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.
Easy Does It
Al Kooper Lyrics
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When I was just a young boy
Ya know my father said to me
When ya get a little older son
Ya got to live your life casually
Ya got to take things real slow-like
If you really wanna last
Cant live your life too fast
EASY DOES IT, baby
EASY DOES IT everytime
Well now that I'm a little wiser
EASY DOES IT with this life of mine
When I grew a little older
I started noticin' the female sex
With their foxy little bodies
And their long and shapely legs
So I got me a little woman
And I took her home to my bed
I said "How about it, baby??"
And this is what she said - she said:
EASY DOES IT, baby
EASY DOES IT everytime
Well now that I'm a little wiser
EASY DOES IT with this life of mine
Now ya gotta listen to me everybody
Cause ya know the same applies to you
When everything is over
Ya know the name of the game is you
It don't pay to be impulsive
But it ain't too bad to hesitate
Just like the old saying goes
Good things come to those who wait
EASY DOES IT, baby
EASY DOES IT everytime
Well now that I'm a little wiser
EASY DOES IT with this life of mine
In Al Kooper's song "Easy Does It," the artist highlights the importance of taking it easy in life. The song starts by explaining how his father taught him the value of living life at a comfortable pace. He advises him to take it slow so that he can last longer in life. This advice forms the basis of the song, with the phrase "easy does it" being repeated throughout.
Al Kooper then touches on the topic of relationships, where he had his fair share of experiences with the female sex. However, even in this area of his life, he learned that taking things slow and easy was essential. He realized the importance of not rushing it and taking things one step at a time.
The final verse of the song is a word of advice to the listeners that the same applies to everyone. Impulsiveness does not pay, and sometimes it is okay to hesitate. The artist employs the old saying "good things come to those who wait" to emphasize the need for patience in life. The song is a reminder that sometimes in life, it is essential to take it slow and easy rather than being impulsive and rushing into things.
Line by Line Meaning
When I was just a young boy
As a child, my father gave me some advice
Ya know my father said to me
My father spoke these words of wisdom to me
When ya get a little older son
As I grew older
Ya got to live your life casually
I learned that it's best to take things slowly and be relaxed
Ya got to take things real slow-like
It's important to not rush and take things easy
If you really wanna last
To survive over time
You only live once in this life
We only have one life to live
Cant live your life too fast
It's not advisable to live life too quickly
EASY DOES IT, baby
It's best to be relaxed and take your time
EASY DOES IT everytime
It's important to move slowly and carefully
Well now that I'm a little wiser
As I matured and gained experience
When I grew a little older
As I got older
I started noticin' the female sex
I became aware of women and their features
With their foxy little bodies
Their attractive physique
And their long and shapely legs
Their physically appealing legs
So I got me a little woman
I found a partner
And I took her home to my bed
We became intimate
I said "How about it, baby??"
I asked for her consent to engage in sexual activity
And this is what she said - she said:
Her response was:
Now ya gotta listen to me everybody
I have some wise words for everyone
Cause ya know the same applies to you
This advice can also help you
When everything is over
When life ends
Ya know the name of the game is you
It's all about you and your actions in this life
It don't pay to be impulsive
Acting too quickly can have negative consequences
But it ain't too bad to hesitate
Taking your time and thinking before acting can be wise
Just like the old saying goes
As the famous saying states
Good things come to those who wait
Patience can lead to positive outcomes
EASY DOES IT with this life of mine
I intend to continue to take life slowly and steadily
Contributed by Benjamin O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.