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
Thanks to You
Boz Scaggs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've got a reason to get outta bed make a move or two
Thanks to you
There's a net below cause otherwise well I don't know
And thanks to you
There are promises of laughs and loves and labyrinths
And reason to suspect that I'm meant for this
A smile a song a tender kiss
Thanks to you
There's a thing I think I know
I really mean or variations on that theme
Thanks to you
I have time to turn time to cool and time to burn
And thanks to you
There's something suddenly too good to miss
In other words a way through this
And just when one might feel so perfectly alone
There's someone else's stuff to trip on besides ones own
Thanks to you
One can only guess what happens next
As it is I balk and stumble through a world gone quite absurd
Dodging shadows lurching through the rain
I'm not complaining but I'm caught
With or without you I'd have to get through this anyway
So where does the genius go when business is slow
And even dreaming has a way of scheming to get you down
Likely off at some chateau so how would he know
It gets as lonely up there as anywhere
Where moving over to make room once seemed impossible
It's not impossible
That one handed applause
That unspoken word
That treefall in the forest someone finally heard
Thanks to you
The song "Thanks to You" by Boz Scaggs is an ode to the person who has brought meaning and joy into the singer's life. The opening lyrics, "Thanks to you, I've got a reason to get outta bed make a move or two," express gratitude for the motivation and purpose the person has instilled in the singer’s life. The idea of a "net below" shows that this person has also given him a sense of security and support that he wouldn't have otherwise. Moreover, the line "There's a thing I think I know, I really mean or variations on that theme" signifies that the person has helped Scaggs come to a clearer understanding of himself and his emotions.
The corresponding verses describe how this person has given him a new perspective on life, uncovered new passions, and created a precious feeling of belonging. The imagery used in the lyrics, particularly "smile a song a tender kiss," creates a feeling of tenderness and deep appreciation for the person. The chorus reinforces that the singer feels obligated to this person and his contribution to his life, as seen through the verse "With or without you, I'd have to get through this anyway."
In conclusion, "Thanks to You" is a heartfelt appreciation for the person who has provided a positive impact on the singer's life. From the motivation to the inspiration and sense of security, the song carefully details the importance of having that special someone who makes life worth living for.
Line by Line Meaning
Thanks to you
This song is an expression of gratitude towards a person who has had a positive impact on the singer's life.
I've got a reason to get outta bed make a move or two
Thanks to this person's influence, the singer is motivated to get out of bed and take action in their life.
There's a net below cause otherwise well I don't know
The person has provided the singer with a sense of safety and security, without which the singer would feel lost.
There are promises of laughs and loves and labyrinths
The person offers the singer the possibility of joy, romantic love, and adventure.
And reason to suspect that I'm meant for this
The person has helped the singer feel that they have a purpose in life.
A smile a song a tender kiss
These are examples of the positive experiences the person has brought into the singer's life.
There's a thing I think I know
The person has provided the singer with some important knowledge or insight.
I really mean or variations on that theme
The singer is expressing uncertainty or ambiguity about what they have learned from the person.
I have time to turn time to cool and time to burn
The person has given the singer the freedom to use their time as they see fit, whether that means relaxing or being productive.
There's something suddenly too good to miss
The person has shown the singer an opportunity that they would not want to pass up.
In other words a way through this
This opportunity will help the singer navigate through a difficult or ambiguous situation.
And just when one might feel so perfectly alone
The person has been a source of comfort during times when the singer might otherwise feel completely isolated or lonely.
There's someone else's stuff to trip on besides ones own
The person has provided the singer with some perspective or distraction from their own problems.
One can only guess what happens next
The singer is expressing uncertainty or apprehension about the future.
As it is I balk and stumble through a world gone quite absurd
The singer is struggling to make sense of the chaos and confusion of the world.
Dodging shadows lurching through the rain
The singer is metaphorically navigating through difficult circumstances or emotions.
I'm not complaining but I'm caught
The singer is acknowledging that they are not trying to be negative, but is simply stating the facts of their situation.
With or without you I'd have to get through this anyway
The singer is admitting that ultimately, they are responsible for their own well-being and must face their challenges on their own if necessary.
So where does the genius go when business is slow
The singer is posing a rhetorical question about what happens to a creative or innovative person when they are not in a period of high productivity.
And even dreaming has a way of scheming to get you down
The singer is acknowledging that even their imagination or hopes for the future can sometimes add stress or anxiety to their life.
Likely off at some chateau so how would he know
The singer is imagining a scenario in which an artist or inventor is living in isolation, and therefore is not aware of the struggles of everyday life.
It gets as lonely up there as anywhere
The singer is suggesting that even if someone has achieved great success, they may still feel lonely or disconnected from others.
That one handed applause
The singer is describing a situation in which someone is being cheered on or recognized, but the applause is only coming from one person or source.
That unspoken word
The singer is describing a feeling or message that is not expressed through words, but is still significant.
That treefall in the forest someone finally heard
The singer is using a metaphor to describe a situation in which someone's actions or accomplishments are finally recognized or appreciated.
Thanks to you
The song concludes with the repetition of the opening phrase, reiterating the singer's gratitude towards the person who has helped them.
Contributed by Allison M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.