Born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the Wilson brothers began singing and playing in their father's Pentecostal church, and it was also mandatory they practice their music lessons at home as well. They learned various instruments, which primarily included lots of playing the piano. As much as they despised the lessons at the time, it proved to be a value tool for all three. With Ronnie being the oldest, he established his own band when he was just a fourteen-year-old.
Charlie, a few years younger, joined a rival band a couple of years later. One particular night, the two bands were performing just across the street from one another. Ronnie stopped by to check out Charlie grooving on the organ. While there, Ronnie asked Charlie to join his band for $50 over what he was making. Though Charlie's band-mates doubled his offer, he joined his brother's band as fate would have it
At a gig not too long after the two had joined forces, the group's bass player quit; Ronnie and Charlie summoned their younger brother Robert, barely fourteen himself, to the group to play bass. For a short while, the group performed without a name. Musician Carlton Morales, co-writer of Julian Lennon's pop hit "Vallotte" played with the band shortly after leaving the outfit The Mighty Majors. Finally, the Wilson brothers began calling their outfit the "Greenwood, Archer and Pine Streets Band". As such a name proved too long for music posters, the band shortened their name to the "G.A.P. Street Band". Due to a typographical error, the group was actually advertised as "Gap Band" and "The Gap Band". That title stuck.
They performed at various venues around the Tulsa area, including country & western joints, tennis clubs, rock clubs, and wherever else called on their services. However, by the middle of the 70s, Charlie became interested in Los Angeles, California and left Tulsa to explore his possibilities; the country's big cities were in the middle of a soul music boom, and he wanted in.. A short time later, Charlie convinced his brothers to join him. The group floundered about L.A.; hitting and missing on record deals, gigs, and the like, the guys had a lot of talent but needed guidance. Still maintaining their interest in major label work, the group met entertainment businessman Lonnie Simmons through a friend, a musician D.J. Rogers, and their destiny was set. Simmons owned a nightclub called "The Total Experience" on Crenshaw Blvd and a recording studio at the time, and he signed the group to his company, which was called "Total Experience Records". Simmons would later start up a record label, also co-songwriting the Gap Band's tunes at times.
The Top Five single "Shake" followed in 1979, along with "Steppin' Out" (number ten) and "I Don't Believe You Want to Get Up and Dance (Oops, Up Side Your Head)" (number four) in 1980. The latter was inspired at a concert in Pittsburgh where some kids were chanting the groove and the Gap Band picked up on it. In December of 1980, the trio dropped its first number one single with "Burn Rubber (Why You Wanna Hurt Me)" and followed it with the Top Five ballad "Yearning for Your Love" (1981).
The group went on to score three more number one songs ("Early in the Morning" and "Outstanding" in 1982 and "All of My Love" in 1989), three more number two songs ("You Dropped a Bomb on Me" in 1982, "Beep a Freak" in 1984, and "Going in Circles" in 1986) and a horde of Top Ten hits. They also did the soundtracks for Leon Isaac Kennedy's Penitentiary III and Keena Ivory Waynans' I'm Gonna Get You Sucker. The group was given only 24 hours notice to complete the title song.
In 1984 Ronnie became a born-again Christian and started pastoring. He joined Melba Moore and David Peaston in the touring play Mama, I'm Sorry. Charlie went through rough times fighting a cocaine addiction until finally rehabilitating a few years later. Charlie has been one of most sought-after vocalists in the music industry. He has worked with Quincy Jones, Ray Charles, Eurythmics, Snoop Dogg, and scores of others. The Gap Band has recorded for various labels, including Mercury and Capitol Records. The group remained together for quite song time, enduring the good with the bad, and kept on touring into the new millennium.
The death of Robert Wilson, at the age of 53, on August 15, 2010 changed everything. Mourned by fans of the group across the world, many musicians cited his role in creating the band's funky soul sound. Numerous singles such as "Outstanding" and "You Dropped a Bomb on Me" remain radio classics to this day.
