Humphreys County, Mississippi - d. 31 January 1980) was a pioneer rockabilly singer and guitar player.
Smith was born to Ioda and Willie Warren Smith, who divorced when he was young. He was raised by his maternal grandparents in Louise, Mississippi where they had a small farm and dry goods store.
Smith took up the guitar to while away his evenings while in the United States Air Force stationed in San Antonio, Tx. By the time of his discharge from the service, he had decided to make a career of music. He moved to West Memphis, Arkansas and auditioned, successfully, to play the Cotton Club, a local hot spot. Steel guitarist Stan Kessler, who was playing at that nightclub with the Snearly Ranch Boys, immediately spotted Smith's potential and took him to Memphis' famed Sun Records, to audition for Sam Phillips with the Snearly Ranch Boys providing backup.
Phillips liked what he heard, and decided that "Rock & Roll Ruby", a song credited to Johnny Cash, would be Smith's first record. (Smith later claimed that "Rock & Roll Ruby" was actually written by George Jones and sold to Cash for $40.) Smith recorded that rock & roll classic on February 5, 1956. Phillips, who was hedging his bets over whether rock & roll would maintain its popularity, released that record with a country crooner, aptly named "I'd Rather Be Safe Than Sorry", on the flip side. By May 26, "Rock & Roll Ruby" had hit number 1 on the local pop charts. Smith's first record for Sun went on to outsell the first Sun releases by Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins.
In August 1956, Smith went back to the Sun Records studio to record his second release "Ubangi Stomp". This infectious rocker had a politically incorrect lyric including an African chief with the syntax of a movie Indian. For the B side, Smith recorded the classic ballad "Black Jack David". This song, which originated in early eighteenth century Britain and survived in various forms, in the mountains of the American south, may be the oldest song ever recorded by a rock & roll performer. Although a resounding artistic success, this record did not sell as well as Smith's debut.
Although Smith continued to make great rockabilly records for Sun, including a rocking cover version of Slim Harpo's "Got Love If Your Want It" (recorded in October 1957), these records did not do well commercially. Toward the end of 1958, Smith, seeing his future in country music, cut a final record for Sun, a cover version of Don Gibson's "Sweet Sweet Girl". In spite of a review in Billboard magazine calling it "ultra commercial" (high praise from a music business publication), this record also failed to sell. Smith decided to leave Sun Records.
In 1959, Smith and his wife and son moved from Mississippi to California, settling in Sherman Oaks, not far from Johnny and Vivian Cash. Cash offered Smith a spot on his show, but Smith turned it down, seeing himself as a headliner, not a supporting player. In early 1960, Smith signed with Liberty records, and immediately scored a hit with "I Don't Believe I'll Fall in Love Today", which went to #5 on Billboard's Country & Western chart. This record, and Smith's subsequent records, was produced by Joe Allison, and featured one of California's best country session musicians, Ralph Mooney, on pedal steel guitar. Smith scored again with his next record for Liberty, "Odds and Ends, Bits and Pieces", written by Harlan Howard. Liberty had Smith record several more tracks, mostly cover versions of recent country hits, to flesh out an album called "The First Country Collection of Warren Smith".
Smith continued to record with some success for Liberty, and to tour with his band, from 1960 - 1965. On August 17, 1965, Smith, had a serious car accident in LaGrange, Texas, suffering serious back injuries, from which it took him nearly a year to recover. By this time, his contract with Liberty had lapsed. Smith made several attempts to restart his career, first with a small, virtually amateur label called Skill records, then for Mercury Records, but, sadly, difficulties with addictions to pills and alcohol held him back. Eventually, Smith's drug problems led to an 18-month term in an Alabama prison for robbing a pharmacy.
After his release from prison, Smith continued to struggle to restart his career. In the late 1970s, he got a bit of a boost from the rockabilly revival then occurring. He was invited, in 1977, to appear at London's Rainbow Theatre, on a bill featuring Charlie Feathers, Buddy Knox and Jack Scott. To his shock, Smith was received in London with standing ovations. His reception in England boosted his spirits and, upon his return to the U.S., he began to perform with newfound vigor. In November 1978, Smith and fellow Sun alumnus Ray Smith toured Europe, again to great success.
In 1980, while preparing for another European tour, Smith died of a heart attack at 47 years of age.
Warren Smith's contribution to the rockabilly music has been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.
Tee other Warren Smith :
The virtuoso percussionist, Warren Smith (b. 14 May 1934, Chicago, Illinois) has worked with diverse artists as Miles Davis, Charles Mingus, Sam Rivers, Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin, Van Morrison, Bill Cole and Harry Partch, and he was a founding member, along with Max Roach, of the percussion group, M'Boom.
