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.
When I Get You Baby
Ruth Brown Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Eah!
Baby girl, where you at?
Got no strings, got men attached
Can't stop that feelin' for long no
Mmmm
You makin' dogs wanna beg
But they make you feel right at home, now
(Ooooh)
See all these illusions just take us too long
(Ooooh) And I want it bad.
Because you walk pretty,
Because you talk pretty,
'Cause you make me sick
And I'm not leavin', till you're leavin'
(Ahhh)
Oh I swear there's something when she's pumpin',
Asking for a raise
(Oooh) Well does she want me to carry her home now?
(Oooh) So does she want me to buy her things?
On my house, on my job
On my loot, shoes, my shirt,
My crew, my mind, my father's last name?
(Ahhh)
When I get you alone ('lone)
When I get you you'll know baby (know)
When I get you alone ('lone)
When I get you alone now (it's all mine)
(Ahhhh... oh)
Come on
Oh yeah-yeah
Baby girl you da shit
That makes you my equivalent
Well you can keep your toys in the drawer tonight,
All right
All my dawgs talkin' fast-
Aint you got some photographs?
'Cause you shook that room like a star, now
Yes you did, oh
(Ooooh)
All these intrusions just take us too long
(Ooooh) And I want you so bad.
Because you walk city,
Because you talk city,
'Cause you make me sick
And I'm not leavin', till you're leavin'
(Ahhh)
So I pray to something she aint bluffin',
Rubbin' up on me
(Oooh) Well does she want me to make a vow?
Check it
(Oooh)Well does she want me to make it now?
On my house, on my job
On my loot, shoes, my voice,
My crew, my mind, my father's last name?
(Ahhh)
When I get you alone ('lone)
When I get you you'll know baby (know)
When I get you alone ('lone)
When I get you alone now (it's all mine)
(Ahhhh... oh)
Oh no
Get you alone baby
Oohh.
Oooh.oh-oh
That a girl!
You get some
(Ahhh)
All these intrusions just take us too long
(Ahhh) And I want you so bad.
Because you walk pretty, (You, you-you)
Because you talk pretty, (You get some)
'Cause you make me sick
And I'm not leavin', till you're leavin'
(Ahhh)
But I pray to something when she's pumpin',
Rubbin' up on me, now
(Oooh) Want me to break it down?
Check it
(Oooh) Well did you want me to make it now?
On my house, on my job
On my loot, shoes, my voice,
My crew, my mind, my father's last name?
(Ahhh)
When I get you alone ('lone)
When I get you you'll know girl (know)
When I get you alone ('lone)
When I get you alone now (it's all mine)
(Ahhh)
I get you alone ('lone)
When I get you alone (know)
I get you alone ('lone)
When I get you alone (it's all mine)
Yeah
Yeaaahhh...
Ruth Brown's "When I Get You Baby" is a fast-paced pop track that explores the singer's intense desire for a woman. The song begins with the artist asking her lover where she is, pointing out that he wants her with him no matter what. He's fascinated by her and is willing to overlook the fact that she's attached to other men. He speaks about how she's so stunning that she makes dogs beg and has broken many hearts. Although she may be quite flirtatious, her seductive charisma draws the singer towards her. He wants her for himself and isn't willing to let go until she's with him.
The singer talks about how she makes him feel emotional, causing emotions that are hard to control. He's so in love with her that he's willing to pledge his house, job, and other life possessions and even his last name to prove his love. Whatever she wants, he's eager to provide it for her, which shows his dedication towards her. He believes that she’s unique and one-of-a-kind, and he has a deep respect for her. The final chorus reiterates the singer's devotion for the woman and his desire to be with her.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby girl, where you at?
The singer is looking for the woman he is addressing.
Got no strings, got men attached
The woman he is addressing is not in a committed relationship, but has multiple men interested in her.
Can't stop that feelin' for long no
The singer cannot resist his attraction to the woman he is addressing.
You makin' dogs wanna beg
The woman he is addressing has a strong sexual appeal that men find enticing.
Breaking them off your fancy legs
The woman he is addressing has an attractive physical appearance, particularly her legs.
But they make you feel right at home, now
Despite being objectified, the woman he is addressing feels comfortable in her power and sexuality.
See all these illusions just take us too long
Pursuing illusions and distractions can be time-consuming.
And I want it bad.
The artist desperately desires the woman he is addressing.
Because you walk pretty,
The woman he is addressing has an attractive gait.
Because you talk pretty,
The woman he is addressing has an attractive voice.
'Cause you make me sick
The woman he is addressing excites and exhilirates the singer.
And I'm not leavin', till you're leavin'
The artist does not plan on leaving the woman alone until she leaves first.
Oh I swear there's something when she's pumpin'
There is a certain energy and thrill when the woman he is addressing is moving/performing.
Asking for a raise
The singer questions whether the woman he is addressing is asking him to improve their relationship or situation.
Well does she want me to carry her home now?
The singer is wondering if the woman he is addressing is asking for his help or protection.
So does she want me to buy her things?
The artist is considering if the woman he is addressing has ulterior motives regarding his wealth or status.
When I get you alone ('lone)
The artist is planning on being intimate with the woman he is addressing when they are alone.
When I get you you'll know baby (know)
When they are together, the woman he is addressing will realize the depth of his feelings for her.
When I get you alone now (it's all mine)
When they are alone, the singer will have complete control over the situation, implying sexual domination or possession.
Baby girl you da shit
The artist is complimenting the woman he is addressing on her attractiveness and desirability.
That makes you my equivalent
The artist feels that the woman he is addressing is on his same level or status.
Well you can keep your toys in the drawer tonight,
The artist is suggesting that the woman he is addressing stay with him instead of going out and enjoying herself with other men.
All my dawgs talkin' fast-
The men who are pursuing the woman he is addressing are trying to win her over quickly.
Aint you got some photographs?
The artist is calling into question the validity of the woman he is addressing's multiple suitors, implying she is playing them for attention.
'Cause you shook that room like a star, now
The way she moved or acted caused her to stand out and be the center of attention, like a celebrity.
But I pray to something when she's pumpin'
The singer believes there is something divine or special about the woman he is addressing's energy or movements.
Rubbin' up on me, now
The singer and the woman he is addressing are in physical contact, implying sexual activity.
Want me to break it down?
The artist is unsure if the woman he is addressing wants him to explain or reveal something.
Well did you want me to make it now?
The artist is unsure if the woman he is addressing wants him to take action or make a move in their relationship.
I get you alone ('lone)
The singer is reiterating his desire to be alone with the woman he is addressing.
When I get you you'll know girl (know)
When they are together, the woman he is addressing will realize the depth of his feelings for her.
When I get you alone now (it's all mine)
When they are alone, the artist will have complete control over the situation, implying sexual domination or possession.
Writer(s): Ruth Brown, Jimmy Lewis
Contributed by Elijah N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.