While never long in the spotlight, Al Johnson has quietly created some very… Read Full Bio ↴While never long in the spotlight, Al Johnson has quietly created some very memorable Soul music for himself and others over a nearly forty year career, and has developed a small but loyal following over that period as a top notch songwriter, singer and musician.
Johnson first scored as the lead singer of the Unifics, a group formed at Howard University in Washington , D.C. which had a big hit with "The Court of Love." After another minor hit, "The Beginning of My End," the group split and Johnson began a 30 year string as a session musician, arranger and producer.
Johnson next formed the short lived group Positive Change and also recorded a minor solo album, Peaceful, in 1978. He then worked with producer extraordinaire, Norman Connors, providing guest vocals on Connors' Take It To the Limit album. Connors returned the favor, producing Johnson's major label debut, Back For More, a gem of an album that included a number of new cuts plus re-recordings of a few songs from Peaceful. The title cut from the album, a duet with Jean Carn, (later covered by Tavares) became an underground Soul classic. The rest of the album was wonderful, especially the upbeat "I've Got My Second Wind" and the beautiful ballads "You Are My Personal Angel" and "Peaceful." And while initial sales of the album did not merit a follow-up, the disc became a cult classic that is still considered by many as one of the great soul albums of the early 80s..
Johnson spent most of the 80s and 90s continuing to provide session help for other artists, including the Whispers, Roberta Flack and Peabo Bryson. Then, in 1999, he went back to the studio to record his first album in nearly two decades, My Heart Is An Open Book, on the small Clout label. The album found him in excellent voice (maybe even better than in his youth) and included a number of solid cuts that updated the classic soul sound of Johnson's first album and included clear musical references to some of Marvin Gaye's later work. Especially notable on the album were the title cut, "Here's Looking At You" and the smooth midtempo, "Tranquility." It again developed for Johnson a small but loyal following (especially in Europe) and again demonstrated that, while Johnson is known mostly for his support work for other artists, he has the both the songwriting and vocal talent of a great solo artist. His albums, though hard to find, are worth seeking out.
Johnson continued working into the 21st century, performing on Jeff Majors' 2002 album Sacred 4 You. In late 2004 the Unifics reunited and began playing again in the DC area. They also released a solid album, Unifics Return
by Chris Rizik
Johnson first scored as the lead singer of the Unifics, a group formed at Howard University in Washington , D.C. which had a big hit with "The Court of Love." After another minor hit, "The Beginning of My End," the group split and Johnson began a 30 year string as a session musician, arranger and producer.
Johnson next formed the short lived group Positive Change and also recorded a minor solo album, Peaceful, in 1978. He then worked with producer extraordinaire, Norman Connors, providing guest vocals on Connors' Take It To the Limit album. Connors returned the favor, producing Johnson's major label debut, Back For More, a gem of an album that included a number of new cuts plus re-recordings of a few songs from Peaceful. The title cut from the album, a duet with Jean Carn, (later covered by Tavares) became an underground Soul classic. The rest of the album was wonderful, especially the upbeat "I've Got My Second Wind" and the beautiful ballads "You Are My Personal Angel" and "Peaceful." And while initial sales of the album did not merit a follow-up, the disc became a cult classic that is still considered by many as one of the great soul albums of the early 80s..
Johnson spent most of the 80s and 90s continuing to provide session help for other artists, including the Whispers, Roberta Flack and Peabo Bryson. Then, in 1999, he went back to the studio to record his first album in nearly two decades, My Heart Is An Open Book, on the small Clout label. The album found him in excellent voice (maybe even better than in his youth) and included a number of solid cuts that updated the classic soul sound of Johnson's first album and included clear musical references to some of Marvin Gaye's later work. Especially notable on the album were the title cut, "Here's Looking At You" and the smooth midtempo, "Tranquility." It again developed for Johnson a small but loyal following (especially in Europe) and again demonstrated that, while Johnson is known mostly for his support work for other artists, he has the both the songwriting and vocal talent of a great solo artist. His albums, though hard to find, are worth seeking out.
