Walker was born in Linden, Texas of African and Cherokee descent. Walker's parents, Movelia Jimerson and Rance Walker, were both musicians. His stepfather, Marco Washington, taught him to play the guitar, ukulele, banjo, violin, mandolin and piano.
Early in the 1920s, the teenage Walker learned his craft among the street-strolling string bands of Dallas. His mother and stepfather (a member of the Dallas String Band) were musicians, and family friend Blind Lemon Jefferson sometimes joined the family for dinner. Walker left school at age 10, and by 15, he was a professional performer on the blues circuit. Initially, he was Jefferson's protégé and would guide him around town for his gigs. In 1929, Walker made his recording debut with a single for Columbia Records, "Wichita Falls Blues"/"Trinity River Blues," billed as Oak Cliff T-Bone. Oak Cliff was the community he lived in at the time and T-Bone a corruption of his middle name. Pianist Douglas Fernell was his musical partner for the record.
Walker married Vida Lee in 1935 and the couple had three children. By the age of 26 Walker was working the clubs in Los Angeles' Central Avenue, sometimes as the featured singer and guitarist with Les Hite's orchestra.
His distinctive sound developed in 1942 when Walker recorded "Mean Old World" for Capitol Records. Much of his output was recorded from 1946–1948 on Black & White Records, including 1947's "Call It Stormy Monday (But Tuesday Is Just As Bad)", with its famous opening line, "They call it stormy Monday, but Tuesday's just as bad". He followed up with his "T-Bone Shuffle" and "Let Your Hair Down, Baby, Let's Have a Natural Ball". Both are considered blues classics.
Throughout his career Walker worked with the top quality musicians, including Teddy Buckner (trumpet), Lloyd Glenn (piano), Billy Hadnott (bass), and Jack McVea (tenor sax).
Following his work with Black & White, he recorded from 1950-54 for Imperial Records (backed by Dave Bartholomew). Walker's only record in the next five years was T-Bone Blues, recorded over three widely separated sessions in 1955, 1956 and 1959, and finally released by Atlantic Records in 1960.
By the early 1960s, Walker's career had slowed down, in spite of a hyped appearance at the American Folk Blues Festival in 1962 with Memphis Slim and Willie Dixon, among others. A few critically acclaimed albums followed, such as I Want a Little Girl. Walker recorded in his last years, 1968 - 1975, for Robin Hemingway's Jitney Jane Songs music publishing company, and he won a Grammy Award in 1971 for Good Feelin' (Polydor), produced by Robin Hemingway. "Fly Walker Airlines", Polydor, also produced by Hemingway, was released in 1973.
T-Bone Walker died in 1975, at the age of 64. He is interred in the Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, California.
Walker's influence extended beyond his music. Chuck Berry called Walker and Louis Jordan (as well as Jordan's guitarist, Carl Hogan) his main influences. T-Bone Walker was the childhood hero of Jimi Hendrix, and Hendrix imitated some of Walker's ways throughout his life. Years before Hendrix, Walker was playing guitar with his teeth or in strange positions.
Walker was posthumously inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1980, and into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987
All Night Long
T-Bone Walker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I want you to rock me, mama, after the sun go
I want you to hug and kiss me, tell me you always be mine
I want you to throw your arms around me
Like a circle round the sun
I want you to throw your arms around me
Like a circle round the sun
that you're the one
The lyrics to T-Bone Walker's song All Night Long, are an explicit and straightforward plea for physical love and affection. The singer is asking his lover to rock him and to hug and kiss him after the sun goes down, indicating an intimate and passionate atmosphere. The imagery of a circle around the sun suggests the lover's embrace is warm and all-encompassing.
Furthermore, the singer wants his lover to call him daddy, indicating a desire for dominance, control, and perhaps even a role-play element to their sexual relationship. The use of the term 'daddy' was less taboo in the 1940s when the song was released. However, today's audiences may interpret it as more sexually charged or controversial.
Overall, the lyrics of T-Bone Walker's song All Night Long, describe a passionate physical relationship that the singer desires with his lover. The song is one of many from that era that boldly address the subject of physical love, but it does so in a manner that is still considered risqué even by today's standards.
Line by Line Meaning
I want you to rock me, baby, after the sun goes down
I desire for you to engage me in a dance, my dear, after the sun has gone down
I want you to rock me, mama, after the sun go
I yearn for you to sway me in your embrace, my love, after the sun has set
I want you to hug and kiss me, tell me you always be mine
I long for you to embrace and kiss me, and pledge your unwavering affection for me
I want you to throw your arms around me
Like a circle round the sun
I wish for you to envelop me in your arms, just like a circle encloses the sun
I want you to call me daddy (oh yeah) and let the world know
I crave for you to address me as 'daddy' with enthusiasm, and make it clear to everyone around us
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: PENNIMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@panthercap
One of his best! Love that loping rhythm and the combination of guitar and piano. Pure blues perfection.
@Leaalucinabien
Amo esta cancion! Me vuelve el alma al cuerpo...
@Somnath1210
This song is so stunning ! What rythtm ! Can't get better than this. They were true pioneers. Only complaint is silence after 3:00
@KeepinTouchmusic
Great cover of a great song Total enjoyment. Thank you
@fernandozerbinatti4334
The Blues Collection/ T Bone Walker -Stormy Monday Blues ,all the tracks are killers! One of the best blues ever.
@jaysewall1
Great bass line! What year was this recorded?
@BrandonTmusic
this song is amazing, its aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssoooooooooooooooooooooooooommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee (awesome)
@garyguitar8998
Believe it's from a 1972 European blues tour w/ other greats ..explains the modern undercarriage to the song! T Bone n Charlie Christian honed their skills as teens on Oklahoma City st corners singing, dancing.. playing guitar n bass..both have contributed immeasurably to guitar n music.
@semajb25
great song thanks for the upload.
@unturnthisstone
Do you have any info about this track, like when it was recorded? I'm confused as the bass and drums don't sound contemporary to T Bone Walker's era.