MARCIA BALL BIOGRAPHY –

Marcia Ball (born 20 March 1949) is an American blues singer and pianist born in Orange, Texas but who grew up in Vinton, Louisiana. This same region spawned other American blues greats, including Clifton Chenier, Janis Joplin, Lonnie Brooks, Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, and Kenny Neal.

Born into a musical family, Ball began playing piano at age 5, and showed an early interest in New Orleans style piano playing, as exemplified by Fats Domino, Professor Longhair, and James Booker. In 1970 at age 21, she started a progressive country band called Freda and the Firedogs in Austin, Texas; in 1974 she began her solo career.

Ball is known for her piano style, which shows elements of zydeco, swamp blues and boogie woogie. Most of her most well-known recordings came out on Rounder Records in the 1980s and early 1990s. She was inducted into the Austin Music Hall of Fame in 1990.

In 2008, Ball made a guest appearance with the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Revue.

Look before you leap lyrics

When I was just a little wide eyed child
Trying to beat the heat
I saw that cool clear water running in the creek
I climbed up on the highest branch in a tall pine tree
I closed my eyes and held my breath
And I heard my mama call to me

She said you better look before you leap
You might find yourself in way too deep
There may be danger that you can’t see
You better look before you leap

Later on, I was growing up
Talking to my best friend
I told her I had kissed a boy
And I wanted to do it again
She said, let’s go see my big sister
Maybe she can talk some sense
She’s in a world of trouble
And she’s the voice of experience

Her sister told us look before you leap
You might find yourself in way too deep
There may be danger that you can’t see
You better look before you leap

Chances will be taken
It’s easy to go too far
The more you think about it
The better off you are

Now someone’s coming with a proposition
And I think I smell a rat
I say wait a minute mister
I want to think about that
I take a little time to listen
To the voices inside my head
It’s my mama and my best friend’s sister
And I remember what it was they said

They said you better look before you leap
You might find yourself in way too deep
There may be danger that you can’t see
You better look before you leap

Marcia Ball photo gallery