's like looking through a fine tooth comb
But these young cats 'll make a good girl lose her home
[Chorus]
I wanna go north, east, south, west
Every which way, as long as I'm movin'
Long as I'm movin', long as I'm movin'
Long as I'm movin', long as I'm movin' baby, I don't care
You got big broad shoulders, build like a trailer truck
You got big broad shoulders, build like a trailer truck
Let me run with you daddy and maybe I'll change my luck
I gotta watch myself, these boys are gettin' out of hand
I gotta watch myself, these boys are gettin' out of hand
They get twelve years old, start acting like a natural man
[Chorus]
I wanna go north, east, south, west
Every which way, as long as I'm movin'
Long as I'm movin', long as I'm movin'
Long as I'm movin', long as I'm movin' baby, I don't care
Move, move, move, move!
Well it must be rat, because mink don't feel that way
Well it must be rat, because mink don't feel that way
Well don't you talk that talk, don't believe a thing you say
[Chorus]
I wanna go north, east, south, west
Every which way, as long as I'm movin'
Long as I'm movin', long as I'm movin'
Long as I'm movin', long as I'm movin' baby...
I don't care!
Gkrp
Thanks for the lyrics!
Ricardo Mendiola
i love this song ...
59cadcoupe
What a solid sender !!!
Jimmy Balantyne
Atlantic Records... The house that Ruth built.
Rick Jevons
A real Classic
Paper Mario
Heard this in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Great tune.
Soul Seeker
That’s why I’m here too!!! 👌🏽😂
Rutser
Thanks to Golden memories, now I know this song
sigraviovio
Promis on se quitte jamais plus <3:)!!! Mais là je suis partie <3:)!!! 😘😘😘😘