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.
Yes Sir That's My Baby
Ruth Brown Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No sir, I don't mean maybe
Yes sir, that's my baby now
Yes, ma'm, we've decided
No ma'm, we ain't gonna hide it
Yes, ma'm, you're invited now
When we walk up to the preacher I'll say
Yes sir, that's my baby
No sir, I don't mean maybe
Yes sir, that's my baby now
By the way, by the way
When we run into the preacher I'll say
I'll say yes sir, that's my baby
No sir, I don't mean maybe
Yes sir, that's my baby now
The lyrics to Ruth Brown’s song “Yes Sir That’s My Baby” is a declaration of love and commitment to her partner. It is a conversation between Ruth and someone who may be her mother, seeking the person's approval for the relationship. Ruth is confident in her decision to be with her lover and has made up her mind to stick with him. She says “Yes sir, that’s my baby, no sir, I don’t mean maybe” to emphasize her certainty about her partner.
Ruth further affirms her decision by telling the person that they have decided to be together and that they won’t hide it. She even invites the person to be a part of the journey by saying “yes, ma’am, you’re invited now”. The repetition of the phrase “Yes sir, that’s my baby now” is a testament to Ruth's devotion to her lover. She confidently declares that they will walk up to the preacher and tell him that they are in love and that they will do so without hesitation.
The song can be interpreted as being ahead of its time as it portrays a woman taking charge of her relationship, declaring her love and commitment confidently without seeking validation from others. The lyrics of the song and Ruth Brown's vocal performance on this track have helped make it a classic that still resonates with old and young listeners alike.
Line by Line Meaning
Yes sir, that's my baby
Confirmation that the person being referred to is their partner and they are proud of it
No sir, I don't mean maybe
Emphasis that they are sure about their choice of partner and there is no doubt in their mind
Yes sir, that's my baby now
Expression of ownership and commitment towards the relationship
Yes, ma'm, we've decided
Acknowledgment that a decision has been made by both partners involved
No ma'm, we ain't gonna hide it
Asserting that they are not going to keep their relationship a secret
Yes, ma'm, you're invited now
Extending an invitation to others to be a part of their relationship
By the way, by the way
An aside or a casual remark that is being made
When we walk up to the preacher I'll say
Referring to the upcoming wedding ceremony and what they plan to say to the officiant
I'll say yes sir, that's my baby
Reaffirming their commitment to their partner and their decision to get married
No sir, I don't mean maybe
Reiterating their certainty and commitment towards getting married
Yes sir, that's my baby now
Continuing to express their ownership and commitment towards their partner and future spouse
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: GUS KAHN, WALTER DONALDSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind