Johnny Tillotson
Johnny Tillotson (born 20 April 1938 in Jacksonville, Florida, USA) is an American singer and songwriter. He enjoyed his greatest success in the early 1960s, when he scored 9 top-ten hits on the pop, country and adult contemporary billboard charts including "Poetry In Motion" and the self-penned "It Keeps Right On A-Hurtin'".
In 1957 while still in high school, Tillotson was making records and performing on stage; as a student at the University of Florida, he had his own musical variety show on regional television. Read Full BioJohnny Tillotson (born 20 April 1938 in Jacksonville, Florida, USA) is an American singer and songwriter. He enjoyed his greatest success in the early 1960s, when he scored 9 top-ten hits on the pop, country and adult contemporary billboard charts including "Poetry In Motion" and the self-penned "It Keeps Right On A-Hurtin'".
In 1957 while still in high school, Tillotson was making records and performing on stage; as a student at the University of Florida, he had his own musical variety show on regional television. Following graduation in 1959 with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism and Communications, he signed with Cadence Records and moved to New York City to pursue his music career. In 1960, he recorded his first hit, a composition entitled "Poetry in Motion" (written by Anthony/Kaufman), that went to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. and #1 on the UK Singles Chart.
A "crossover" artist, several of Tillotson's songs were successful on both the country music charts and pop charts. He earned a Grammy Award nomination for another of his own compositions, "It Keeps Right On a-Hurtin," and also for the song "Heartaches by the Number," nominated for Best Vocal Performance of 1965. He also appeared in the 1963 film "Just for Fun" and sang the theme song for the 1965 Sally Field television comedy "Gidget".
In a career spanning more than 40 years, Tillotson has recorded 26 singles that made it onto Billboard's charts, and performed at venues across the United States and other places around the globe.
He was featured in the 1966 camp comedy The Fat Spy starring Jayne Mansfield, Jack E. Leonard, Phyllis Diller, Brian Donlevy and Jordan Christopher & the Wild Ones. This film was featured in the 2004 documentary The 50 Worst Movies Ever Made (#46).
In 1957 while still in high school, Tillotson was making records and performing on stage; as a student at the University of Florida, he had his own musical variety show on regional television. Read Full BioJohnny Tillotson (born 20 April 1938 in Jacksonville, Florida, USA) is an American singer and songwriter. He enjoyed his greatest success in the early 1960s, when he scored 9 top-ten hits on the pop, country and adult contemporary billboard charts including "Poetry In Motion" and the self-penned "It Keeps Right On A-Hurtin'".
In 1957 while still in high school, Tillotson was making records and performing on stage; as a student at the University of Florida, he had his own musical variety show on regional television. Following graduation in 1959 with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism and Communications, he signed with Cadence Records and moved to New York City to pursue his music career. In 1960, he recorded his first hit, a composition entitled "Poetry in Motion" (written by Anthony/Kaufman), that went to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. and #1 on the UK Singles Chart.
A "crossover" artist, several of Tillotson's songs were successful on both the country music charts and pop charts. He earned a Grammy Award nomination for another of his own compositions, "It Keeps Right On a-Hurtin," and also for the song "Heartaches by the Number," nominated for Best Vocal Performance of 1965. He also appeared in the 1963 film "Just for Fun" and sang the theme song for the 1965 Sally Field television comedy "Gidget".
In a career spanning more than 40 years, Tillotson has recorded 26 singles that made it onto Billboard's charts, and performed at venues across the United States and other places around the globe.
He was featured in the 1966 camp comedy The Fat Spy starring Jayne Mansfield, Jack E. Leonard, Phyllis Diller, Brian Donlevy and Jordan Christopher & the Wild Ones. This film was featured in the 2004 documentary The 50 Worst Movies Ever Made (#46).
