William Edward John (1937-1968)
生於美國, 阿肯色州 Arkansas, Cullendale 的一個清貧及有十名孩子之家, 父親任職工廠, 他四歲時全家遷往密芝根州 Michigan 底特律 Detroit, 就學時跟兄長參與教堂詩歌班, 他亦經常參加歌唱比賽或其他表演, 年少時已被音樂業界的 Johnny Otis 垂青。
時年18歲, 被唱片監製 Henry Glover 賞識, 並給他一紙合約簽與 King Records, 因他個子矮小而給他起予藝名 "Little Willie John", 暱稱 L.W.J. 成為五、六十年代擅長於藍調怨曲的舞臺藝人, 對後來 "Soul Music 騷靈音樂" 有很大的影響。出道的第一首歌曲: "All Around The Word" 翌年的 "Need Your Love So Bad" 與及令他聲名大噪的一曲 "FEVER", 成為日後 Rythm & Blues Music 的重要人物。
這一曲錄製時, 作詞人 Otis Blackwell 經一番游說, Little Willie John 才接受音樂開始時的一段 "Finger Snapping 彈指" 引子演奏 !
F E V E R
Songwriters: Eddie Cooley, Otis Blackwell
Little Willie John
Pop Chart #24 July 7, 1956, R&B Chart #1
With Jon Thomas-piano, Bill Jennings-guitar, Edwyn Conley-bass
Edison Gore-drums, Ray Felder & Rufus Gore-tenor sax
With Jon Thomas-piano, Bill Jennings-guitar, Edwyn Conley-bass
Edison Gore-drums, Ray Felder & Rufus Gore-tenor sax
You never know how much I love ya
Never know how much I care
When you put your arms around me
I get a feelin' that's so hard to bear
You give me fever
When you kiss me
Fever when you hold me tight
Fever (fever, burn through) in the mornin'
An' fever all through the night
Listen to me, baby
Hear ev'ry word I say
No one could love you the way I do
'Cause they don't know how to love you my way
You give me fever
When you kiss me
Fever when you hold me tight
Fever (fever, burn through) in the mornin'
An' fever all through the night
Bless my soul, I love you
Take this heart away
Take these arms I'll never use
An' just believe in what my lips have to say
You give me fever
When you kiss me
Fever when you hold me tight
Fever (fever, burn through) in the mornin'
Fever all through the night
Sun lights up the daytime
Moon lights up the night
My eyes light up when you call my name
'Cause I know you're gonna treat me right
You give me fever
When you kiss me
Fever when you hold me tight
Fever (fever, burn through) in the mornin'
An' fever all through the night
Umm-mmm-mmm-mm-mmm-mm
Umm-umm-umm-um-um
Umm-mmm-mmm-mm-mmm-mm
Umm-umm-umm-um-um.
Never know how much I care
When you put your arms around me
I get a feelin' that's so hard to bear
You give me fever
When you kiss me
Fever when you hold me tight
Fever (fever, burn through) in the mornin'
An' fever all through the night
Listen to me, baby
Hear ev'ry word I say
No one could love you the way I do
'Cause they don't know how to love you my way
You give me fever
When you kiss me
Fever when you hold me tight
Fever (fever, burn through) in the mornin'
An' fever all through the night
Bless my soul, I love you
Take this heart away
Take these arms I'll never use
An' just believe in what my lips have to say
You give me fever
When you kiss me
Fever when you hold me tight
Fever (fever, burn through) in the mornin'
Fever all through the night
Sun lights up the daytime
Moon lights up the night
My eyes light up when you call my name
'Cause I know you're gonna treat me right
You give me fever
When you kiss me
Fever when you hold me tight
Fever (fever, burn through) in the mornin'
An' fever all through the night
Umm-mmm-mmm-mm-mmm-mm
Umm-umm-umm-um-um
Umm-mmm-mmm-mm-mmm-mm
Umm-umm-umm-um-um.
Little Willie John, 個子細小, 身才瘦削, 脾氣暴燥, 又有酗酒的陋習, 每每酒後生事, 因而被公司於1963年解約。1966年在西雅圖的一次表演完畢, 因為爭吵而用刀子把他人誤殺, 被捕後在審訉期間, 得到保釋及繼續其唱片錄音; 經定罪後牢押於"華盛頓州監獄"。在他保釋期間的所有錄音, 因合約紛爭, 要延至 2008年才能平息, 唱片得以陸續面世。1968年, Little Willie John 服刑期間死於獄中, 終年三十歲, 官方聲稱他死於心臟病而己。1996年, 他被追加授予 "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 搖滾音樂名人堂" 之名冊內。
1958年 "FEVER" 這一曲再由 Peggy Lee 翻唱, 更改部份歌詞的演譯, 使此曲再次引起關注, 繼而有不同國家歌手的語言版本隨之而來; 而原唱的 Little Willie John 則被樂迷忘掉了!
F E V E R
Never know how much I love you
Never know how much I care
When you put your arms around me
I get a fever that's so hard to bear
You give me fever
When you kiss me
Fever when you hold me tight
Fever! in the morning
Fever all through the night
Sun lights up the daytime
Moon lights up the night
I light up when you call my name
And you know I'm gonna treat you right
You give me fever
When you kiss me
Fever when you hold me tight
Fever! in the morning
Fever all through the night
Everybody's got the fever
That is something you all know
Fever isn't such a new thing
Fever started long ago
Romeo loved Juliet
Juliet, she felt the same
When he put his arms around her
He said, "Julie, baby, you're my flame
"Thou giveth fever
"When we kisseth
"Fever with thy flaming youth
"Fever! I'm afire
"Fever, yea, I burn, forsooth."
Cap'n Smith and Pocahontas
Had a very mad affair
When her daddy tried to kill him
She said, "Daddy, oh, don't you dare!
"He gives me fever
"With his kisses
"Fever when he holds me tight
"Fever! I'm his missus
"Daddy, won't you treat him right?"
Now you've listened to my story
Here's the point that I have made
Chicks were born to give you fever
Be it Fahrenheit or Centigrade
They give you fever
When you kiss them
Fever if you live and learn
Fever! till you sizzle
What a lovely way to burn
What a lovely way to burn
What a lovely way to burn
What a lovely way to burn
Never know how much I love you
Never know how much I care
When you put your arms around me
I get a fever that's so hard to bear
You give me fever
When you kiss me
Fever when you hold me tight
Fever! in the morning
Fever all through the night
Sun lights up the daytime
Moon lights up the night
I light up when you call my name
And you know I'm gonna treat you right
You give me fever
When you kiss me
Fever when you hold me tight
Fever! in the morning
Fever all through the night
Everybody's got the fever
That is something you all know
Fever isn't such a new thing
Fever started long ago
Romeo loved Juliet
Juliet, she felt the same
When he put his arms around her
He said, "Julie, baby, you're my flame
"Thou giveth fever
"When we kisseth
"Fever with thy flaming youth
"Fever! I'm afire
"Fever, yea, I burn, forsooth."
Cap'n Smith and Pocahontas
Had a very mad affair
When her daddy tried to kill him
She said, "Daddy, oh, don't you dare!
"He gives me fever
"With his kisses
"Fever when he holds me tight
"Fever! I'm his missus
"Daddy, won't you treat him right?"
Now you've listened to my story
Here's the point that I have made
Chicks were born to give you fever
Be it Fahrenheit or Centigrade
They give you fever
When you kiss them
Fever if you live and learn
Fever! till you sizzle
What a lovely way to burn
What a lovely way to burn
What a lovely way to burn
What a lovely way to burn