Uranium Rock
Warren Smith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Workin' every day and not a-gettin' much pay
I got a big Geiger counter, it's a pretty good rig
When the needle starts clickin' it's where I'm gonna dig
Money-money honey, the kind you fold
Money-money honey, rock 'n' roll
Rake it in, bale it up like hay
Have a rockin' good time and throw it all away
Well, I can see me now in my long Cadillac
Hinges in the middle, spare wheel on the back
Man, don't you know I'd be hard to stop
When I find that big uranium rock
Money-money honey, the kind you fold
Money-money honey, rock 'n' roll
Rake it in, bale it up like hay
Have a rockin' good time and throw it all away
Yes, that's me in my long Cadillac
Headin' down the road and I ain't comin' back
Ain't no red light gonna make me stop
When I find that big uranium rock
Money-money honey, the kind you fold
Money-money honey, rock 'n' roll
Rake it in, bale it up like hay
Have a rockin' good time and throw it all away
"Uranium Rock" is a song by Warren Smith that was released in 1958. The song is about a man who is tired of working hard every day and not making much money. He has a big Geiger counter, which is used to detect radiation and nuclear materials, and he is looking for uranium to sell and make a fortune so that he can have a rockin' good time and throw it all away. He is confident that he will find a big uranium rock and that he will be unstoppable once he does.
The lyrics reflect the spirit of the time, as many people were dreaming of big paydays in the post-war era. The Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union was in full swing, and the US government was encouraging domestic uranium production in order to secure a reliable source of nuclear fuel. At that time, uranium was viewed as a symbol of power and progress, as well as a source of wealth.
In addition, the song is also a celebration of rock n' roll music and its cultural significance. The phrase "Money, money, honey" is a nod to the popular slang of the time, which equated money with success and happiness. Smith portrays himself as a rebel and a free spirit, who is willing to risk it all in pursuit of his dreams.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I'm gettin' tired workin' hard every day
I am exhausted from working every day and not being paid enough.
Workin' every day and not a-gettin' much pay
I work nearly every day but receive little pay in return.
I got a big Geiger counter, it's a pretty good rig
I own a large Geiger counter that works quite well.
When the needle starts clickin' it's where I'm gonna dig
If the counter detects uranium, I will start digging in that area.
Money-money honey, the kind you fold
I want to make a lot of money that I can store away easily.
Money-money honey, rock 'n' roll
Making a lot of money is exhilarating, like rock and roll music.
Rake it in, bale it up like hay
I plan to collect as much money as possible and store it away safely.
Have a rockin' good time and throw it all away
Once I've saved enough money, I plan to have a great time and spend it all.
Well, I can see me now in my long Cadillac
I can imagine myself driving a large Cadillac car.
Hinges in the middle, spare wheel on the back
The car I envision will have a split door and a spare tire in the back.
Man, don't you know I'd be hard to stop
I'll be unstoppable once I find a large deposit of uranium and make my fortune.
When I find that big uranium rock
I am determined to find a substantial portion of uranium ore.
Yes, that's me in my long Cadillac
I will be driving a grand Cadillac car once I have made my wealth.
Headin' down the road and I ain't comin' back
Once I've found my fortune, I'll leave everything behind and start a new life.
Ain't no red light gonna make me stop
I'll overcome anything that is standing in the way of finding uranium and making money.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALONZO JR. HOPSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@anothersettlementneedsyour9628
Well I’m getting tired helping hard every day
Helping settlements and not getting a much paid
I’ve got big laser musket and pretty cool hat
When the musket starts cranking that’s where I’m gonna shoot
Helping helping helping, settlements
Helping helping heling , those poor settlers
Shoot it flame it nuke and help
That’ s Minutemen’s job every day
Well I see me now in my long corvega
Engine in the middle, spare wheel on a back
No pack of ghouls gonna make me stop
When I help that big poor settlement
Helping helping helping, settlements
Helping helping helping, those poor settlers
Crank it fire it up goul’s ass
And try to hit his rotten testes
Yes that’s me in my long corvega
Ride down wastes and ain’t coming back
No pack of ghouls gonna make me stop
When i help that poor settlements
Helping helping helping, settlements
Helping helping helping, those poor settlers
Crank it, fire it and finish them,
Shoot that ghoul’s ass and use bloody mess perk
@Fidelitye
Well I'm gettin' tired workin' hard every day
Workin' every day and not a-gettin' much pay
I got a big Geiger counter, it's a pretty good rig
When the needle starts clickin' it's where I'm gonna dig
Money-money honey, the kind you fold
Money-money honey, rock 'n' roll
Rake it in, bale it up like hay
Have a rockin' good time and throw it all away
Well, I can see me now in my long Cadillac
Hinges in the middle, spare wheel on the back
Man, don't you know I'd be hard to stop
When I find that big uranium rock
Money-money honey, the kind you fold
Money-money honey, rock 'n' roll
Rake it in, bale it up like hay
Have a rockin' good time and throw it all away
Yes, that's me in my long Cadillac
Headin' down the road and I ain't comin' back
Ain't no red light gonna make me stop
When I find that big uranium rock
Money-money honey, the kind you fold
Money-money honey, rock 'n' roll
Rake it in, bale it up like hay
Have a rockin' good time and throw it all away
@jt3307
I blame Fallout for getting me hooked on 50's music.
@unitedstatesofamerica183
Me too
@NathanWeissMusic
Yep
@danielmcguire6687
@@unitedstatesofamerica183 Hey,
@unitedstatesofamerica183
Danieru TV hello
@danielmcguire6687
@@unitedstatesofamerica183 VSAUCE
@dragon53777
I feel like there is a whole era of music i've yet to find.
@JustinDragonClaw
You have nooo idea
@alexandreperes9792
+Daren Redman the problem is that many songs from that era were crap recorded (it was the best of the time but by today's standards it's terrible), so if you start dwelving into lesser known songs, you can't find anything in decent quality :/
@danktank9971
Several eras