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Poetry In Motion
Johnny Tillotson Lyrics
When I see my baby
What do I see
Poetry
Poetry in motion
Poetry in motion
Walkin' by my side
Her lovely locomotion
Keeps my eyes open wide
Poetry in motion
See her gentle sway
A wave out on the ocean
Could never move that way
I love every movement
And there's nothing I would change
She doesn't need improvement
She's much too nice to rearrange
Poetry in motion
Dancing close to me
A flower of devotion
A swaying gracefully
Whoa
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa
Whoa
Poetry in motion
See her gentle sway
A wave out on the ocean
Could never move that way
I love every movement
There's nothing I would change
She doesn't need improvement
She's much too nice to rearrange
Poetry in motion
All that I adore
No number-nine love potion
Could make me love her more
Whoa
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Michael Anthony, Paul Kaufman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on specific lyrics, highlight them
Julia Metrycka
Lyrisc ☺️
When I see my baby
What do I see ?
Poetry
Poetry in motion �
Poetry in motion
Walking by my side
Her lovely locomotion
Keeps my eyes open wide
Poetry in motion
See her gentle sway
A wave out on the ocean
Could never move that way
I love every moment
There's nothing I would change
She doesn't need improvement
She's much too nice to rearrange
Poetry in motion
Dancing close to me
A flower of devotion
A-swaying gracefully
Oh
A-whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa (3x)
Whoa
Poetry in motion
See her gentle sway
A wave out on the ocean
Could never move that way
I love every moment
There's nothing I would change
She doesn't need improvement
She's much too nice to rearrange
Poetry in motion
All that I adore
No number-nine love potion
Could make me love he more
Oh
A-whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa (3x)
Whoa
sauquoit13456
Exactly sixty years ago today on November 14th, 1960 "Poetry In Motion" by Johnny Tillotson peaked at #2 {for 1 week} on Billboard's Top 100 chart, for the week it was at #2, the #1 record for that week was "Georgia On My Mind" by Ray Charles...
Two months later on January 12th, 1961 "Poetry In Motion" peaked at #1 {for 2 weeks} on the United Kingdom's Official Top 50 Singles chart...
Between 1958 and 1965 the Jacksonville, Florida native had twenty-six records on the Top 100 chart; four made the Top 10, the above "Poetry In Motion", "Without You" {#7 in 1961}, "It Keeps Right On A-Hurtin'" {#3 in 1962}, and "Talk Back Trembling Lips" {#7 in 1963}...
Johnny Tillotson will celebrate his 83rd birthday in five months on April 20th, 2021...
And from the 'For What It's Worth' department, the remainder of the Top 10 on November 14th, 1960:
At #3. "You Talk Too Much" by Joe Jones
#4. "I Want To Be Wanted" by Brenda Lee
#5. "Save The Last Dance For Me" by The Drifters
#6. "Stay" by Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs
#7. "Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go" by Hank Ballard and the Midnighters
#8. "Last Date" by Floyd Cramer
#9. "A Thousand Stars" by Kathy Young and The Innocents
#10. "Blue Angel" by Roy Orbison
Héctor Galindo Ortiz
When I see my baby
What do I see
Poetry
Poetry in motion !!
Poetry in motion ......
Walkin' by my side
Her lovely locomotion
Keeps my eyes open wide
Poetry in motion .....
See her gentle sway
A wave out on the ocean
Could never move that way
I love every movement
And there's nothing I would change
She doesn't need improvement
She's much too nice to rearrange
Poetry in motion .....
Dancing close to me
A flower of devotion
A swaying gracefully
Whoa
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa
Whoa
Poetry in motion
See her gentle sway
A wave out on the ocean
Could never move that way
I love every movement
There's nothing I would change
She doesn't need improvement
She's much too nice to rearrange
Poetry in motion ......
All that I adore
No number-nine love potion
Could make me love her more
Whoa
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa ......
The Splash Army
I’m a 2000s kid and man I wished I lived to hear this type of music in its prime❤️
Doctor Two
🤣
Mr RockNRoll
90s kid... Wishing I was a 50s/60s kid
joe furber
<3
Jennifer Rew
I was So lucky to have been a teenager in the 60’s. I was always going to live shows saw so many groups and solo artists loved it
Gracie ldjdjendjebwbs
Same. I really wish I lived back in the 60’s and 70’s and 80’s
Victoria Roach
My mom passed away recently. This song keeps coming to mind, because she and I would sing and dance to it.
Jim Stan
you're not alone and was never alone. KeepYaHeadUp
joe furber
<3
Keeper of the Hammer
This isn't just music. It's poetry.