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.
It's All in Your Mind
Ruth Brown Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well it's all in your mind
It's all in your mind
Well it's all in your mind
And I wanted to be
And I wanted to be
Your good friend
Well I cannot believe
You got a devil up your sleeve
And he's talking to me
And I cannot believe
And I wanted to be
And I wanted to be
Your good friend
Well you're all scared and stiff
A sick stolen gift
And the people you're with
They're all scared and stiff
And I wanted to be
And I wanted to be
Your good friend
The song "It's All in Your Mind" by Ruth Brown is a melancholic track that explores the concept of perception and the power of the mind. The repeated phrase of "it's all in your mind" emphasizes that the reality we experience is largely a product of our own thoughts and beliefs. Ruth Brown sings about wanting to be someone's "good friend" while confronting the fact that this person has a dark side ("a devil up your sleeve") that is influencing how she sees them. The person's behavior is causing fear and discomfort, both for Ruth and those around them.
The song touches on themes of insecurity and manipulation, highlighting the idea that our thoughts and emotions can be easily swayed by the people we spend time with. The line "a sick stolen gift" suggests that the person's behavior is a product of something they have acquired improperly, adding another layer of complexity to their character. The use of repetition throughout the song creates a sense of unease, mirroring the discomfort that Ruth feels in the presence of this person.
Line by Line Meaning
Well it's all in your mind
The situation or problem that you think exists is not real, but only exists in your thoughts and imagination.
Well it's all in your mind
The thoughts and beliefs you have about a situation are what create your experience of it, rather than the external circumstances themselves.
It's all in your mind
You have the power to change your mindset and perceptions, which can change your outlook on the situation you are facing.
Well it's all in your mind
The worries and anxieties you have about a situation are not based in reality, but are instead projections of your own fears and doubts.
And I wanted to be
I desired to have a positive and supportive relationship with you.
And I wanted to be
It was important to me to have a connection with you that was meaningful and fulfilling.
Your good friend
Someone who cares about you, supports you and is there for you through good and bad times.
Well I cannot believe
I find it hard to accept that what you are telling me is true.
You got a devil up your sleeve
You have a hidden or evil intention or motive that is not immediately apparent.
And he's talking to me
I am hearing things that make me distrustful or suspicious of you.
And I cannot believe
I find it difficult to trust or believe in what you are saying.
Well you're all scared and stiff
You seem to be paralyzed by fear and anxiety, unable to move or act with confidence.
A sick stolen gift
Something that you have taken or received that is harmful or damaging, even if it seemed like a good thing initially.
And the people you're with
The people you are associating with do not seem to be positive influences, and may be contributing to your negative behavior or mindset.
They're all scared and stiff
The people you are associating with are also gripped by fear and anxiety, and are unable to offer you the support and encouragement you need.
And I wanted to be
I had hoped to offer you a more positive and encouraging perspective that could help you overcome your fears and limitations.
And I wanted to be
I desired to be the kind of friend who lifts you up and helps you become the best version of yourself.
Your good friend
Someone who is always there for you, no matter what, and who genuinely wants the best for you.
Contributed by Declan W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Mister P
this lady was something special. Though she was known for her more gritty numbers; I always felt her voice really glowed on ballads. #awesomevocalist
Charles Billante
Me too! Too bad they didn't sell as well as the gritty ones. This one has always been one of my personal favorite ballads!