Al Kooper (born Alan Peter Kuperschmidt February 5, 1944, Brooklyn, New Yor… Read Full Bio ↴Al Kooper (born Alan Peter Kuperschmidt February 5, 1944, Brooklyn, New York) is an American songwriter, producer and musician, probably best known for organizing the group Blood, Sweat & Tears, though he didn't stay with the group long enough to share its popularity.

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.

One
Al Kooper Lyrics

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Well I got a woman, way over town
She's good to me, oh yeah
Said I got a woman, way over town
She's good to me, oh yeah
She gives me money when I'm in need
Yeah, she's a kind of friend indeed
I got a woman, way over town
She's good to me, oh yeah

She saves her lovin', early in the mornin'
Just for me, oh yeah
She saves her lovin', early in the mornin'
Just for me, oh yeah
She saves her lovin', just for me
Always loves me, so tenderly
I got a woman, way over town
She's good to me, oh yeah

She's there to love me
Both day and night

Never grumbles or fusses
Always treats me right
Never runnin' in the streets
Leavin' me alone
She knows a woman's place
Is right there, now, in the home

I got a woman, way over town
She's good to me, oh yeah
Said I got a woman, way over town
She's good to me, oh yeah
Well, she's my baby, don't you understand
Yeah, I'm her lovin' man, now
I got a woman, way over town
She's good to me, oh yeah
Well, don't you know she's all right

Well, don't you know she's all right
She's all right, she's all right

Overall Meaning

The singer of the song "I Got A Woman" by Al Kooper is singing about his woman, who is an incredibly supportive partner who is always there when he needs help. He emphasizes on how she gives him money when he's in a tight situation, which is a testament to her kindheartedness. The woman also saves her love for him, and he describes her love as being tender and saved only for him. In addition, he notes that his woman is always there to love him day and night and never complains or walks out on him. The singer also asserts that the woman has a sense of duty towards him and never leaves the house unnecessarily.

Line by Line Meaning

Well I got a woman, way over town
I have a woman who lives far away from me

She's good to me, oh yeah
She is kind and loving towards me

Said I got a woman, way over town
I'm telling you, I have a woman who lives far away from me

She gives me money when I'm in need
She helps me financially when I require it

Yeah, she's a kind of friend indeed
She is truly a helpful and caring friend

She saves her lovin', early in the mornin'
She waits until morning to show her affection

Just for me, oh yeah
Her affection is reserved solely for me

She saves her lovin', just for me
She only shows love and affection towards me

Always loves me, so tenderly
She expresses her love and care for me with gentleness and care

She's there to love me
She is always present to show me love and affection

Both day and night
Consistently throughout the entire day

Never grumbles or fusses
She never complains or is difficult

Always treats me right
She always treats me with respect and kindness

Never runnin' in the streets
She never goes out without me or does anything reckless

Leavin' me alone
She never leaves me feeling lonely or abandoned

She knows a woman's place
She understands the traditional role of a woman in society

Is right there, now, in the home
She believes a woman's place is in the home

Well, she's my baby, don't you understand
She is my significant other, don't you see?

Yeah, I'm her lovin' man, now
I am her loving partner

Well, don't you know she's all right
Do you not realize that she is great?

She's all right, she's all right
She is more than just okay, she is wonderful

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Unison Rights S.L., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Renald J. Richard, Ray Charles

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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