After learning guitar at the age of 12, Scaggs met Steve Miller at St. Mark's School of Texas in Dallas. In 1959, he became the vocalist for Miller's band The Marksmen. The pair later attended the University of Wisconsin together, playing in blues bands like The Ardells and The Fabulous Knight Trains. Leaving school, Scaggs briefly left Texas to join the burgeoning rhythm and blues scene in London. After singing in bands such as The Wigs and Mother Earth, he recorded his first solo album Boz in 1965, which was not a commercial success. He traveled to Sweden as a solo performer and did a brief stint with the band The Other Side with fellow American Jack Downing and Brit Mac MacLeod.
Returning to the US, Scaggs promptly headed for the booming psychedelic music center of San Francisco in 1967. Linking up with Steve Miller again, he appeared on the Steve Miller Band's first two albums Children of the Future and Sailor, which won over critical reviews. After being spotted by Rolling Stone publisher Jann Wenner, Scaggs secured a solo contract with Atlantic Records in 1968. Despite good reviews, his first Atlantic album was met with lukewarm sales, as were followup albums on Columbia Records. In 1976, he linked up with session musicians who would later form Toto and recorded his smash album Silk Degrees. The album reached number 2 on the US charts and number 1 in a number of countries across the world, spawning three hit singles: "Lowdown", "Lido Shuffle", and "What Can I Say", as well as the MOR standard "We're All Alone", later a hit for Rita Coolidge. A sellout world tour followed, but his follow-up album, the 1977 Down Two Then Left, lacked the cohesion of Silk Degrees.
Scaggs' 1980 album Middle Man would spawn two top 20 hits, "Breakdown Dead Ahead" and "Jojo," and Scaggs would enjoy two more hits over 1980 and 1981 ("Look What You've Done to Me" from the Urban Cowboy soundtrack, and "Miss Sun" from a greatest hits set).
Scaggs continued to record and tour sporadically throughout the 1980s and 1990s, although he semi-retired from the music business and turned owner of the San Francisco nightclub Slim's. His lengthy hiatus from the music industry slowed his chart career down dramatically.
Scaggs recorded Other Roads in 1988, took another hiatus, and then came back in 1994 with Some Change. In the late 190s he released Come On Home, an album of blues, and My Time, an anthology. He garnered good reviews with Dig, although the CD, which was released on September 11, 2001, was lost in the post-911 melée. In May, 2003, Scaggs released But Beautiful, a collection of jazz standards that debuted at number 1 on the jazz charts.
In 2013 he released the album Memphis
Hércules
Boz Scaggs Lyrics
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Check out your own back yard
Before you check out someone else
Railroad tracks in my neighborhood
Ain't no trains around, that boy just ain't no good
Wanna know what's going down
And the pimp on the corner
Jungle rule, can't be no fool
Might get caught by the hook or the crook
Hot time for cool (hot time for cool)
Look out Jake what you say
What you carrying brother
I hope you're clean cause the man is mean
Don't have another brother
We all know the answer will come out in time
I might even carry some of your load along with mine
Thank you ma'am, mister please
But I must be Hercules (must be Hercules)
Must be Hercules (must be Hercules)
Like a bird on the wing
I just wanna be free enough to do my thing
I can feel the pressure on every side
If you not gonna help, don't hurt, just pass me by
Hercules (Hercules)
Must be must be Hercules (must be must be Hercules)
Jungle rules, can't be no fool
The devil is on the loose, no cool
Got your feet in the sand
Got to be down with the cats around
And you still gotta face that man
Talk about me if you please
Must be Hercules (must be Hercules)
Must be Hercules (must be Hercules)
Pitching rocks catching stones
How can I survive, what's going on
Beg, steal, borrow
Somehow I've gotta make it 'til tomorrow
Just like Hercules (just like Hercules)
Thank you ma'am, mister please
Must be Hercules (must be Hercules)
Must be Hercules (must be Hercules)
Talk about me
Must be Hercules (must be Hercules)
The lyrics of Boz Scaggs's song Hercules convey a deep sense of social consciousness and self-awareness. The first verse urges listeners to confront their own fears and problems before turning to criticize others. The second verse paints a picture of a rough urban landscape, warning against the dangers of living outside the law. The chorus emphasizes the need for strength and fortitude in such a harsh environment, evoking the mythical figure of Hercules as a symbol of resilience.
The third verse uses vivid imagery to describe the pressures faced by people in poverty, and suggests a need for empathy and mutual support. The final verse returns to the theme of strength and self-reliance, affirming the singer's determination to make it through at any cost. Throughout the song, the lyrics convey a sense of hard-won wisdom and resilience, and the need to stay strong in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
Cause of fear is fear itself
The only thing to fear is fear itself
Check out your own back yard
Examine your own situations before criticizing others
Before you check out someone else
Don't judge others until you have examined yourself
Railroad tracks in my neighborhood
Signs of trouble in the area
Ain't no trains around, that boy just ain't no good
Trouble is near, even if it isn't obvious
Wanna know what's going down
Curiosity about current events
And the pimp on the corner
Observing a figure of ill repute
Looks like the sharpest cat in town
Appearances can be deceiving
Jungle rule, can't be no fool
In the wild, you can't afford to make mistakes
Might get caught by the hook or the crook
Bad things can happen if you're not careful
Hot time for cool (hot time for cool)
Difficult to stay calm in a trying situation
Look out Jake what you say
Be cautious of your words and actions
What you carrying brother
Asking if someone is holding something in particular
I hope you're clean cause the man is mean
Be cautious about what you have, lest it be taken from you
Don't have another brother
Don't let someone else fall victim to the same fate
We all know the answer will come out in time
The truth will reveal itself eventually
I might even carry some of your load along with mine
I'm willing to help you in your struggles
Thank you ma'am, mister please
Common courtesy
But I must be Hercules (must be Hercules)
I must persevere through difficult times
Like a bird on the wing
Freedom to do what I want
I just wanna be free enough to do my thing
I yearn for independence
I can feel the pressure on every side
Stress from all points
If you not gonna help, don't hurt, just pass me by
If you aren't going to be supportive, then don't add to my troubles
Hercules (Hercules)
An exclamation of determination
Must be must be Hercules (must be must be Hercules)
I must be strong and tough it out
The devil is on the loose, no cool
Satan's influence is everywhere, and it's uneasy
Got your feet in the sand
Stuck in a precarious position
Got to be down with the cats around
Have to be in-tune with the people around you
And you still gotta face that man
Despite everything, you still have to confront your problems
Pitching rocks catching stones
Being dealt misfortune after hardship
How can I survive, what's going on
How do I weather this storm?
Beg, steal, borrow
Anything goes to get by
Somehow I've gotta make it 'til tomorrow
I just need to survive until the next day
Talk about me if you please
Feel free to speak ill of me
Must be Hercules (must be Hercules)
I'll still make it through
Talk about me
Say what you will
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Allen Toussaint
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind