Founder Al Kooper conceived Blood, Sweat and Tears as an experiment in expanding the size and scope of the rock band with touches of jazz , blues , classical , and folk music. When Kooper was forced out of the band soon after its eclectic debut, Child Is Father to the Man, BS&T became increasingly identified as a "jazz-rock" group, although its music was essentially easy-listening rhythm and blues or rock with the addition of brass.
Kooper formed BS&T after leaving the Blues Project in 1967. The nucleus of the original band was Steve Katz, also of the Blues Project; Jim Fielder, who had played with the Mothers of Invention and Buffalo Springfield; and Bobby Colomby, who had drummed behind folksingers Odetta and Eric Andersen. The horn players were recruited from New York jazz and studio bands. Child Is Father featured songs by Harry Nilsson, Tim Buckley, Randy Newman, Gerry Goffin, and Carole King, along with Kooper originals and arrangements by Fred Lipsius for brass, strings, and studio effects. The band nearly broke up when Kooper, Randy Brecker, and Jerry Weiss left (Brecker to join The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra). Regrouping under Katz and Colomby, and fronted by David Clayton-Thomas (who had sung with a Canadian blues band, The Bossmen), BS&T entered a period of immense popularity. Blood, Sweat & Tears featured arrangements of music by French composer Erik Satie and jazz singer Billie Holiday, as well as by Laura Nyro, Steve Winwood, and others. It was the #1 album for seven weeks in 1969, sold over 3 million copies, and spawned three gold singles: “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy,” “Spinning Wheel,” and “And When I Die,” each of which hit #2.
In 1970 the U.S. State Department sent the band on a goodwill tour of Yugoslavia, Romania, and Poland. Blood, Sweat & Tears 3 duplicated the Blood, Sweat & Tears mix of styles and was almost as popular. The album went to #1, and two singles, “Hi-De-Ho” and “Lucretia MacEvil,” hit the Top 30. But interest in the group began to wane, and 4, which contained almost all original material, barely made the Top 10. In 1971 “Go Down Gamblin’” was its last hit. By the time Clayton-Thomas left for a solo career in 1972, BS&T’s place on the charts had been filled by similarly styled bands such as Chicago, Chase, and Ides of March. Katz left the next year, first to join the short-lived American Flyer and then to an A&R position at Mercury Records.
BS&T became regulars in Las Vegas, with ever-changing personnel recruited largely from big bands like Maynard Ferguson’s, Woody Herman’s, and Doc Severinsen’s. Vocalist Jerry LaCroix appeared between his tenures with Edgar Winter’s White Trash and Rare Earth, while guitarist Mike Stern later played with Miles Davis’ early-’80s band. Clayton-Thomas’ return in 1974 briefly boosted BS&T’s popularity, but Columbia dropped the group, and Colomby, the last original member, left in 1976. He continued to influence BS&T as producer of Brand New Day and, with Clayton-Thomas, as co-owner of the band’s name and catalogue. He then moved on to a career in A&R for several labels, as well as TV reporting. Since 1975 the live act has been billed as Blood, Sweat and Tears Featuring David Clayton-Thomas. [from The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll (Simon & Schuster, 2001)
http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/bloodsweatandtears/biography
In late 2005, the band returned to touring. The year 2007 witnessed the band's first world tour in a decade. From 2008 through 2010, Steve Katz returned to appear at BS&T's shows as a special guest.
From 2013 till 2018, Blood Sweat and Tears was fronted by Bo Bice, who was the runner-up against Carrie Underwood in the fourth season of American Idol.
In 2018, the group decided to replace Bice with former Tower of Power singer Tom Bowes, who had previously done a brief stint with BS&T back in July through November 2012.
In 2019 Keith Paluso, from the reality TV show The Voice, was chosen as BS&T's new singer.
Blues
Blood Sweat & Tears Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's been some women in my life, yeah
You could say I've known my share
Some of them cried for me
Some of them just didn't care, mmmm
Some of them been hard on me
Some of them tore me up deep inside
Some of them were good to me, mmm
But woman, let me tell you
You're ev'ry girl I've ever known
You make me feel so very happy sometimes
And then you make me feel so all alone
And sometimes I reach out for you
Yeah, but you just won't take my hand
And sometimes in winter
When I'm lonely tired and cold
You know if feels so good in the middle of the night
Just to have your hand to hold
Please, why don't you tell me where I stand
Yeah, take my hand
Don't turn your back on me girl, no
Turn around and take a good long look at a man in love
Mmmmmmm, yeah yeah yeah
Turn around right now
Take a good look at a man who needs your love, yeah
Can you see him baby?
