He gained success in the 1960s and 1970s with his brand of Southern soul, which mixed the styles of country, gospel and rhythm and blues.
Born in Rogers, Texas, in 1935 and raised in Baytown, TX, Tex's career started after he was signed to King Records in 1955 following four wins at the Apollo Theater. Between that year and 1964, however, Tex struggled to find hits and by the time he finally recorded his first hit, "Hold What You've Got", in 1964, he had recorded thirty prior singles that were deemed failures on the charts. Tex went on to have three million-selling hits, "Hold What You've Got" (1965), "Skinny Legs and All" (1967) and "I Gotcha" (1972).
Joe Tex with the raspy voice & charm of a southern preacher and the linguistic skills of a true street hustler made a string of funky chart topping hits and occasional raps with moral themes. His peak as a hitmaker occured in the mid & late 60's, but extended into the 70's disco era.
His breakthrough 1965 song "Hold What You've Got" topped both the Pop and R&B charts. In 1966 he released "I Believe I'm Gonna Make It", which was the first major pop record associated with the Vietnam War. His style was usually more light hearted fare, like "S.Y.S.L.J.F.M. (The Letter Song)" and his biggest hit "Skinny Legs And All".
His last major record was 1972's funky jam "I Gotcha", a #1 song. It was after this release that he converted to Islam. After the death of Elijah Mohamed in 1975, Joe Tex received the blessing and approval of the Nation of Islam to begin recording and performing again. His career resurgence came as the disco years were in full swing. His late career comeback song was "Ain't Gonna Bump No More (With No Big Fat Woman)".
I Gotcha
Joe Tex Lyrics
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You thought I didn't see ya now, didn't ya, uh huh, huh
You tried to sneak by me now, didn't ya, uh huh, huh
Now gimme what you promised me, give it here
Come on
Hey
Good God
Hey
Hey
You promised me the day that you quit your boyfriend
I'd be the next one to ease on in
You promised me it would be just us two, yeah
I'd be the only man kissin' on you, yeah
Now, kiss me
Hold it a long time, hold it
Don't turn it a-loose, now hold it
A little bit longer, now hold it
Come on
Hold it
Hold it
Hold it
Hold it
Now ease up on me now, good god
Hey
Good God
Hey
The girl's alright, y'all
Ha ha
Good God
You made me a promise and you're gonna stick to it
You shouldn't have promised if you weren't gonna do it
You saw me and ran in another direction
I'll teach you to play with my affection
Now, give it here
You never should've promised to me, give it here
Don't hold back, now give it here
Don't say nothin', just give it here
Come on, give it here
Give it here
Give it here
Give it here
Give it to me, now
Good God
Hey
I gotcha
Shouldn't made a promise to me
I gotcha
You never should've promised to me, gotcha
Give it on, here
I gotcha
You thought you got away from me, didn't ya?
I gotcha
Ha ha ha
Oh, I gotcha
Give it on up, I gotcha
Give it on here, I gotcha
You tried to sneak by me, now didn't ya?
Ha ha
I gotcha
Oh, I gotcha
The lyrics to Joe Tex's "I Gotcha" express the artist's disappointment at a woman who made him a promise but failed to keep it. The song is a funk and soul classic from the 70s, and it features a repetitive chorus that serves as a warning to the woman who "tried to sneak by" Tex. According to the lyrics, she had promised to be with him and leave her boyfriend behind, but she reneged on the deal. The artist puts all the blame on her for making promises he expected to be kept.
Tex's lyrics are not only about the broken promise but also about his feelings of dissatisfaction and frustration. He urges the woman to give him what she promised him, and he repeats this demand several times. The intense instrumental arrangement with the repetitive beat adds to the song's sense of urgency and the need for the woman to pay up. The lyrics' repetition and variations in verses create a catchy tune that is easy to sing along with, uniting the crowd in this apparent act of revenge.
In summary, "I Gotcha" is a song about unfulfilled promises, which lead to resentment and possibly unfinished business. It's a cautionary tale told through a funky soul rhythm about the consequences of breaking one's word.
Line by Line Meaning
I gotcha, uh huh, huh
I caught you, as expected
You thought I didn't see ya now, didn't ya, uh huh, huh
You underestimated my awareness
You tried to sneak by me now, didn't ya, uh huh, huh
You attempted to deceive me
Now gimme what you promised me, give it here
Deliver what you guaranteed to me
You promised me the day that you quit your boyfriend
You vowed to me when you ended your prior relationship
I'd be the next one to ease on in
I would be the one to enter your life after him
You promised me it would be just us two, yeah
You swore it would be only you and me
I'd be the only man kissin' on you, yeah
I would be your exclusive romantic companion
Now, kiss me
Demonstrate your commitment to me
Hold it a long time, hold it
Show me a prolonged, passionate kiss
Don't turn it a-loose, now hold it
Don't let go of our embrace too soon
A little bit longer, now hold it
Extend the kiss just a bit more
Come on
Encouragement to continue
You made me a promise and you're gonna stick to it
You pledged to me and must fulfill your word
You shouldn't have promised if you weren't gonna do it
You shouldn't have made false guarantees
You saw me and ran in another direction
You evaded me when we crossed paths
I'll teach you to play with my affection
I will show you not to toy with my emotions
Don't hold back, now give it here
Fully commit to me and deliver what you promised
Don't say nothin', just give it here
Do not try to justify or explain, just do it
Good God
Expression of enthusiasm
The girl's alright, y'all
I am satisfied with the outcome
You never should've promised to me, give it here
You shouldn't have made a pledge to me earlier
Give it to me, now
Deliver what was guaranteed as soon as possible
Shouldn't made a promise to me
You made a mistake by making a promise to me
Give it on, here
Deliver what was promised to me
You thought you got away from me, didn't ya?
You thought I wasn't going to catch you
Ha ha ha
Expression of satisfaction with having caught you
Oh, I gotcha
I caught you, finally
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Joe Tex
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind