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.
I Believe To My Soul
Al Kooper Lyrics
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You're gonna look for me and I'll be gone
'Cause I believe (I believe, yes I believe)
I say I believe right now (I believe, yes I believe)
Well I believe to my soul now,
Tryin' to make a fool of me (I believe it, I believe it)
Well you're goin' 'round here with your head so hard,
'Cause I believe (I believe, yes I believe)
I say I believe right now (I believe, yes I believe)
Well I believe to my soul now
Tryin' to make a fool of me (I believe it, I believe it)
Last night you were dreaming and I heard you say
"Oh, Johnny" when you know my name is Ray
That's why I believe right now (I believe, yes I believe)
I say I believe right now (I believe, yes I believe)
Whoa I believe to my soul now
Tryin' to make a fool of me (I believe it)
The lyrics in Al Kooper's "I Believe to My Soul" tell a story of a man who has had enough of being played for a fool. The opening line, "One of these days and it won't be long, you're gonna look for me and I'll be gone," indicates that this man has reached his breaking point and is finally ready to leave a relationship where he has been mistreated. He then goes on to state that he believes in his decision to leave, emphasizing it with repetition of the phrase "I believe" throughout the song.
The singer then addresses his partner directly, saying that they have been hard-headed and difficult to deal with, and that he may need to resort to violence to make them understand. This assertion is again emphasized with repetition of the phrase "I believe."
The final verse offers a twist, as the singer reveals that he has overheard his partner calling out the wrong name in her sleep. This suggests that she has been unfaithful, and that, ultimately, his decision to leave is justified.
Overall, the lyrics of "I Believe to My Soul" communicate the frustration, anger, and hurt of a person who has been mistreated in a relationship. The repetition of the phrase "I believe" highlights the singer's firm conviction in his decision to leave, and the song closes on a note of validation, as he realizes that he is not the one in the wrong.
Line by Line Meaning
One of these days and it won't be long,
Soon enough, you'll realize that I'm no longer around
You're gonna look for me and I'll be gone
You'll come searching for me, but I'll already have left
'Cause I believe (I believe, yes I believe)
I'm confident and sure of my beliefs
I say I believe right now (I believe, yes I believe)
I'm reiterating my unwavering conviction
Well I believe to my soul now,
I have complete and utter faith in what I'm saying
Tryin' to make a fool of me (I believe it, I believe it)
You're attempting to deceive me, but I see right through it
Well you're goin' 'round here with your head so hard,
You're acting arrogant and self-important
I think I'm gonna have to use my rod
I might have to resort to force to deal with your behavior
Last night you were dreaming and I heard you say
I overheard you talking in your sleep
"Oh, Johnny" when you know my name is Ray
You called out a different name, which shows you're not really paying attention to me
That's why I believe right now (I believe, yes I believe)
Your actions have confirmed my suspicions
Whoa I believe to my soul now
My belief is held deep within me
Tryin' to make a fool of me (I believe it)
You're still attempting to trick me, but I'm not falling for it
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: RAY CHARLES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind