The group's sound was marked by Scotty Scott's fluid, melodic voice which featured on virtually all of their hits. Scotty's sound was so distinctive and likeable that, in his heyday, he was as recognizable as such noted R&B lead singers as Ronald Isley of The Isley Brothers.[citation needed]
In 1987, they enjoyed a career resurgence when "Rock Steady" hit #1 on the R&B charts, and it became their first Top 10 success on the Hot 100, reaching #7. The Whispers also founded the Black Tie record label.
In the 1990s, The Whispers joined the Capitol Records family releasing more favorites. Expanding their creative horizons, brothers Walter and Scotty cut “My Brothers Keeper”, a critically-acclaimed duet album in 1993, scoring another R&B hit with a cover of the Intruders' "I Wanna Know Your Name." The 1995 release “Toast to the Ladies” featured a collection of love songs dedicated to women all over the world. In 1997, the group moved to Interscope Records where they featured the works of Baby face once again with their album, "Songbook, Vol. 1: The Songs of Babyface”. Both albums charted on Billboard's top 100 albums.
Marcus stopped performing with the group in 1989 due to ill health and the Whispers vowed never to replace him when he died in 2000. In the new millennium, the group still performs around the world to thousands of loyal fans. The group has not made any personnel changes and still consists of Walter Scott, Wallace Scott, Nicholas Caldwell, and Leaveil Degree. They have taken the world by storm, selling out in various casinos and hotels, music venues, and they have a tremendous following throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, and Africa. However, they still find time for charity work with youth education, cancer organizations, 100 Black Men, and Domestic violence charities.
On September 23, 2003, The Whispers’ four decades of accomplishments were acknowledged when they were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame. On June 12, 2005, The San Francisco Chapter of the Grammy Awards presented the Whispers with the prestigious Governors Award, the highest honor bestowed by an Academy Chapter. They were also inducted into the Bay Area Blues Society Hall of Fame in 2006. In 2007, The Black Music Academy of America selected the Whispers to receive their “Living Legends” award.
They are one of only a few “old school” groups that can boast of having over 40 years in the industry with a worldwide fan base. The Whispers waited almost a decade to produce a new CD in 2005. This independent product, the first venture of their newly formed corporation Satin Tie Entertainment is a masterpiece entitled, “For Your Ears Only”. According to Walter, “This title was a way of saying to our fans that while we want everyone’s support, we very much want the support of our fans, who have been with us for many, many years.” It made its way up the Billboard chart immediately. In 2007, they release a DVD of their live concert entitled “The Whispers Live From Las Vegas”, the first of its kind. A CD soundtrack of the same concert was also released.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
Seven Gold Albums, Two Platinum Albums, 12 Top Twenty Singles, 40 Charted Hits Since 1970, Four Decades of Pop & R & B FavoritesAmerican Music Award Nominees, Soul Train Award Nominees, Grammy Award Nominees
2003 Vocal Group Hall of Fame Inductees, 2005 S.F. Regional Grammy Governors Award
Rock Steady (12
The Whispers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I looked at you
You stole my heart
You were all that I anticipated
I wanted you
Every part
But I knew that love would be complicated
I began to touch
But you wouldn't let it
It never seemed to be the right time
I started to give up
Down to the limit
And then you changed your mind, oh
And we begin to rock steady
Steady rockin' all night long
And we begin to rock steady
Rockin' 'til the break of dawn
Rock steady
Steady rockin' all night long
Rock steady
Rockin' 'til the break of dawn
You looked at me to my surprise
You were through anticipating
I should have known
It was in your eyes
That you were gettin' tired of waiting
You wanted me so much
But I didn't get it
How could a fellow be so blind?
