Born in South Memphis, Tennessee, Jones was a child prodigy, playing the oboe, saxophone, trombone, and piano at school and serving as organist at his church. He attended Booker T. Washington High School, the alma mater of Rufus Thomas and shared the hallowed halls with future stars like Isaac Hayes's writing partner David Porter; saxophonist Andrew Love of The Memphis Horns; soul singer/songwriter William Bell and Earth, Wind, and Fire's Maurice White.
Jones's first entry into professional music came at age sixteen, when he played baritone saxophone on Satellite (soon to be Stax) Records' first hit, "Cause I Love You", by Rufus Thomas and Carla Thomas.
While hanging around the Satellite Record Shop run by Estelle Axton, co-owner of Satellite Records with her brother Jim Stewart, Jones met record clerk Steve Cropper, who would become one of the MGs when the group formed in 1962. Besides Jones on organ and Cropper on guitar, Booker T. and the MGs featured Lewie Steinberg on bass guitar and Al Jackson, Jr. on drums (Donald "Duck" Dunn eventually replacing Steinberg). While still in high school, Jones wrote the group's instrumental "Green Onions", which not only became a hit in 1962, but remains an enduring classic more than 40 years later.
Over the next few years, Jones would divide his time between studying classical music composition, composing and transposition at Indiana University, playing with the MGs on the weekends back in Memphis[1], serving as a session musician with other Stax acts, and writing songs that would become classics. He wrote, with Eddie Floyd, "I've Never Found a Girl (To Love Me Like You Do)", Otis Redding's "I Love You More Than Words Can Say", and, with William Bell, Albert King's "Born Under a Bad Sign." The latter would later be popularized in the cover version by power trio Cream.
In 1970, Jones moved to California and stopped playing sessions for Stax, after becoming frustrated with Stax's treatment of the MGs as employees rather than musicians. While still under contract to Stax, he appeared on Stephen Stills' eponymous album (1970). The 1971 album, Melting Pot would be the last Booker T. & the MGs album issued on Stax.
Jones produced three albums with his former wife, under the name Booker T. & Priscilla, as well as making the charts as a solo artist in 1981 with "I Want You". He produced Priscilla's sister Rita Coolidge, Bill Withers's debut album Just As I Am (on which he also played several instruments), and Willie Nelson's album Stardust. He has also lent his trademark keyboards to everyone from Ray Charles to Neil Young to Natalie Merchant. Jones currently still plays with Booker T. & the MGs and his own Booker T. Jones Band.
Jones was inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992, and was honored with a Grammy award for lifetime achievement on February 11, 2007.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Just a Friend
Booker T. Jones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just friends, but not like before
To think of what we've been and not to kiss again
Seems like pretending it isn't the ending
Two friends drifting apart
Two friends, but one broken heart
We loved, we laughed, we cried, and suddenly love died
The lyrics of "Just a Friend" by Booker T. Jones depict a relationship that has transitioned from being lovers to just friends. The song reflects upon the bittersweet reality of two people who were once deeply connected, but have now drifted apart. The singer acknowledges the end of their love story, and laments the fact that they can no longer share the same intimate moments they once did. They are left with the memories of their shared laughter and tears, but the feeling of love has vanished.
The lyrics capture the sense of longing and yearning for what once was. The phrase "Seems like pretending it isn't the ending" suggests that the singer may still have feelings for their friend but is resigned to the fact that the romantic aspect of their relationship is over. The line "Two friends, but one broken heart" emphasizes the pain that one of them may be experiencing as they try to navigate the complexities of remaining in each other's lives without the same level of emotional connection.
Line by Line Meaning
Just friends, lovers no more
We were once lovers, but now we are only friends.
Just friends, but not like before
We are still friends, but our relationship has changed.
To think of what we've been and not to kiss again
It's difficult to remember our past and not have the desire to kiss each other again.
Seems like pretending it isn't the ending
It feels like we are pretending that our relationship is not coming to an end.
Two friends drifting apart
Both of us are gradually moving away from each other.
Two friends, but one broken heart
Although we are still friends, one of us is heartbroken.
We loved, we laughed, we cried, and suddenly love died
We experienced love, laughter, and tears together, but our love unexpectedly came to an end.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: JOHN KLENNER, SAM M. LEWIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Viper Dmk
I sang this with a group of 4 friends and was pretty awesome all of us had fun singing it
lulu a
this song is very catchy i love it!!!!!
Lautaro Guarracino
Vine por la pelicula de jona hill " un niñero sin verguenza" . La vi hace mil y me habia quedado esta rola pero no sabia como buscarla , ahora volvi a verla busque la letra y la encontre
Wüstentrupler
I love that song.
Mytru Mara
I'm learning this song to sing during karaoke.
Kat Daugherty
Every time i hear this it makes me think of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia lol!
Jonathan Walls
This is better than the original.... 😅
Mmm Dat Jazz
I hope that this beautiful rendition of he song is not tainted by those brought here by YFM. That would be a shame...
Wüstentrupler
I love that
Teutonica
i like it ^L^