Johnson continued working into the 21st century, performing on Jeff Majors' 2002 album Sacred 4 You. In late 2004 the Unifics reunited and began playing again in the DC area. They also released a solid album, Unifics Return
by Chris Rizik
California Here I Come
Al Johnson Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'California Here I Come' by these artists:
Al Jolson When the wintry winds are blowing and the snow is…
Al Jolson & Bing Crosby When the wintry winds start blowing And the snow is starting…
Al Jolson & Isham Jones When the wintry winds are blowing and the snow is…
Betty Johnson California, here I come Right back where I started from Wher…
Bill Evans When the wintry winds start blowing And the snow is starting…
Bobby Hackett and His Orchestra When the wintry winds start blowing And the snow is startin…
Cannon Freddy When the wintry winds start blowing And the snow is starting…
Claude Hopkins and His Orchestra When the wintry winds are blowing and the snow is…
Eddie Condon When the wintry winds start blowing And the snow is startin…
Eddie Condon and His Band When the wintry winds start blowing And the snow is startin…
Fats Waller When the wintry winds are blowing and the snow is…
Freddy Cannon When the wintry winds start blowing And the snow is starting…
Gordon Langford and his Orchestra When the wintry winds are blowing and the snow is…
Hawkins Sophie You Poor you Playing so long but you're still not grooving…
Isham Jones When the wintry winds are blowing and the snow is…
Joe Bushkin & Trio When the wintry winds start blowing And the snow is starting…
John Barnes/Roy Williams Quintet When the wintry winds start blowing And the snow is startin…
Ken Thorne and his Orchestra When the wintry winds are blowing and the snow is…
Mrs. Mills' I am coming Well just walk in, don't declare everything It's…
Orchestrion Jubilee Vol. 1 Love and hate can never be friends Oh no, oh no Here…
Ray Charles California here I come, Right back where I started from, Whe…
Ray Charles And Joseph Meyer California here I come, Right back where I started from, W…
Shocking Blue Got a long long way to go Over her dusty roads Take…
Sophie B. Hawkins You Poor you Playing so long but you're still not grooving I…
Sophie B. Hawkins feat. Gary Lucas & Eric Bazilian You Poor you Playing so long but you're still not grooving…
Stéphane Grappelli When the wintry winds start blowing And the snow is starting…
Ted Heath & His Orchestra When the wintry winds are blowing and the snow is…
The Kats Here I come It’s time to pay attention Here I come I’m ready…
The Minstrel Singers When the wintry winds start blowing And the snow is starting…
Tom Waits California, Here I Come Written by Joseph Meyer, Al Jolson a…
We have lyrics for these tracks by Al Johnson:
Carnival Time The Green room is smokin' And the Plaza's burnin' down Thr…
I'm Back for More Baby, I'm back for more Baby, I'm back for more Ah... ah...…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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@edwardcamp3376
When the wintry winds start blowing
And the snow is starting to fall
Then my eyes turn westward knowing
That's the place that I love best of all
California, I've been blue
Since I've been away from you.
I can't wait till I get going
Even now I'm starting in a call
California, here I come
Right back where I started from
Where bowers are flowers bloom in the spring
Each morning at dawning
Birdies sing and everything
A sun kissed miss said "Don't be late!"
That's why I can hardly wait,
Open up that Golden Gate!
California, here I come!
California, here I come, yeah!
Right where I started from
Where bowers are flowers bloom in the spring
Each morning at dawning
Birdies sing and everything
A sun kissed miss said "Don't be late!"
That's why I can hardly wait
Open up, open up, open up that Golden Gate!
California, here I come!
@chefie1072
When the wintry winds starts blowing,
And the snow is starting in the fall,
Then my eyes went westward knowing,
That's the place that I love best of all.
California I've been blue, Since I've been away from you,
I can't wait 'till I get going, Even now I'm starting in a call:
California, Here I Come, Right back where I started from.
Where bowers of flowers, Bloom in the spring.
Each morning at dawning, Birdies sing at everything.
A sun-kissed miss said, "Don't be late!" That's why I can hardly wait.
Open up that golden gate, California, Here I Come."
@HooDatDonDar
All together, now:
When the wintry winds start blowing
And the snow is starting to fall
Then my eyes turn westward knowing
That's the place that I love best of all
California, I've been blue
Since I've been away from you.
I can't wait till I get going
Even now I'm starting in a call
California, here I come
Right back where I started from
Where bowers of flowers bloom in the spring
Each morning at dawning
Birdies sing and everything
A sun kissed miss said "Don't be late!"
That's why I can hardly wait,
Open up that Golden Gate!
California, here I come!
[Now, vamp it!]
California, here I come, yeah!
Right where I started from
Where bowers are flowers bloom in the spring
Each morning at dawning
Birdies sing and everything
A sun kissed miss said "Don't be late!"
That's why I can hardly wait
Open up, open up, open up that Golden Gate!
California, here I come!
(Heard this sung in public, and some people try to ham it up, Jolson style. Fun, but no one can do Jolson. He was one of a kind).
@barneyfyfe8313
My dad boarded a troop ship in California. Ended up fighting in New Guinea and the Philippines. This song was their anthem when it was all over.
@roberthach8778
This past summer I got the opportunity to go through an old abandoned & boarded up farmhouse in Iowa. In the living room of the house was an old Victrola, with this very record still on it. I brought it all home, cleaned it up & played this song....wow! What an amazing voice Al had!
@loonylinda
remembering my dad...who sang all these old jolson songs around and about all his life....recently left us aged 87....what a crooner! thanks for these old memories.
@laurahoward5426
I dang them with my grandfather and father......red, red tobin, sitting on top of the world, toot toot tootsie.....good times❣
@ll_distribution
Amazing sound thanks for making this available. AL Jolson was my dad's favorite.
@sexonnaplatter
This was the most popular song the year my mother was born. She turns 90 today. It was written for a musical designed for Jolson called Bombo.
@AgrippaMaxentius
New Yorker my whole life and I still think this is the best of the state songs .
@kellyhigham4950
Grew up on his songs. They will always be in my heart ❤
@asafakiva1619
And don't think it hasn't been a little slice of heaven.
Cause it hasn't
@jasobres
Bugs Bunny, 1946