Tell me what you see!
I want to know, does he look like your man
And if he does, I want you to tell me one little thing
Tell me, whoa
Why don't you hold him, love him, kiss him, squeeze him
Stand beside him, never let him go, ohhh
God knows you love him (fades into Variations on a Theme)
The lyrics of "Blues Part II" by Blood Sweat & Tears express a man's contemplation about his relationship with women, expressing the various experiences he has had with them over time. He reflects that he has known many women, and while some have been good to him, others have been hard on him, leading to emotional pain. Despite these experiences, the woman he is addressing is different from all the others, as she encompasses all the qualities he has ever sought in a woman. He acknowledges that she makes him feel both happy and alone at times, but he still wants her to hold his hand as it makes him feel a sense of comfort and security, especially in the midst of the winter season when he feels lonely, tired, and cold. He urges the woman not to turn her back on him but to turn around and take a good look at a man who is in love with her and needs her love, someone who desires to be held, loved, kissed, and never let go.
The man's words convey a strong sense of vulnerability and yearning for intimacy, as he desires a deep connection with the woman who he feels completes him. Throughout the song, the man is unsure of where he stands with the woman, asking her to take his hand to show him their connection. His words express the universal desire for human connection and love, as he reflects on the different experiences he has had with women, leading him to realize that the woman he is addressing is different from all others he has known.
Line by Line Meaning
Mmm Mmmm
The singer makes a sound indicating that he is about to share something personal.
There's been some women in my life, yeah
The singer has had several romantic relationships in his life.
You could say I've known my share
The singer has been involved with enough women to have a fair amount of experience.
Some of them cried for me
Some of the women the singer has been with have been emotional and cried over him.
Some of them just didn't care, mmmm
Some of the women the singer has been with were indifferent to him.
Some of them been hard on me
Some of the women were difficult to deal with, causing the singer emotional distress.
Some of them tore me up deep inside
The singer was hurt deeply by some of the women he has been with.
Some of them were good to me, mmm
Not all of the women the singer has been with were difficult - some were kind to him.
Some of them never even tried
Some of the women weren't interested in making the relationship work and didn't try to make an effort.
But woman, let me tell you
The singer is addressing a specific woman whom he wants to express himself to.
You're ev'ry girl I've ever known
The woman he's addressing is the most important woman he's ever been with.
You make me feel so very happy sometimes
The singer is happy when he's with this woman.
And then you make me feel so all alone
The woman sometimes makes the singer feel lonely and isolated.
And sometimes I reach out for you
The singer tries to connect with the woman and make their relationship work.
Yeah, but you just won't take my hand
The woman is hesitant to get closer to the singer.
And sometimes in winter
During a lonely season when he's feeling down...
When I'm lonely tired and cold
...the singer feels particularly alone and in need of companionship.
You know if feels so good in the middle of the night
The singer craves physical affection and touch.
Just to have your hand to hold
Simply holding the woman's hand brings the singer comfort and happiness.
Please, why don't you tell me where I stand
The singer wants to know how the woman feels about him and their relationship.
Yeah, take my hand
The singer is pleading with the woman to get closer to him and try to make their relationship work.
Don't turn your back on me girl, no
The singer is afraid the woman will reject him or move on without him.
Turn around and take a good long look at a man in love
The singer is confident in his feelings for the woman and wants her to recognize that he loves her.
Mmmmmmm, yeah yeah yeah
The singer is expressing himself emotionally with sound.
Turn around right now
The singer wants the woman to pay attention to him and his feelings immediately.
Take a good look at a man who needs your love, yeah
The singer is begging the woman to recognize his need for love and affection.
Can you see him baby?
The singer is asking the woman if she understands how much he needs her.
Tell me what you see!
The singer is interested in how the woman perceives him and his feelings.
I want to know, does he look like your man
The singer is trying to understand if he has what the woman is looking for in a partner.
And if he does, I want you to tell me one little thing
If the singer is the kind of man the woman is interested in, he wants to know what her feelings are about him.
Tell me, whoa
The singer is waiting anxiously for the woman to respond to him.
Why don't you hold him, love him, kiss him, squeeze him
The singer wants the woman to display affection towards him physically.
Stand beside him, never let him go, ohhh
The singer is asking the woman to commit to him and never leave him.
God knows you love him (fades into Variations on a Theme)
The singer is calling on God to understand his love for the woman and expressing his emotions freely.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: STEVEN E KATZ, FRED LIPSIUS, DAVID CLAYTON-THOMAS, ROBERT COLOMBY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind