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.
The Best Thing that Ever Happened
Ruth Brown Lyrics
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Of life's ups and down
But fate's been kind
The downs have been few
I guess you could say
That I've been lucky
Oh, I guess you could say
If anyone should ever write my life story
(For whatever reason)
For whatever reason there might
(There might be)
Ooh, you'll be there
(Ooh, ooh)
Between each line of pain and glory
'Cause you're the best thing
(You're the best thing that ever happened to me)
That ever happened to me
(You're the best thing that ever happened to me)
Ah, you're the best thing
You're the best thing)
That ever happened to me
Oh, there have been times
When times were hard
But always somehow I made,
I made it through
'Cause for every moment
That I've spent hurrying
There was a moment
That I've spent on just loving you, yeah
If anyone should ever write my life story
For, for whatever
(For whatever reason)
For whatever reason there might
(There might be)
Oh, you'll be there
(Ooh, ooh)
Between each line of pain and glory
'Cause you're the best thing
(You're the best thing that ever happened to me)
That ever happened to me
(You're the best thing that ever happened to me)
Oh, you're the best thing
(You're the best thing)
That ever happened to me
(You're the best thing that ever happened to me)
I know you're the best thing
(You're the best)
Oh, that ever happened to me
Hey, hey, hey
Ruth Brown's song The Best Thing that Ever Happened is a declaration of gratitude to a lover who brought joy to her life. The lyrics reveal the ups and downs she has experienced in her journey but thanks to fate, the latter has been few. Brown acknowledges the presence of her lover, indicating that their relationship has been the reason for her good fortune. She values her lover so much that if someone ever wrote her life story, the person would find her lover's presence between every line of pain and glory. She attributes her ability to make it through tough times to the love they share.
The song tells the story of a mature love that has gone through high and low moments. Brown's lyrics reflect on life's struggles while giving her lover the credit for helping her overcome her challenges. The words, 'For every moment that I've spent hurrying, there was a moment that I've spent on just loving you,' offer a glimpse into the bond shared by the lovers. Brown understands that her lover has been her rock during the rough times, and she is grateful for their unwavering support.
In summary, The Best Thing that Ever Happened is a touching tribute to the love of one's life. Brown's acknowledgment of her lover's impact on her life is a testament to the power of love and how it can help one navigate through life's challenges.
Line by Line Meaning
I've had my share
I have experienced a lot in my life
Of life's ups and down
Both good and bad times have come my way
But fate's been kind
Fortunately, I have been lucky enough to have had a good life overall
The downs have been few
I have had a relatively small number of bad experiences
I guess you could say
It may be true to say
That I've been lucky
That fortune has smiled upon me
Oh, I guess you could say
It might also be said that
That it's all because of you
You are the reason for my good fortune
If anyone should ever write my life story
In the event that someone would chronicle my life
(For whatever reason)
(For any reason whatsoever)
For whatever reason there might
If there were any cause for it
Ooh, you'll be there
You would be present in the narrative
(Ooh, ooh)
(Ah, ah)
Between each line of pain and glory
In every moment of hardship and triumph
'Cause you're the best thing
Because you are the most wonderful person
(You're the best thing that ever happened to me)
(You are the greatest blessing I have ever received)
Ah, you're the best thing
Truly, you are the most precious thing
You're the best thing
You are the absolute best person
(You're the best thing that ever happened to me)
(You are the most magnificent occurrence in my life)
Oh, there have been times
There were indeed moments
When times were hard
When the going got tough
But always somehow I made,
Nevertheless, I somehow persevered
I made it through
I was able to overcome the difficulties
'Cause for every moment
Because, for every instance
That I've spent hurrying
That I hurried through
There was a moment
There was a corresponding instance
That I've spent on just loving you, yeah
That I devoted solely to loving you
I know you're the best thing
I am certain that you are the finest
('You're the best)
(You are truly the best)
Oh, that ever happened to me
That has ever come into my life
Hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JAMES D. WEATHERLY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind