During 1960, Horton had two other successes with "North to Alaska" for John Wayne's movie, North to Alaska, and "Sink the Bismarck". Horton is a member of the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.
Johnny Horton had several top ten songs in the late 50's and early 60's and was on the verge of becoming one of the top stars of the 60's when he met with tragedy.
He was born John Gale Horton in Los Angeles in 1925. He was raised in Tyler, Texas. Horton worked in the fishing industry in Alaska and California, and attended Seattle University. He worked for a while as a carpenter, and played basketball at Baylor University. He worked at a local radio station in East Texas and at the Hometown Jamboree in California. He did some recording with little success for the Abbott, Mercury, and Dot labels and picked up the nickname the Singing Fisherman. Horton became a regular on the Louisiana Hayride.
Johnny married Billie Jean Jones, the widow of country music legend Hank Williams. He sang country songs and signed a recording contract with Columbia, where he would achieve his greatest success. Some of his first hits included Honky Tonk Man, I'm A One-Woman Man in 1956, Coming Home in 1957 and All Grown Up in 1958. He topped the country charts in 1959 with When It's Springtime In Alaska.
Johnny Horton then began to record a series of saga songs that crossed over to the pop charts. He covered Jimmy Driftwood's The Battle Of New Orleans in 1959. The song topped the country charts and it reached number one on the pop charts, where it remained for a solid six weeks. The song was a tribute to the final battle of the War of 1812. He also recorded Sink The Bismarck in 1960, a song that was suggested by the film of the same title; it went top ten country and pop. Johnny Horton was a star. He sang the title song for the John Wayne movie North To Alaska and it too made the top ten in both charts during the same year.
On November 5, 1960, while North To Alaska was still climbing the charts, Horton was killed in an automobile accident in Milano, Texas following an appearance at the Skyline Club in Austin. He is buried in Hillcrest Cemetary in Haughton, LA.
Following Horton's death some of his earlier hit songs made the charts once again. Albums of his recordings were compiled and issued in the 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's, and they are still selling.
His biography was published in 1983 under the title Your Singing Fisherman.
I'm Ready If You're Willing
Johnny Horton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the night's just made for love
Baby, I'm ready if you're willin'
If that twinkle in your eye
Is a-darin' me to try,
Baby, I'm ready if you're willin'
Baby, can't you see I'm a-waitin'
There's no use in hesitatin'
Can't you see we're wasting time?
Don'tcha think that love is grand?
Let me be your lover man
Baby, I'm ready if you're willin'
Well, I like the way you smile
Would you like to spoon a while?
Baby, I'm ready if your willin'
And I like the way you kiss
Oo, let's go on like this
Baby, I'm ready if your willin'
Baby, can't you see I'm a-waitin'
For you to make up your mind?
There's no use in hesitatin'
Can't you see we're wasting time?
Don'tcha think that love is grand?
Let me be your lover man
Baby, I'm ready if you're willin'
Oh baby, can't you see I'm a-waitin'
For you to make up your mind?
There's no use in hesitatin'
Can't you see we're wasting time?
Don'tcha think that love is grand?
Let me be your lover man
Baby, I'm ready if you're willin'
The song "I'm Ready If You're Willing" by Johnny Horton is a classic love song that is filled with passion, yearning and a sense of urgency. The lyrics paint a picture of a man who is deeply in love and is keen to make a move on the woman he desires. The song starts with the opening lines, "Oh, there's a big bright moon above, And the night's just made for love, Baby, I'm ready if you're willin'". These lines suggest that the man is ready to take the plunge and express his love to the woman he's been waiting for.
The chorus of the song acts as a plea to the woman to not waste any more time, "Baby, can't you see I'm a-waitin', For you to make up your mind? There's no use in hesitatin', Can't you see we're wasting time? Don'tcha think that love is grand? Let me be your lover man, Baby, I'm ready if you're willin'". The chorus conveys a message of urgency and a sense of desperation that the man feels to be with the woman he loves.
The verses of the song continue to convey the passion and desire that the man feels for the woman. The lines "Well, I like the way you smile, Would you like to spoon a while? Baby, I'm ready if your willin'" suggest his desire to be close to her, to hold her and share intimate moments. The chorus reiterates his desire for love and the need for her to reciprocate his feelings.
Overall, "I'm Ready If You're Willing" is a timeless love song that has resonated with generations of listeners. The lyrics capture the essence of love, passion, and the urgency that one feels when in love. The song conveys a message that true love is rare, and when one finds it, one must grab it with both hands.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, there's a big bright moon above
The moon is shining bright and it's the perfect night for love.
And the night's just made for love
The atmosphere is perfect for two people in love to spend time together.
Baby, I'm ready if you're willin'
I'm willing to be with you if you're willing to be with me.
If that twinkle in your eye
If your eye is showing a sign of interest towards me.
Is a-darin' me to try,
If you're daring me to make a move on you.
Baby, I'm ready if you're willin'
I'm ready to take the next step with you if you're also ready.
Baby, can't you see I'm a-waitin'
I'm waiting for you to make a decision about us.
For you to make up your mind?
To decide if you want to be in a relationship with me.
There's no use in hesitatin'
We shouldn't be delaying our decision any further.
Can't you see we're wasting time?
We're not making any progress and are wasting our time.
Don'tcha think that love is grand?
Love is amazing, don't you agree?
Let me be your lover man
Let me be the man you choose to love and be with.
Baby, I'm ready if you're willin'
I'm willing to love and commit to you if you're willing to do the same.
Well, I like the way you smile
I find your smile attractive.
Would you like to spoon a while?
Do you want to cuddle with me for some time?
Baby, I'm ready if your willin'
I'm willing to spend some intimate time with you if you're also willing.
And I like the way you kiss
I find your kisses enjoyable.
Oo, let's go on like this
Let's continue doing what we're doing right now.
Baby, I'm ready if your willin'
I'm willing to keep spending time with you if you're also willing.
Oh baby, can't you see I'm a-waitin'
I'm still waiting for you to make a decision about us.
For you to make up your mind?
To finally decide if you want a relationship with me.
There's no use in hesitatin'
We shouldn't hesitate and just make a decision.
Can't you see we're wasting time?
We're wasting time by not making a decision.
Don'tcha think that love is grand?
Love is great and we should experience it together.
Let me be your lover man
I want to be the man you love and spend your life with.
Baby, I'm ready if you're willin'
I'm still willing to love and commit to you if you're also willing.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JERRY ORGAN, VERNON CLAUD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sanguis
on I Hate Niggers
John Gale "Johnny" Horton did NOT write or sing the song "I Hate Niggers". That song was by Johnny Rebel and not written or released for some years after Johnny Horton died.