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.
Fly On
Al Kooper Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If you think that I’m not loving you
If you think I’m not doing the things I said I’d do
Well, some of us among you would say you were mistaken
Some would say you were paranoid
To bring about heartbreaking
if you cant return my caress
Woman I refuse to dwell in a house of bitterness
I could love you deeper than any woman ever loved a man
But if you cant get next to me than I will let go of your hand
And you can fly on
Go ahead & fly on
I know you got to fly on
Go ahead & fly on
Oh I can see the change that's come into your eye
There's another face in the space I used to occupy
Aw you don't have to say a word
Your face says you’ve decided
Oh but noone knows what wrong is, honey
Until after they’ve tried it
So go & fly on
I know you got to fly on
Go ahead & fly on
Go ahead & fly on
I will always love you no matter what you do
As a matter of fact my love
Will just grow stronger if we’re through
And if by chance you ever see the error in your ways
Then I will take you back again
And we can live like yesterday and
Fly on
Together we could fly on
We could fly on
Together we could fly on
The lyrics of Al Kooper’s “Fly On” depict a relationship that is strained and about to unravel. The song starts with Kooper defending himself against accusations that he’s not loving his partner or doing the things he promised. He remarks that some people would think that the partner is just paranoid and trying to cause heartbreak. He speaks of moving on from the relationship citing reasons such as lack of reciprocated feelings and the unwillingness of the partner to mend the relationship. However, he states that he would still love her even if they end things. Kooper addresses his partner as “woman” and asserts that he refuses to dwell in a house of bitterness. He believes that if he can get over the break-up, she too can move on.
The song’s chorus, “go ahead and fly on,” is a metaphor for breaking away from a situation or a place where one has outgrown. It signifies the inevitability of change and the freedom that comes with it. He recognizes that the partner has made up her mind, and he is willing to release her to pursue what she wants. In the third verse, he reiterates his affection for her, even though they might be apart in the future.
“Fly On” is a song of hope, love, and the fear of the unknown. It captures the essence of letting go and moving on in life, even though the road ahead may seem unclear. It speaks of the depth of love, the pain of heartbreak, and the power of forgiveness.
Line by Line Meaning
If you think that I’m not loving you
If you question my love for you
If you think I’m not doing the things I said I’d do
If you doubt my ability to keep my promises
Well, some of us among you would say you were mistaken
Some would argue that you're wrong
Some would say you were paranoid
Some would suggest that you're overly suspicious
To bring about heartbreaking
Which would ultimately lead to heartbreak
If ya cant check yourself
If you can't control your actions
if you cant return my caress
If you can't reciprocate my affection
Woman I refuse to dwell in a house of bitterness
I won't stay in a negative environment
I could love you deeper than any woman ever loved a man
My love for you is powerful
But if you cant get next to me than I will let go of your hand
If you can't connect with me, I have to move on
And you can fly on
You have the freedom to do what you want
Go ahead & fly on
I support your decision to leave
I know you got to fly on
I understand that you need to go
Oh I can see the change that's come into your eye
I can tell that you've changed
There's another face in the space I used to occupy
Someone else has taken my place in your life
Aw you don't have to say a word
You don't need to explain
Your face says you’ve decided
I can tell from your expression that you've made up your mind
Oh but noone knows what wrong is, honey
But nobody really knows what's wrong
Until after they’ve tried it
Until they experience it for themselves
So go & fly on
So go ahead and leave
I will always love you no matter what you do
My love for you is unconditional
As a matter of fact my love
In fact, my love
Will just grow stronger if we’re through
Will only get stronger if we're apart
And if by chance you ever see the error in your ways
If you ever realize your mistake
Then I will take you back again
I'll be willing to reconcile
And we can live like yesterday and
We can go back to the way things used to be
Fly on
Do what you must
Together we could fly on
We could have flown together
We could fly on
We could have had great experiences
Together we could fly on
We could have shared those experiences together
Contributed by Julian S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.