He was born in Omaha, Nebraska. Harris traveled as a singer and dancer with the Lucky Millinder Big Band in his youth. His first big solo hit was in 1944 with his record "Who Threw The Whiskey in the Well". He was a dynamic live performer who brought a lot of attention to the emerging styles of rhythm and blues.
Harris made a major contribution to the birth of rock and roll when he covered "Good Rocking Tonight", written and originally recorded by Roy Brown. Brown's version was a jump blues with a jazz rhythm section. Harris's cover version was much more frantic and played with a much stronger back beat. In effect, Harris, a black artist, had done what many white artists were to do later. He had turned blues into rock and roll and made one of the first rock and roll records. The song was later covered by Elvis Presley.
Harris recorded for many labels and in 1947, had a hit on Aladdin Records with "Wynonie's Blues", featuring Illinois Jacquet on tenor sax. His greatest success came at King Records where he was the leading male solo artist. "All She Wants to Do is Rock" went to Number One on the R&B charts. Many of his songs were novelty numbers, like "(Don't Roll Those) Bloodshot Eyes (at Me)", "Good Morning, Judge", and "I Love my Baby's Pudding", and his last hit, "Loving Machine".
Harris' severe alcoholism resulted in his career going into a tailspin in the mid-1950s. While other blues shouters of his generation such as Big Joe Turner were able to maintain their popularity despite changing styles, and Presley's cover versions brought his songs to a whole new audience, Harris fell into obscurity. He recorded little after 1956 and nothing after 1960. Harris' last public appearance was as a guest performer at a Motortown Revue concert at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in Santa Monica, California in 1966, which was universally considered to be a disaster (according to author Nick Tosches' article on Harris in Creem magazine, collected in Tosches' Unsung Heroes of Rock and Roll). Harris died of throat cancer on June 14, 1969.
Lovin' Machine
Wynonie Harris Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hand you my lovin', you know what I mean
Feels so bad I built a lovin' machine
Up to my house, I'll show you what I mean
Well I just got wise and built me a lovin' machine
Well you put a nickel in the slot
You hear sounds buzzin'
Five cents a dozen
Up to my house, I've got something you've never seen
Well I got hip to the tip and built me a lovin' machine
Well you pull the lever on the right
Two arms jump out
Wrap all around you
Make you scream and shout
Up to my house, I've got something you've never seen
I just built me a brand new lovin' machine
Drop a nickel in!
You put a quarter in the slot
Things light up
Out comes your lovin' in a Dixie cup
Up to my house, I've got something you've never seen
I got wise to myself and built me a lovin' machine
Well it will love you all day
If you feel run down
You don't have to worry
Run all over town
When my machine finishes
That ain't all
Out comes a bottle of Hadocol
Up to my house, try my lovin' machine
Well after twenty-four hours you'll know just what I mean
Wynonie Harris's song "Lovin' Machine" is an example of the blues genre. The persona built a "lovin' machine" out of desperation for a partner's affection, which is evident in the lyrics, "Feels so bad I built a lovin' machine." The phrase "lovin' machine" could be interpreted as the persona's attempt to create a perfect partner to love, as opposed to finding a real human partner. The persona's desperation is further emphasized by the machine's characteristics. When a nickel is dropped into the machine, a person can hear buzzing sounds followed by wild and hot kisses, all for the price of five cents per dozen. The machine's actions are so intense that it makes one scream and shout.
The persona believes that their "lovin' machine" is superior to any available human partner because of the satisfaction it gives them. They believe it is a revolutionary invention that nobody has ever seen before. For instance, the persona says, "Up to my house, I've got something you've never seen" and "Well after twenty-four hours you'll know just what I mean." The machine's promise of love is constant with the lyrics, "Well, it will love you all day." The machine not only offers love to the persona, but it also provides a solution to their health problems with the bottle of Hadocol. In conclusion, the persona's "lovin' machine" symbolizes their desperation to be loved and their willingness to create something inhuman to attain that love.
Line by Line Meaning
Yes it's real gone
I have something exciting to share
Hand you my lovin', you know what I mean
My love is available to you
Feels so bad I built a lovin' machine
I built a machine to satisfy my desires
Up to my house, I'll show you what I mean
Come to my place and see for yourself
Well I just got wise and built me a lovin' machine
I realized I needed something to fulfill my needs, so I made a machine
Well you put a nickel in the slot
Insert a coin into the machine
You hear sounds buzzin'
The machine comes to life
Kisses wild and hot
The machine provides passionate kisses
Five cents a dozen
Many kisses for a low price
Well you pull the lever on the right
Activate the machine with the lever
Two arms jump out
The machine offers physical touch
Wrap all around you
The machine hugs and embraces you
Make you scream and shout
The machine provides extreme pleasure
Drop a nickel in!
Insert more coins to continue experiencing the machine
You put a quarter in the slot
Use more money to experience further features of the machine
Things light up
The machine provides a visual display
Out comes your lovin' in a Dixie cup
The machine provides a physical reward for its use
Well it will love you all day
The machine can provide continuous pleasure
If you feel run down
Use the machine to feel better
You don't have to worry
The machine can meet all your needs
Run all over town
You don't need to look elsewhere for pleasure
When my machine finishes
The machine has multiple functions
That ain't all
The machine offers more than expected
Out comes a bottle of Hadocol
The machine provides a cure for any potential negative side effects
Up to my house, try my lovin' machine
Visit me to experience the machine
Well after twenty-four hours you'll know just what I mean
Use the machine for a full day to fully understand its capabilities
Writer(s): Merritt, Lambert
Contributed by Evelyn W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
texasjohnnyboy
Like Muddy said, "The blues had a baby and the baby's name was rock and roll". This is early rock n roll and at it's very finest! I love this cat!
Bianca Bagnolet
c'est magnifique c'est tellement fantastique merci 💖
DJ Cruise
What a great track. One of my favourites.
anfiorsceal
What a performer! (this stuff never goes out of style)
BigMickRocks
A true King of Rock and Roll!
Pattie Ball
I had never heard this song but loving it.This is real music.
Max Boogie
So great to see all the folks' positive comments on this track. Wynonie Harris was a towering talent of blues shouting. Do yourself a favor and Spotify the hell outta his catalog.
jamberrysong
Absolutely fan-freaking-tastic. Thank you Nexus9 for captivating me with this song!
Home Delivery
Can not believe i've been walking this earth fo 62 years and have never heard this gem.....thank you Arthur Gunn
Bikal Adhikari
I am here after Aurther Gunn performed. I think he nailed it.