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.
Sugar Baby
Ruth Brown Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can see what everybody in the world is up against
Can't turn back, you can't come back, sometimes we push too far
One day you'll open your eyes and you'll see where we are
Sugar baby get on down the road, you ain't got no brains nohow
You went years without me, might as well keep goin' now
Plenty of places to hide things here if you want to hide them bad enough.
I'm staying with Aunt Sally, but you know she not really my aunt.
Some of these memories, you can learn to live with and some of'em you can't
Sugar baby get on down the line, you ain't got no brains nohow
You went years without me, might as well keep goin' now
The ladies down in Darktown, they're doin' the Darktown strut
Y'always got to be prepared, but you never know for what
There ain't no limit to the amount of trouble women bring
Love is pleasing, love is teasing, love not an evil thing
Sugar baby get on down the road, you ain't got no brains nohow
You went years without me, might as well keep goin' now
Every moment of existence seems like some dirty trick
Happiness can come suddenly and leave just as quick
Any minute of the day, the bubble can burst
Try to make things better for someone sometimes you just end up makin' it thousand times worse
Sugar baby get on down the road, you ain't got no brains nohow
You went years without me, might as well keep goin' now
Your charms have broken many a heart and mine is surely one
You got a way of tearin' the world apart, love, see what you've done
Just as sure as we're livin', just as sure as you're born
Look up, look up, seek your maker, for Gabriel blows his horn
Sugar baby, get on down the line, you ain't got no sense nohow
You went years without me, might as well keep goin' now
The song "Sugar Baby" by Ruth Brown expresses the idea of life being unpredictable and presenting challenges at every turn. The opening lines "I've got my back to the sun 'cause the light is too intense, I can see what everybody in the world is up against" suggest that the singer understands the difficulties of life and has hardened herself to them. She goes on to say "One day you'll open your eyes and you'll see where we are," indicating that many people are not yet aware of the harsh realities of the world.
The main theme of the song seems to be resignation and moving on. The refrain "Sugar baby get on down the road, you ain't got no brains nohow, you went years without me, might as well keep goin' now" embraces the idea that the past is the past and cannot be changed, so it's better to focus on the present and the future.
The song also touches on the subject of love and the pain that it can bring. The lines "Love is pleasing, love is teasing, love not an evil thing" suggest that, despite the difficulties and heartbreak it can cause, love is still worth pursuing. The final lines of the song, however, imply that the singer has had her heart broken and has given up on love, as she advises "Sugar baby, get on down the line, you ain't got no sense nohow, you went years without me, might as well keep goin' now."
Overall, "Sugar Baby" is a somber, reflective song that touches on universal themes of hardship and resilience in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
I've got my back to the sun 'cause the light is too intense
I'm avoiding the harsh reality of the world, and the difficult situations that people face on a daily basis.
I can see what everybody in the world is up against
I understand the challenges and struggles that people face, and recognize the difficulties that must be overcome.
Can't turn back, you can't come back, sometimes we push too far
We can't change the past or undo our mistakes, and sometimes we take things too far and cannot take back what we have done.
One day you'll open your eyes and you'll see where we are
One day, you will realize the reality and gravity of the world we live in.
Sugar baby get on down the road, you ain't got no brains nohow
You're making foolish decisions and going on without considering the consequences of your actions.
You went years without me, might as well keep goin' now
You were able to live without me for so long, so why stop now?
Some of these bootleggers, they make pretty good stuff.
Some people create things that are good or effective, despite it being done in illegal or unconventional means.
Plenty of places to hide things here if you want to hide them bad enough.
There are many ways to conceal things, even if it takes a significant amount of willpower and determination.
I'm staying with Aunt Sally, but you know she not really my aunt.
I may be in a seemingly comfortable or familiar situation, but it's really not as it seems and perhaps more complicated than it appears to be.
Some of these memories, you can learn to live with and some of'em you can't
Some of our experiences and memories can be accepted and learned from, while others may be too painful and difficult to handle.
The ladies down in Darktown, they're doin' the Darktown strut
Women in this community are proud and confident, with a unique style and way of carrying themselves.
Y'always got to be prepared, but you never know for what
We have to be always ready, but we don't always know beforehand for what we have to be ready for.
There ain't no limit to the amount of trouble women bring
Women often bring trouble or complications in life and relationships, and there seems to be no limit to the extent of these issues.
Love is pleasing, love is teasing, love not an evil thing
Love can bring both pleasure and pain, and is often a complex and ambiguous force that drives human behavior.
Every moment of existence seems like some dirty trick
Life often feels like a cruel joke, and we cannot trust that everything will be fair or just.
Happiness can come suddenly and leave just as quick
We cannot rely on happiness and must appreciate it when we have it, because it can be fleeting and temporary.
Any minute of the day, the bubble can burst
Any situation can turn sour or destructive at any moment, and we must be ready to handle the fallout and aftermath.
Try to make things better for someone sometimes you just end up makin' it thousand times worse
We try to improve the lives of others, but often we do more harm than good in our attempts to help.
Your charms have broken many a heart and mine is surely one
You have a way of causing heartbreak and pain with your actions or personality, and I am no exception to this rule.
You got a way of tearin' the world apart, love, see what you've done
Your influence or behavior has caused chaos and turmoil in the world around us.
Just as sure as we're livin', just as sure as you're born
There are certain truths about life and existence that are undeniable, just like the inevitability of birth and death.
Look up, look up, seek your maker, for Gabriel blows his horn
We must look towards a higher power or meaning, as represented by Gabriel's trumpet, to find purpose and direction in life.
Sugar baby, get on down the line, you ain't got no sense nohow
You're being foolish and reckless, and it's not helping you or anyone else.
You went years without me, might as well keep goin' now
If you've been able to live without me for so long, then you should just keep doing so and moving on with your life.
Writer(s): Ruben Cherry, roy, Jacobs, Harrington, Roy Brown
Contributed by Cole R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
sirena yasmín
She needs to be a STAR. Her energy, the connection to the crowd and her voice. Wow.
Pretty Hands Nail Bar
Yes Yesssss, I agree. She made me smile. Love it.
rue. Brown
Erika Divine we are all stars!! Love you for watching! I appreciate the energy 😊
Wachera
This girl is a whole mood!!!! So glad this popped up on my timeline
Heidi Walker
Right SHE IS A WHOLE MOOD ❤😎
Mimi Keel
She's good. Kinda reminds me of 'Tank and the Bangas'.
Jasmine Monareng
She's hilarious, liked even before the music came on, which is beautiful.
rue. Brown
Jasmine Dee thanks so much for watching! 😆😊
Shaman Omar
Wow, one of the most amazing voices and talents I’ve heard in a long time. The spirit of Lauren Hill lives in her🙌🏼
7souljah
This really made me smile, i could feel her energy all the way from here!! <3