Syl Johnson
Syl Johnson (born Sylvester Thompson in Holly Springs, Mississippi, on 1 July 1936; died 6 February 2022 ) was an American blues and soul singer and music producer. His most successful records included "Different Strokes" (1967), "Is It Because I'm Black" (1969) and "Take Me to the River" (1975). "Different Strokes" has been sampled by number of rappers including Wu-Tang Clan, Hammer, and the Ghetto Boys. Blues guitarist and singer Jimmy Johnson, and bassist Mack Thompson, are his brothers. Read Full BioSyl Johnson (born Sylvester Thompson in Holly Springs, Mississippi, on 1 July 1936; died 6 February 2022 ) was an American blues and soul singer and music producer. His most successful records included "Different Strokes" (1967), "Is It Because I'm Black" (1969) and "Take Me to the River" (1975). "Different Strokes" has been sampled by number of rappers including Wu-Tang Clan, Hammer, and the Ghetto Boys. Blues guitarist and singer Jimmy Johnson, and bassist Mack Thompson, are his brothers.
In the 1950s, Johnson sang and played with blues artists Magic Sam, Billy Boy Arnold, Junior Wells and Howlin' Wolf, before recording with Jimmy Reed for Vee-Jay in 1959. He made his solo debut that same year with Federal, a subsidiary of King Records of Cincinnati, backed by Freddie King on guitar.
He then began recording for Twinight Records of Chicago in the mid 1960s. Beginning with his first hit, Come On Sock It to Me in 1967, Johnson dominated the label as both a hitmaker and producer. His song Different Strokes, also from 1967, featured recently on the Ultimate Breaks and Beats breakbeat compilation.
Like other black songwriters of the period, several of his records at this time explored themes of African-American identity and social problems in songs including Is It Because I'm Black, which reached Number 11 in the R&B charts in 1969.
In 1971, Willie Mitchell brought Johnson to Hi Records, for whom he recorded three albums and a number of singles. Produced in Memphis with the Hi house band, these yielded music of power and enduring value, including the hits We Did It, Back for a Taste of Your Love and Take Me to the River, his biggest success, reaching Number 7 on the R&B charts in 1975. However, at Hi Johnson was always to some extent in Al Green's shadow commercially, if not artistically.
After the Hi years ended, Johnson produced two LPs for his own Shama label, the latter of which (Ms. Fine Brown Frame, 1982) was picked up for distribution by Boardwalk Records and produced Johnson's last hit record, the title cut.
Around the mid-eighies, Johnson started a fast-food fish restaurant business, and became semi-retired from performing, only making occasional appearances at blues club gigs.
In 1992, Johnson found out that his classic song "Different Strokes" have been sampled by number of rappers including Wu-Tang Clan, Hammer, and the Ghetto Boys. Stimulated by this fact, he decided to make a come back in the music business. In 1994, he released the album Back in the Game on Delmark Records. The album featured the the Hi rhythm section and his youngest daughter Syleena Johnson.
Blues guitarist and singer Jimmy Johnson, and bassist Mack Thompson, are his brothers.
In the 1950s, Johnson sang and played with blues artists Magic Sam, Billy Boy Arnold, Junior Wells and Howlin' Wolf, before recording with Jimmy Reed for Vee-Jay in 1959. He made his solo debut that same year with Federal, a subsidiary of King Records of Cincinnati, backed by Freddie King on guitar.
He then began recording for Twinight Records of Chicago in the mid 1960s. Beginning with his first hit, Come On Sock It to Me in 1967, Johnson dominated the label as both a hitmaker and producer. His song Different Strokes, also from 1967, featured recently on the Ultimate Breaks and Beats breakbeat compilation.
Like other black songwriters of the period, several of his records at this time explored themes of African-American identity and social problems in songs including Is It Because I'm Black, which reached Number 11 in the R&B charts in 1969.
In 1971, Willie Mitchell brought Johnson to Hi Records, for whom he recorded three albums and a number of singles. Produced in Memphis with the Hi house band, these yielded music of power and enduring value, including the hits We Did It, Back for a Taste of Your Love and Take Me to the River, his biggest success, reaching Number 7 on the R&B charts in 1975. However, at Hi Johnson was always to some extent in Al Green's shadow commercially, if not artistically.
After the Hi years ended, Johnson produced two LPs for his own Shama label, the latter of which (Ms. Fine Brown Frame, 1982) was picked up for distribution by Boardwalk Records and produced Johnson's last hit record, the title cut.
Around the mid-eighies, Johnson started a fast-food fish restaurant business, and became semi-retired from performing, only making occasional appearances at blues club gigs.
In 1992, Johnson found out that his classic song "Different Strokes" have been sampled by number of rappers including Wu-Tang Clan, Hammer, and the Ghetto Boys. Stimulated by this fact, he decided to make a come back in the music business. In 1994, he released the album Back in the Game on Delmark Records. The album featured the the Hi rhythm section and his youngest daughter Syleena Johnson.
Blues guitarist and singer Jimmy Johnson, and bassist Mack Thompson, are his brothers.
