Buddy Johnson & His Orchestra
Buddy Johnson, (born Woodrow Wilson Johnson in 1915 in Darlington South Car… Read Full Bio ↴Buddy Johnson, (born Woodrow Wilson Johnson in 1915 in Darlington South Carolina, was considered the last of the great negro big band leaders, the king of the one nighters. A prolific composer of rhythm and blues who stayed on the road in his bus playing well over 125 one nighters a year throughout the 1940’s thriving and surviving until finally slowing down in the latter 50’s.

He first appeared on Decca’s “race music” imprint in 1939, and he stayed with the label until 1953, then recording for Mercury until 1958, and his last album was on Roulette in 1958. When not on the road, or in the studio, he had a long standing gig at the Savoy Ballroom in New York City where his popular 17 member band held numerous box office records. Johnson’s musical style was primarily swinging R&B directed towards black audiences, characterized by exhuberant, driving and danceable sounds, often aided by his little sister Ella on vocals or male singer Arthur Prysock who left for a solo career in 1952. His touring group at it’s peak had 4 trumpets including Gil Askey, four trombones including Slide Hampton, five saxophones, string bass, guitar, drums and Johnson directing matters, often from the piano.

As brassy big band R&B sounds fell out of favor, Johnson fought the times and kept a steady road retinue up, particularly in the south, but his sound was perhaps too sophisticated to ever crossover to the modern teeny bop rock n roll crowd. In 1950, at his commercial apex, he told an interviewer of his apathy about the music he had to play to please crowds “Personally I like the classics, but i can’t eat classics.”

Johnson’s band was known as the “Walk ‘Em Rhythm” orchestra which desribed the relaxed pace that encouraged patrons to dance. His music was recorded by other artists as well including The Ink Spots, The Harptones, Lenny Welch, The Sonics, and Nina Simone.

Johnson’s death after a painful battle with a cancerous brain tumor in 1977 triggered an acrimonius legal battle for control of publishing that was lost by his sister and son vs a new common law wife he lived with near the end of his life in Georgia. Buddy’s impoverished sister Ella Johnson who had sung numerous hit Buddy Johnson records and toured with him for two decades, received scant royalties, and lived in public housing until her death in 2004.
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Buddy Johnson & His Orchestra Lyrics


A Pretty Girl A I have an ear for music, and I have…
Ain't But One Though folks with good intentions Tell me to save my tears W…
Dr. Jive Jives Sometimes the world is a valley of heartaches and tears And…
I Don't Want Nobody All our friends keep knocking at the door They've asked me…
If I Ever Find You Baby If ever I would leave you, it wouldn't be in…
No More Love No other love have I Only my love for you Only the…
One Of Them Good Ones Though folks with good intentions Tell me to save my tears W…
Satisfy My Soul With all my heart an' soul, I love you With…
Serves Me Right It's the wrong time and the wrong place Though your face…
Stormy Weather Don't know why There's no sun up in the sky Stormy weather S…
That's The Stuff You Gotta Watch Kiss me once, then kiss me twice Then kiss me once…


We have lyrics for these tracks by Buddy Johnson:





At Last At last, my love has come along my lonely days are…
Did You See Jackie Robinson Hit That Ball Did you see Jackie Robinson hit that ball? It went zoomin'…
Did You See Jackie Robinson Hit That Ball? Did you see Jackie Robinson hit that ball? It went zoomin′…
Exactly Like You I used to have a perfect sweetheart Not a real one,…
Fine brown frame You got a fine brown frame And i wonder what could…
It's Obdacious [CHORUS] Ooh wee, baby Goodness gracious The way I love you …
Like You Do I used to have a perfect sweetheart Not a real one,…
My Reverie Our love is a dream, but in my reverie I can…
St. Louis Blues I hate to see that evening sun go down I hate…
When My Man Comes Home Oh, I'll be so glad when my man comes home Yes,…
You I used to have a perfect sweetheart Not a real one,…


We have lyrics for these tracks by His Orchestra:


Adios Maraquita Linda Te quiero, dijiste tomando mis manos entre tus manitas de bl…
Blues for Two Five foot two, eyes of blue But oh, what those five…
Carioca Ela é carioca, ela é carioca Basta o jeitinho dela andar Nem…
Don't You Do It You had plenty money 1922 You let other women make a…
Emaline Don't you hear my heart whisper thru your window, Emaline? I…
Fly Fly me to the moon Let me play among the stars Let…
I Don't Know Don't you know I care Or don't you care to…
I Hear A Rhapsody And when I hear you call So softly to me I…
I'm Sitting On Top Of The World I'm sitting on top of the world Just rolling along, Just…
If Dreams Come True If dreams come true I'll be with you I love that smile…
It Don't Mean a Thing It don't mean a thing If it ain't got that swing (doo…
Jersey Bounce They call it that Jersey bounce A rhythm that really counts …
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Oh the weather outside is frightful But the fire is so…
let's get together I'm so tired of this dull routine Up to town on…
Moanin' Moanin' low, my sweet man, I love him so Though he's…
Oh Marie Here while the day is fading, Dear you I'm serenading, My lo…
Posin Sposin' I should fall in love with you, Do you…
Remember The night was filled with sweet surrender I had a million…
Rock House Blues Lace up your boots and we'll broom on down To a…
Rock It For Me I heard it came to town A new kind of rhythm Spread…
Rudolph The Rednosed Reindeer You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen Comet and…
Russian Lullaby Aka Lullaby Mm Mm Every night you'll hear her croon A Russian lullaby …
Serenade Serenade in the night 'neath a fair lady's window Just the…
Since I Since I met you baby my whole life has changed Since…
Sing a Song of Sunbeams Give me a song that's robust Feeling the way I am Any…
Singin' In The Rain I'm singin' in the rain, just singin' in the rain What…
Stompin' at the Savoy Savoy, the home of sweet romance Savoy, it wins you at…
The Wedding Samba Way down in the land of the Rio Grande When people…
Unforgettable Unforgettable That's what you are Unforgettable Tho' near or…
What Are You Doing New Year's Eve When the bells all ring and the horns all blow And…
what is there to say Is it true what they say about Dixie? Does the…
You Feel It You make me feel so young You make me feel as…


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