John Waite 101
John Charles Waite, was born on July 4, 1952, in Lancaster, Lancashire, England. He was first known as lead singer and bass player of The Babys. Shortly after the release of the Babys' fifth album in October 1980, the group broke up. Waite launched his solo career with his 1982 album titled Ignition, which produced the hit single "Change." His next album, No Brakes, made him an international star. This album included the smash hit "Missing You," which went to No.1 on the American charts. He has also served as the lead singer lead singer for Bad English, which featured Journey members Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain, along with future Journey member Deen Castronovo.

In 2006, there was a remake of "Missing You" as a duet with Alison Krauss, released as single in the Country Charts in the United States. Waite and Krauss appeared on the Tonight Show on February 5, 2007 to perform "Missing You."

Why am I a John Waite fan?
I've heard it said that John makes you feel as if he's singing only to you, and I agree with that. He sounds very sincere. And, oh - that lovely, distinct voice! I have loved John's voice since I first heard the song "Missing You", and I'm always thrilled when they play any of his songs on the radio.

When I had a very yucky waitressing job, I would listen to the Bad English song "Tough Times Don't Last" before I would go to work. Then I would walk around the restaurant singing it to myself as if it were a mantra. It rarely failed to make me feel better.

I ain't missing you at all since you've been gone away
I ain't missing you, no matter what I might say

. . .

We always wish for money
We always wish for fame
We think we have the answers
Some things ain't ever gonna change
It doesn't matter who you are
It's all the same
What's in your heart will never change
Look in the mirror
And you see how you've been taken
You won't surrender
But now your heart is breakin'

. . .

We've all seen some trouble
But we've always come through
You know things could get better
Hey babe believe me
Tough times don't last
Lovers do
Baby don't give up
On me and you
Cause trouble's just a storm
That's gonna pass
Tough times don't last

. . .

When I see you smile
I can face the world
Oh you know I can do anything
When I see you smile
I see a ray of light
Oh I see it shining
right through the rain
When I see you smile
Baby when I see you smile at me

. . .

Everything underneath the skyline
From the east side to the west
I see the miracles in real time
And there's one I've loved the best
See there's an angel on the D train
As she's flying to my world
And I'm waiting for a New York City girl.

Times Square looks like Avalon
In a Disney morphine dream
Dylan Thomas rides a white horse drunk
At the counter next to me
I wake up in her bed sometimes
And watch her as she sleeps
In the silence and the sirens
I pray her soul to keep

. . .

It's okay to want to be free
It's okay to spread your wings
If you know how to fly

So for now, you go on

Crawling along for a while
But you're dragging me down
You're holding me back
You're making it end

'Cause I can tell by the things you say
That your feelings will never change
You'll keep coming back to what you know is true

. . .

Jenny's sitting in the car
In the middle of some abandoned Shoney's parking lot
Ripping the filters off her cigarettes
Crying, he loves me, loves me not
She checks her makeup in the rearview mirror and turns the radio on
It hasn't hit her yet
But all she's looking at is another lonely night coming on

* Everybody learns the hard way about love.
* In the cold harsh light of day, Romeo doesn't always get his Juliet.
* We tend to keep coming back to what we know is true.
* We've all seen some trouble - but we've always come through.
* Things can only get better. Tough times don't last.
* A couple may fight, but they don't have to give up.
* It's okay to spread your wings if you know how to fly.
* Sometimes, angels fly via train.
* A smile might mean a lot to someone.
* These times can hard for lovers.
* You don't have to understand someone to love them.
* Sometimes you don't know when to hold on or when to let go.
* You can play some Chuck Jackson and watch those blue shadows fall.
* Ladies, be real! He won't be taken in by some imaginary girl. (Well, not for long anyway.)
* Who do you want to be anyway?