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Faith Garcia
The dark brown shades of my skin, only add colour to my tears
That splash against my hollow bones, that rocks my soul
Looking back over my false dreams, that I once knew
Wondering why my dreams never came true
Is it because I'm black?
Somebody tell me, what can I do
Something is holding me back
Is it because I'm black?
In this world of no pity
I was raised in the ghetto of the city
Momma, she works so hard
To earn every penny
Something is holding me back
Is it because I'm black?
Like a child stealing candy for the first time, and got caught
Thiefing around life's corner somewhere I got lost
Something is holding me back
I wonder, is it because I'm black?
Somebody tell me what can I do
Will I survive, or will I die?
You keep on holding me back
You keep on holding on
You keep on picking on me
You keep on holding me back
You keep on holding on
You keep on holding on
You're holding me back
I wonder why, you do me like that
But you keep on holding me back
You keep on putting your foot on me
But I, I've got to break away
Somehow and someday
Cause I wanna be somebody so bad, so bad
I wanna be somebody, I wanna be somebody so bad
You see, I want diamond rings and things, like you do
And I wanna drive Cadillac cars
I wanna be somebody so bad
But you keep on putting your foot on me
And I, I believe, I believe I can break away
And be somebody, somehow, and someway
Ya see, I heard somebody say one time
You can make it, if you try
And some of us, we tried so hard, we tried so hard
I want you to know that I don't speak for myself
But I speak for y'all too right now
Ya see, if you have white-like brown skin and a high yeller
You're still black
So we all got to stick together right now
This I wanna say to you my sisters and my brothers
Right on sister
Right on brother
Dig this:
And we keep on pushing down
We've got to make it a little bit further
We've got to make it a little further
All we got to do is try, try, try
And some of us, we've tried so hard
We've tried so hard, we've tried so hard
We've tried so hard, so hard to be somebody
We've tried so hard, although, they're holding us back
And it stairs the reason, that they're doing us like that
You know what? It is
I believe, it is because we are black
But hey, we can't stop now, we can't stop now
We've got to keep on, keep on, keep on, keeping on
We've got to keep on keeping on
I know and I know and I know that you know that I know it ain't right
Oh, it ain't right, it ain't right, it ain't right
That they hold us, hold us, hold us back
They're holding us back, they're holding us back
I wonder, sometimes I sit down, sit down and I wonder
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“IS IT BECAUSE I'M BLACK” TRACK INFO
Written By
Syl Johnson, James Jones & Glenn Watts
EXPAND TRACK INFO
NEXT UP
Come Together
SYL JOHNSON
Is It Because I'm Black (1970)
SYL JOHNSON
1.
Is It Because I'm Black
2.
Come Together
3.
Different Strokes
4.
Together Forever (Missing Lyrics)
5.
Concrete Reservation
6.
Black Balloons (Missing Lyrics)
7.
Walk a Mile In My Shoes (Missing Lyrics)
8.
I'm Talkin' 'Bout Freedom (Missing Lyrics)
9.
Right on
COMMENTS
Liquid_Swords1995 201
a year ago
But it does not explain anything about the meaning behind the lyrics, so stop doing that would you.
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DraculaMemoirs
R.I.P. to the great Syl Johnson. It's a legacy that will last until the end of time.
William Shakespeare The Turd
Yo... Heavy dayz
DACHIR GALLOU
The Original... https://youtu.be/fHt_mT8Yv6g
Mississippi Delta Blues Information.
thank you. i'm so sad.
Tina L. Davidson
I'm Asian (Vietnamese), but still feeling this for the Black community. Lyrics are Powerful...and unfortunately still relevant.
"I wanna be somebody so bad
But you keep on putting your foot on me
And I, I believe, I believe I can break away
And be somebody, somehow, and someway..."
David White
Syl Johnson died a millionaire.
Ray Davis
The voice, the complexity of a smoky blended scotch whiskey, forged by pain, alienation and the tortuous self doubt of a people who are not judged by the content of their character but by the color of their skin.......still. The lyrics speak of the historical narrative of constantly trying to prove ones humanity, trying to be accepted in a nation where your skin color is a permanent stain, blot, cancer to many who can't see your heart, gifts, genius through your Black skin. The delivery; soulful, bluesy and gospelesque placed with anguish. The lyricist connotes the weariness of trying to prove that you are capable, that you are truly human and humane. We are not the stereotype thug propagated by a system that despite that you are dressed to the nines, your accomplished lexicon, educational pedigrees, wall street work ethic, veteran status and elite neighborhood attainted still defaults you to less than human because of your the dark brown stain of your skin. That dark brown stain makes them believe you are less than human. The relevance of this song still is tragically haunting as we were lynced by ropes yesterday and noosed by knees today, whipped by tasers and enslaved in for profit prison industrial systems. As African Americans despite often exceeding every barrier set; educational, financial, work ethic, military service are still required almost every day to on some occasion or another to ask the inevitable question, is it because I'm Black. Goddamn.
Rashid Rashman
Beautiful meaning words brother, we will never stop bigotry in this world but know there are many who try and will never succumb to giving up. Blessings reign upon you.
Pyro Dutch
Preach brother preach!!!
Brian James
AMEN GOD 🙏 BLESS