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".
Will It Go Round In Circles
Billy Preston Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'ma gonna sing it to my friends
I've got a song, I ain't got no melody
I'ma gonna sing it to my friends
Will it go round in circles?
Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky?
Will it go round in circles?
I've got a story, ain't got no moral
Let the bad guy win every once in a while
I've got a story, ain't got no moral
Let the bad guy win every once in a while
Will it go round in circles?
Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky?
Will it go round in circles?
Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky?
I've got a dance, ain't got no steps, no
I'm gonna let the music move me around
I've got a dance, I ain't got no steps
I'm gonna let the music move me around
Will it go round in circles?
Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky?
Will it go round in circles?
Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky?
Well
Well
Well
Well
Will it go round in circles?
Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky?
Will it go round in circles?
Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky?
I've got a song, I ain't got no melody
I'ma gonna sing it to my friends
I've got a song, I ain't got no melody
I'ma gonna sing it to my friends
Will it go round in circles?
Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky?
Will it go round in circles?
Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky? Woo
Ayy
Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky?
Will it go round in circles?
Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky?
Go round in circles
Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky?
Will it go round in circles?
Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky? Ooh
The lyrics to Billy Preston’s hit song “Will It Go Round in Circles” explore different kinds of creativity and the uncertain nature of where they will lead. The opening lines describe the singer’s desire to share a song with no defined melody or structure just with his friends. It is as though he is interested in the process of creation and not solely focused on the final product. The song includes the repeated questioning of whether the project will be successful in expressing the creativity and the passion that the author has for it. Essentially, the author is searching for reassurance that his ideas will be successful and valued.
Another aspect of the song is its meditation on uncertainty. The author wonders whether his creation will find the freedom and soaring success that he hopes for. The bird metaphors throughout the song suggest that the author is searching for a way to rise above and beyond the boundaries of conventional success. The lyrics “Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky?” are repeated throughout the song, representing the singlular focus of the author’s preoccupation. The repeating chorus creates an atmosphere of suspense, wonder, and desire for flight – almost as if the author is attempting to spread his own wings and fly.
In conclusion, the lyrics to Billy Preston's "Will It Go Round in Circles" are a search for a creative freedom and expression, as well as an expression of the author's uncertainty and hesitancy about the creative process. The bird metaphors throughout provide poetic and emotional depth to this search for success and freedom.
Line by Line Meaning
I've got a song I ain't got no melody
I have a message to share, but no specific way of sharing it
I'ma gonna sing it to my friends
I'm going to share this message with those closest to me
Will it go round in circles?
Will this message be discussed and passed around?
Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky?
Will this message be popularized and spread far and wide?
I've got a story ain't got no moral
I have a tale to share, but it may not have a clear lesson
Let the bad guy win every once in a while
Sometimes the narrative doesn't follow a straight path and the bad guy can come out on top
I've got a dance I ain't got no steps, no
I have a feeling to express, but no defined way of expressing it
I'm gonna let the music move me around
I'm going to let my emotions guide my expression
Well
General exclamation or interjection
Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky?
Will this message be popularized and spread far and wide?
Will it go round in circles?
Will this message be discussed and passed around?
Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky, woo?
Will this message be popularized and spread far and wide?
Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky?
Will this message be popularized and spread far and wide?
Go round in circles?
Will this message be discussed and passed around?
Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky?
Will this message be popularized and spread far and wide?
Will it go round in circles?
Will this message be discussed and passed around?
Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky, ooh?
Will this message be popularized and spread far and wide?
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Billy Preston, Bruce Carleton Fisher
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@TheRealForrestGeorge
I've got a song, I ain't got no melody
I'ma gonna sing it to my friends
I've got a song, I ain't got no melody
I' ma gonna sing it to my friends
Will it go round in circles
Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky
Will it go round in circles
Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky
I've got a story, ain't got no moral
Let the bad guy win every once in a while
I've got a story, ain't got no moral
Let the bad guy win every once in a while
Will it go round in circles
Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky
Will it go round in circles
Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky
I've got a dance, I ain't got no steps, no
I'm gonna let the music move me around
I've got a dance, I ain't got no steps
I'm gonna let the music move me around
Will it go round in circles
Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky
Will it go round in circles
Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky
[Instrumental Interlude]
Will it go round in circles
Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky
Will it go round in circles
Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky
I've got a song, I ain't got no melody
I'ma gonna sing it to my friends
I've got a song, I ain't got no melody
I' ma gonna sing it to my friends
Will it go round in circles
Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky
Will it go round in circles
Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky
@wegap2012
Billy Preston was the real deal. And this song never gets tired. Jammin it in 2022!!
@Bixfan78
This song literally gave me a reason to keep living when I was going through some seriously depressing events as a 14-year-old boy in 1973. If a song could free my heart, give me joy and make me feel like dancing, then...life was worth living. Thank you and bless you, Billy. And thanks to TheSeminole13, too!
@barbarabrown5250
Awnnn bless you and your family as well as Billy
@drsuessl
Music helps so much ❤️❤️
@evak2347
@Anne Lorigan music is key, it’s the only language we all innately understand
@evak2347
I want you to know that i love you!
@grantsmythe8625
If I'm not mistaken, Billy Preston also played with the Beatles and other famous artists, but I could be wrong.
Edit....Ooops, I see his picture with George!
@7389
This song came into my mind out of the blue. I miss the 70's and the great music we had, good Ole AM radio that played a little bit of everything. 💫
@tulayamalavenapi4028
HARE Krishna 🎉
@MarkWYoung-ky4uc
We had some great music back then pop, rock, funk, r and b, disco ect. There was something for everyone.