Preston first came to widespread attention of a U.S. mainstream audience as the organist (and sometimes vocalist) in the house band on the television show 'Shindig,' popular during 1964-66. On tour backing stars Little Richard and Sam Cooke, he met the Beatles (early in their career) in Hamburg, Germany in 1962. He was later invited by George Harrison to join The Beatles in the studio for the filming/recording of 'Let It Be' (1970). Preston's most memorable performance with the Beatles is on the track "Get Back".
The apparent reason for the collaboration was that the project was being done live— without overdubs— and the Beatles wanted a second keyboardist. Preston's soulful style was to compliment the rhythm and blues approach the Beatles had for this album. His was a genre they'd grown up listening to and were reaching back to as well as paying tribute to.
Another apparent reason for Preston's involvement was to buffer the growing tensions between the members of the band (that had started around the time of filming). Everyone set aside their differences to make Preston feel welcome at the sessions. Members of the band have later commented on their joy with working with Preston, whom they respected as a talented musician.
While Preston was never considered for permanent membership in the Beatles (despite stories to the contrary), he did continue working with them through to the end of the 60s: releasing two solo albums on Apple Records (the Beatles' label), collaborating with George Harrison on 'All Things Must Pass', and joining in on the Concert for Bangladesh— one of the first significant benefit concerts of its kind (at Madison Square Garden in 1972). Preston also later made an appearance in the infamous Beatles tribute film 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' (1978), as the title character— Sgt. Pepper. He's sometimes been referred to as a 'Fifth Beatle'.
In addition to work with said group, Preston also played and toured with The Rolling Stones, playing on significant albums such as 'Sticky Fingers' and 'Exile on Main St.' In the 70s, Preston also worked with Bob Dylan, playing as an accompanist on ' Blood on the Tracks', and Aretha Franklin, on her record 'Young, Gifted and Black'. As the years went on, Preston collaborated with numerous other artists including Barbra Streisand and Miles Davis, also notable touring with Sly and the Family Stone for a time. He also played organ with the Ray Charles big band on tour in the late 60s.
In terms of his solo career, Preston's hit tracks "Will It Go 'Round in Circles" and "Nothing From Nothing" both reached all the way to number one in the U.S. and still remain staples of oldies stations. He won a Grammy Award for best pop instrumental performance for "Outa Space" in 1971, and he received an invitation to the White House no less in 1974. Though perhaps overshadowed by his collaborative work, he devolved a strong and devoted fan-base as album after album made it into the Billboard top 200 album chart.
Preston was also the music director and band leader for the Garry Shandling show in the 80s, returning to the TV work that had given him his start. Yet, in the 80s and 90s, Preston sadly suffered substance abuse and financial issues. He spent three years in prison in 1997 for a drugs possession charge handed out earlier that year (cocaine possession and assault).
His last recordings were on the Red Hot Chili Peppers' album 'Stadium Arcadium' and with Neil Diamond for his "12 songs" record, both produced by Rick Rubin.
A U.S. musical legend, Preston passed away at the age of 59 in a hospital in Scottsdale, Arizona, as a result of "malignant hypertension that resulted in kidney failure and other complications".
The Bus
Billy Preston Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come home and found my brother gone
Wo, wo-wo wo, oh. Lord, hey hey hey, yeah
The bus is comin'
The funky system's gotta fall now
Or it's gotta be changed to include us all
Oh the Constitution, the Bill of Rights.
Lord hey hey hey hey!
Yeah
* Now is the time for you to understand
You can't keep a good man down
Why don't you try to lend a helping hand?
We can work it out together
Live in harmony forever, Lord
Got drunk one night, went to jail
The nasty pigs wouldn't set my bail
Oh, Lord Lord, hey hey hey hey!
(Don't know why they did that)
The bus is comin'
Alright!
(* Repeat)
(I had the money, why are the things so funky)
The bus is comin' yeah
The bus is comin'
Hey, hey, hey, yeah!
Hey!
Yeah, alright
Let's get it on
Hey, hey, hey, hey
Come on, let's groove on your...
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey,
Feels good, yeah, etc.
Yeah, come on
Ride on rhythm, ride on beat, come on
Ride on rhythm, ride on beat, come on
Ride on rhythm, ride on beat, feels good, etc.