I started to give up
But love wouldn't let it
Then you walked into my life
And we begin to rock steady
Steady rockin' all night long
And we begin to rock steady
Rockin' 'til the break of dawn
Rock steady
Steady rockin' all night long (all night long)
Rock steady
Rockin' 'til the break of dawn
Rockin' 'til the break of dawn
Rock
Steady, baby
Rock steady, baby
Ooh rock, rock
Steady, baby
Rock steady, baby
Rock
Ooh, rock, rock
You wanted me so much
But I didn't get it
How could a fellow be so blind?
I started to give up
But love wouldn't let it
Then you walked into my life, ohh
And we begin to rock steady
Steady rockin' all night long
And we begin to rock steady
Rockin' 'til the break of dawn
Rockin' 'til the break of dawn
Rock steady
Steady rockin' all night long (all night long)
Rock steady
Rockin' 'til the break of dawn
Everybody, rock (steady rock) steady (s-s-s-steady rock)
Steady rockin' all night long
(Everybody's steady rockin')
Rock steady
Rockin' 'til the break of dawn
Rockin' 'til the break of dawn
(Everybody's steady rockin')
In "Rock Steady," The Whispers sing about the ups and downs of love. The song begins with the singer expressing their admiration for the person they are singing to. They confess that this person stole their heart and that they wanted them entirely, but they were also aware that love could be complicated. The singer then explains that they tried to get closer to this person, but the timing never seemed to be right. They were on the verge of giving up when the other person had a change of heart, which led them to begin a journey of their own.
The second verse is a bit of a role reversal. This time, it is the person being sung to who is tired of waiting. The singer didn't seem to understand how much the other person wanted them until it was too late. The two eventually find each other and share a moment of mutual understanding that leads to a strong bond. The chorus repeats the phrase "rock steady" and encourages everyone to rock out all night long, probably in the joy of finding love.
Overall, "Rock Steady" is a song about the back-and-forth of falling in love. It shows that sometimes timing and understanding can be tricky, but eventually, if you stick to your guns, love can be found.
Line by Line Meaning
I looked at you
I saw you for the first time
You stole my heart
You immediately captured my interest and affection
You were all that I anticipated
You matched my expectations
I wanted you
I desired a romantic relationship with you
Every part
All of you, your physical and emotional being
But I knew that love would be complicated
I had reservations about pursuing a relationship due to potential difficulties
I began to touch
I initiated physical contact
But you wouldn't let it
You rejected my advances
It never seemed to be the right time
Our interactions never seemed to allow for physical intimacy
I started to give up
I began to lose hope of a romantic relationship
Down to the limit
I had reached a breaking point emotionally
And then you changed your mind, oh
You had a change of heart and desire for a romantic relationship developed
You looked at me to my surprise
You caught me off guard by turning your attention towards me
You were through anticipating
You were no longer waiting for someone to fulfill your romantic desires
I should have known
I should have realized
It was in your eyes
Your emotional state was apparent through your expressions
That you were gettin' tired of waiting
Your patience had run its course
You wanted me so much
You desired me in a romantic sense to a large degree
But I didn't get it
I was oblivious to your romantic interest in me
How could a fellow be so blind?
How could I have been so ignorant?
But love wouldn't let it
Despite my lack of understanding, love made itself known and intervened
Then you walked into my life
You entered my life and everything changed
And we begin to rock steady
We started our romantic journey together with confidence
Steady rockin' all night long
We have become comfortable and steady in our love for each other
Rock steady
Our love is strong and unshakeable
Rockin' 'til the break of dawn
We remain connected and devoted to each other until the end of time
Everybody, rock (steady rock) steady (s-s-s-steady rock)
Encouraging everyone to stay strong and consistent in their love and lives
(Everybody's steady rockin')
Everyone is steadfast and devoted to their passions and pursuits
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Antonio M. Reid, Boaz Watson, Kenneth Edmonds
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Muhammad Rafi'uddin Bin Mohmmed
This song is definitely ahead of its time. I love it!
M RO
the perfect song doesn't exi-
Stephen Bynum
Rock Steady By The Whispers