His first musical success was as a 14-year-old guitarist in the Royal Teens, best known for their novelty blues riff, "Short Shorts". In 1960, he joined the song-writing team of Bob Brass and Irwin Levine, who wrote the hit, "This Diamond Ring", for Gary Lewis and the Playboys. When he was 21, he moved to Greenwich Village.
He performed with Bob Dylan in concert in 1965 and in the studio in 1965 and 1966, including playing Hammond organ with Dylan at the (in)famous Newport Folk Festival of 1965. He worked extensively with Mike Bloomfield for a number of years after the two met as studio musicians on Dylan's legendary Highway 61 Revisited album.
In 1965, he co-formed The Blues Project and played their most famous gig at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967. He formed Blood, Sweat & Tears in the same year, leaving after the group's first album, Child is Father to the Man, in 1968.
Kooper played on hundreds of records, including The Rolling Stones, B.B. King, The Who and Cream. On occasion, he has even overdubbed on his own efforts, as on The Live Adventures Of Mike Bloomfield and Al Kooper album, as Roosevelt Gook. He discovered the band Lynyrd Skynyrd, and produced their first three albums, including the single Sweet Home Alabama. Kooper also wrote the score for the TV series, Crime Story, and has also written music for several made-for-television movies. Kooper also produced a now rare album by a group called Appaloosa.
Al Kooper has published a memoir, Backstage Passes: Rock 'n' Roll Life In The Sixties (1977), now available in revised form as Backstage Passes & Backstabbing Bastards: Memoirs of a Rock 'N' Roll Survivor 2007
Kooper currently teaches songwriting and production at Berklee College of Music in Boston and plays weekend concerts with his band Jimmy Vivino and The ReKooperators.
Back On My Feet
Al Kooper Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now I’ve had a hard life
I been through two wives
And I’ve lived where the rats run wild
But now I’m much better and I’m writin’ this letter
Just to tell you ‘bout your baby child
So I’m writin’ this letter to you
I knows it’s been ten years but save up those sad tears
Mama let me tell ya whets new
Look at me I’m back on my feet
Pulled myself right outa the street
So glad to be back on my feet right now
I’m gettin’ smiles from the people I meet
Wontcha tell me bout Dad now
Is he still doin’ bad now
Workin in the same drugstore
Lookin’ for praise now
Did he ever get that raise now
He’s been waitin twenty years for
And poor brother Billy is he still so silly
Livin with that girl crosstown
Livin off her job
I still love that poor slob
Tell him someday I’ll be round
Look at me I’m back on my feet
Pulled myself right outa the street
So glad to be back on my feet right now
I’m gettin’ smiles from the people I meet
So glad to be back on my feet
Well I married this girl she was a rich girl
Took her checkbook & a fountain pen
Wrote my name so fast now
Knew my luck couldn’t last now
I wrote myself three years in the pen
So I prayed to the Saviour
Got a year off for good behavior
Read the Bible so I’d understand
Now I’m workin’ steady & I’m married to Betty
Doin’ my best to be her good lovin‘ man
Mama so long now I know I was wrong now
Not to write in such a long long while
But I’ll save some money and you won’t think it’s funny
If I put you & Dad up in style
Look at me I’m back on my feet
Pulled myself right outa the street
So glad to be back on my feet right now
I’m gettin’ smiles from the people I meet
Don't have to worry bout nothin’ to eat
Now doncha think it’s kinda neat
Ya know I pulled myself right up by the seat
Of my pants
Look at me I’m back on my feet
The song Back on my Feet by Al Kooper is about a man who has had a hard life but has managed to overcome his struggles and get back on his feet. He is writing a letter to his mother to tell her about his life and ask about his family. He talks about his past, including being married twice and living in a place with rats, but he is now doing much better. He is happy to be getting smiles from the people he meets and is proud of himself for overcoming his struggles.
The letter is also filled with questions about his family. He asks about his father and whether he is still working at the drugstore and if he ever got the raise he had been waiting for. He also asks about his brother who is living with a girl crosstown and if he is still silly. He promises that he will visit his brother someday.
Overall, the song is a story of redemption and hope. Despite facing hardships, the singer has managed to overcome them and is doing better now. He is proud of himself for being able to lift himself "by the seat of my pants" and wants to share his success with his family.
Line by Line Meaning
Now I’ve had a hard life
I have faced a lot of difficulties in my life
I been through two wives
I went through two marriages that didn't work out
And I’ve lived where the rats run wild
I have lived in a very unpleasant and unsafe place
But now I’m much better and I’m writin’ this letter
But now things have improved, and I am writing this letter to share the good news
Just to tell you ‘bout your baby child
To let my mother know about my current situation
So Ma, I been busy and I know you’ve missed me
I have been busy, and I know that my mother has missed me
So I’m writin’ this letter to you
I am writing this letter to my mother
I knows it’s been ten years but save up those sad tears
I know it has been ten years, but don't be sad anymore
Mama let me tell ya whets new
Let me tell you what's new in my life
Look at me I’m back on my feet
I have overcome my difficulties and am doing well now
Pulled myself right outa the street
I have managed to get myself out of a bad situation
So glad to be back on my feet right now
I am very happy to be in a good place now
I’m gettin’ smiles from the people I meet
People are happy to see me doing well and are showing me their support and approval
Wontcha tell me bout Dad now
Can you update me on how Dad is doing?
Is he still doin’ bad now
Is he still struggling?
Workin in the same drugstore
Is he still working at the same place?
Lookin’ for praise now
Is he still hoping for recognition for his hard work?
Did he ever get that raise now
Did he ever get the raise he was hoping for?
He’s been waitin twenty years for
He has been waiting for it for a very long time
And poor brother Billy is he still so silly
How is our brother Billy doing?
Livin with that girl crosstown
Is he still living with his girlfriend across town?
Livin off her job
Is he still being supported by her financially?
I still love that poor slob
I still care about him even though he is not doing well
Tell him someday I’ll be round
Let him know that I will visit him someday
Well I married this girl she was a rich girl
I married a woman who comes from a wealthy background
Took her checkbook & a fountain pen
I took advantage of her riches by using her checkbook and fountain pen
Wrote my name so fast now
I used her resources to sign my name quickly
Knew my luck couldn’t last now
I knew that my luck was not going to last forever
I wrote myself three years in the pen
I committed a crime and was sentenced to serve three years in prison
So I prayed to the Saviour
I turned to God for help
Got a year off for good behavior
I was released from prison earlier due to good behavior
Read the Bible so I’d understand
I read the Bible to gain a deeper understanding of life
Now I’m workin’ steady & I’m married to Betty
Now, I have a stable job and am married to Betty
Doin’ my best to be her good lovin‘ man
I am trying my hardest to be a loving and caring husband to Betty
Mama so long now I know I was wrong now
It has been a while, and I know that I should have written earlier
Not to write in such a long long while
I apologize for not writing for such a long time
But I’ll save some money and you won’t think it’s funny
I will save some money, and you will not find it amusing
If I put you & Dad up in style
I will take care of everything and ensure that my parents have a comfortable life
Don't have to worry bout nothin’ to eat
We will not have to worry about food anymore
Now doncha think it’s kinda neat
Don't you think it's great?
Ya know I pulled myself right up by the seat
I managed to overcome my difficulties using my own efforts
Of my pants
I did it all on my own
Look at me I’m back on my feet
I am in a good place now
Contributed by Madison L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.