Billy Joe Royal (April 3, 1942 – October 6, 2015) was an American pop and c… Read Full Bio ↴Billy Joe Royal (April 3, 1942 – October 6, 2015) was an American pop and country singer.

Born in Valdosta, Georgia, and raised in Marietta, Georgia, Royal became a local star at the Bamboo Ranch in Savannah in the 1950s and 1960s. He is best known for the 1965 US Top 10 pop hit "Down in the Boondocks", which, along with the singles "I Knew You When" (Top 20, 1965) and "Hush" (1967), were written and produced by Joe South. Another South composition, "Yo-Yo," just missed the top 40 in Canada and charted poorly in the U.S. when Royal released it in 1967, but a later remake by The Osmonds was a much greater success. His 1969 single, "Cherry Hill Park", peaked at No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100. In the 1970s his recording of "Heart's Desire" gained popularity among Northern soul enthusiasts and was regularly played in Northern soul nightclubs.

During the 1980s, Royal had a successful comeback with several Top 10 country hits, including "Tell It Like It Is", "Burned Like a Rocket", and "I'll Pin a Note on Your Pillow".

Royal's career experienced a second major period during the 2000s due to regular airplay on "oldies" radio stations. His music was further exposed to younger generations through a movement known as The Beat Army, an online music forum based on Facebook which is operated by author and music producer Paul Collins. Royal continued to tour regularly, performing concerts at casinos, music festivals and clubs in Canada, the United States, Japan and throughout Europe. His set lists include a mixture of songs representing multiple genres from the 1960s to the present.

Royal played Robert Ally in the indie Western film Billy the Kid (2013), co-starring country singer Cody McCarver.

Royal died in his sleep on October 6, 2015 in Morehead City, North Carolina.

Slip Away
Billy Joe Royal Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

What would I give for just a few moments?
What would I give just to have you near?
Tell me you would try to slip away somehow
Oh, I need you darling I want to see you right now
Can you slip away, slip away
Slip away, oh, I need you so
Oh, love, oh, love, how sweet it is
When you still involve it

Let me tell you how sweet it is
Now I know it's wrong
The things I ask you to do
But please believe me darling
I don't mean to hurt you
But can you slip away
Without him knowing you're gone
Baby we could meet somewhere
Somewhere we both are not known
Can you slip away, slip away
Slip away, I need you so
Oh, can you slip away, baby?
I'd like to see you right now, darling
Can you slip away, baby?
Cause I got to, got to see you

I feel a deep burning inside
Oh, I wish you could slip away

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Billy Joe Royal's song Slip Away are about a man who is deeply in love with a woman but for various reasons cannot be with her openly. He is asking her to slip away and meet him privately so they can spend some time together. The man expresses his love and desire for the woman, asking her what he would give to have her close to him for a few moments. He pleads with her to slip away without anyone knowing, promising that they could meet somewhere they are not known. The man feels a deep burning inside and wishes that the woman could slip away to be with him.

The song is a poignant story of forbidden love and the lengths that people will go to be with someone they love, even if it means having to hide it from the world. The lyrics are emotional and full of yearning, with the singer's voice conveying his intense longing for the woman he loves. The song was a hit in the 1960s and has remained popular with fans of soul, R&B, and blues music.

Line by Line Meaning

What would I give for just a few moments?
I would do anything to be with you for a little while

What would I give just to have you near?
Just to be close to you, I would give anything

Tell me you would try to slip away somehow
Please tell me you will find a way to sneak away

Oh, I need you darling I want to see you right now
I need you badly, I want to see you immediately

Can you slip away, slip away
Can you sneak away without being noticed?

Slip away, oh, I need you so
Please sneak away, I really need you now

Oh, love, oh, love, how sweet it is
Love is amazing and sweet

When you still involve it
When you are still experiencing love

Let me tell you how sweet it is
Let me tell you how amazing love can be

Now I know it's wrong
I understand that what I'm asking is not right

The things I ask you to do
I know I'm asking you to do something risky or bad