Early In The Morning
The Gap Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh, I never, you know I cared till you were gone
I was young and foolish, I didn't know what I was doin'
I didn't know I lost you till you're gone
Oh, I never, knew I loved you till you were gone
So I gotta get up early in the morning
To find me another lover
To find me another lover
So I gotta get up early in the morning
To find me another lover
Gotta get up early in the morning
To find me another lover
Now I gotta get up early every morning
‘Cause the early bird always catches the worm
Now I gotta get up every morning
Gotta make up for the lesson I've learned
Gotta find me a lover that won't run for cover
Gotta find me a lover that won't run the mother
‘Cause I gotta get up early in the morning
To find me another lover
So I gotta get up early in the morning
To find me another lover
So I gotta get up early in the morning
To find me another lover
So I gotta get up early in the morning
To find me another lover
I was young and foolish, I didn't know what I was doin'
I didn't know I lost you till you're gone
She had a pretty face that drove me wild
I even wanted her to have my child
Early in the morning
To find me another lover
So I gotta get up early in the morning
To find me another lover
So I gotta get up early in the morning
To find me another lover
So I gotta get up early in the morning
To find me another lover
(Team say it)
Gotta find me another lover
Gotta find me another lover
Gotta find me another lover
Gotta find me another lover
(Ladies just sing it one time, sing ladies)
Gotta find me another lover
Gotta find me another lover
Gotta find me another lover
Gotta find me another lover
Early in the mornin'
In the middle of the day, baby
Late at night, mama
Everything gonna be all right
Early in the mornin'
In the middle of the day, baby
Late at night, baby
Everything will be all right
Early in the mornin'
In the middle of the day, baby
Late at night, baby
Everything will be all right
Early in the mornin', baby
In the middle of the day, baby
Late at night, mama
Everything will gonna be all right, yeah
Early in the mornin', baby
In the middle of the day, baby
Late at night, mama
Everything will gonna be all right
The Gap Band's song "Early In The Morning" is a classic R&B jam that tells the story of a man who regrets not cherishing his lover until she left him. The lyrics express the concept of taking things for granted and not realizing what you have until it's gone. It's a message about learning from past mistakes and moving on to find new love.
The first stanza of the song expresses regret and love for a lost lover. The songwriter admits to being young and foolish and not realizing the value of his relationship until it was gone. And now he must find a new lover, which requires getting up early in the morning.
The chorus emphasizes the need to wake up early to find a new lover. The metaphor of the early bird catching the worm is used to suggest that success in finding a new lover requires diligence and commitment. In the second verse, the songwriter describes the type of lover he wants to find, someone who won't run for cover or run to another mother. The verse suggests that the songwriter is searching for a lover who is dependable and loyal.
Overall, "Early In The Morning" is a song that expresses the experience of losing someone you love and the desire to find a new love that will not be taken for granted.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, I never, you know I loved you till you left me
I didn't understand how much I loved you until you were gone
Oh, I never, you know I cared till you were gone
I didn't realize how much I cared until you left me
I was young and foolish, I didn't know what I was doin'
I was inexperienced and naive, I made mistakes and didn't understand the consequences
I didn't know I lost you till you're gone
I didn't realize I lost you until you were no longer with me
So I gotta get up early in the morning
I need to wake up early to start searching for a new lover
To find me another lover
I need to find someone to replace the one I lost
‘Cause the early bird always catches the worm
I need to be proactive and start my search early to increase my chances of success
Gotta make up for the lesson I've learned
I need to learn from my mistakes and make better choices in the future
Gotta find me a lover that won't run for cover
I need to find someone who won't back away from commitment or hide from their feelings
Gotta find me a lover that won't run the mother
I need to find someone who won't try to control or manipulate me
She had a pretty face that drove me wild
I was attracted to her physical appearance and it overwhelmed my better judgment
I even wanted her to have my child
I was so infatuated that I imagined a future with her, even to the point of starting a family
Everything gonna be all right
Things will work out in the end, despite my past mistakes and misfortunes
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@henrythomas6614
This was my dads jam right here !! I remember riding in the back seat of my dads car and him bumpimg this and he would lool back at me when he turned it on and i would be back there smiling and he would smile at me 😪 Memories forever LongLiveMyPopS forever !!
@henrythomas6614
Great song !!
@joelnunnally9848
Same here. My old man loves the Gap Band still to this day. Used to ride around in his badass z71 & jam out to their greatest hits.
@jakerattle95
God bless y'all
@cookieb6287
Love this memory 😍 This song is the jam!
@charitahamilton9467
Me too🤣 my dad loved the hell out of this song. I'll see again soon dad💜
@LilacZ373
Bass line is one of the best in music history 💯
@justinmorris2035
😤😤🔥😤😤😤
@yugoshine5593
Straight nasty 🤧
@lloydknighten5071
I remember when this song was NEW!!! I am 59 years old now; and I remember jamming to "Early In The Morning" back in the day. Even after all these decades, the song still sounds good!