Hey, hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey, hey
I feel good
Come on, let's have party
Let me hear your...
Don't you wanna party, etc.
Feels good alright
It feels good alright, etc.
Hey, hey, hey, hey
Well, well, well
Come on party, etc.
Don't wanna party, etc.
Everybody, dance to the music, etc.
The song "The Bus" by Billy Preston is a political anthem calling for social change and equality. The singer has just returned from the Vietnam War and discovered that his brother is missing. He sings about the need for change in the "funky system" that excludes certain groups of people. The Constitution and Bill of Rights are mentioned as documents that should include everyone, not just a select few. The chorus speaks of the bus coming, which could be interpreted as a symbol of progress or change on the horizon.
The lyrics speak to the experiences of many marginalized groups in America, particularly during the Civil Rights era. The singer has experienced discrimination first-hand and is calling for others to lend a helping hand in the fight for equality. He acknowledges that it won't be easy, as evidenced by his own experience of being unjustly jailed, but he emphasizes the importance of perseverance and unity.
Overall, "The Bus" is a powerful call to action that encourages listeners to get involved and fight for a better society for all. The song's catchy beat and infectious energy make it an enduring example of a socially-conscious funk anthem.
Line by Line Meaning
Just got home from Viet Nam
The singer has returned from the Vietnam War.
Come home and found my brother gone
When the singer returned home, they discovered that their brother was not there.
Wo, wo-wo wo, oh. Lord, hey hey hey, yeah
Exclamation of emotions.
The bus is comin'
The artist is indicating that something is about to happen.
The funky system's gotta fall now
The artist is calling for the end of a corrupt societal system.
Or it's gotta be changed to include us all
The singer argues that the only way to fix the system is to include everyone.
Oh the Constitution, the Bill of Rights.
The singer references the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, highlighting the lack of equality in the system.
Lord hey hey hey hey!
Exclamation of emotions.
Now is the time for you to understand
The artist believes this is the moment for listeners to recognize the current issues.
You can't keep a good man down
The artist claims that they can't be brought down by the system.
Why don't you try to lend a helping hand?
The singer implores others to support them and work towards change.
We can work it out together
The artist encourages collaboration to solve the problem.
Live in harmony forever, Lord
The singer envisions a future where everyone lives in peace.
Got drunk one night, went to jail
The singer recounts a time when they were arrested for intoxication.
The nasty pigs wouldn't set my bail
The singer had to stay in jail because the police officers were cruel.
Oh, Lord Lord, hey hey hey hey!
Exclamation of emotions.
(Don't know why they did that)
The artist is questioning why the police officers didn't let them go.
Alright!
The singer is expressing agreement with something.
I had the money, why are the things so funky
The singer is bewildered because they had money but still faced difficulties.
Come on, let's groove on your...
The artist is calling on others to dance and enjoy themselves.
Feels good, yeah, etc.
The artist is expressing how good they feel.
Ride on rhythm, ride on beat, come on
The artist is encouraging the listeners to dance and have fun.
Feels good alright, etc.
The singer is reinforcing how good they feel.
Come on party, etc.
The artist is calling for a party and inviting people to join in.
Everybody, dance to the music, etc.
The singer is urging everyone to dance and enjoy the music.
Contributed by Hannah R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ronnie Felder
I'll always love Billy Preston. He was also known as the 5th Beatle. I met him one night at a gas station pumping his own gas, on Fairfax and San Vicente. He gave me some good stories, as he pumped gas into his Rolls Royce!! It was about 2:00am. I'll never forget that chance meeting that night!!
Ursula B.
A new favorite! I love that little shift in the musical style.
Ston
Aww ,man. When my father bought this album. I wore this shit out. I didn't care about Outta Space, this was my song.
seanio casey
Hit the nail on the head there friend-flipped mine over to hear this.
Tony Adams
Been on the Bus Stop 400 years, now I see it’s finally in view...Let’s roll y’all
Mr Unique74
Childhood brought me here.
Wali Bashir
The bus ride 2 soul town brought me here.
doobeedoo2
hmm, this is before songs to key of life...
Ramon Manning
XM radio brought me here.
jalii1996
Me too