Boz Scaggs (born William Royce Scaggs on 8 June 1944 in Canton, Ohio) is an… Read Full Bio ↴Boz Scaggs (born William Royce Scaggs on 8 June 1944 in Canton, Ohio) is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. He gained fame in the 1960s as a guitarist and sometimes lead singer with the Steve Miller Band and in the 1970s with several solo Top 20 hit singles in the United States, along with the #2 album, Silk Degrees. Scaggs continues to write, record music and tour.

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

What Can I Say
Boz Scaggs Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

(What can I say?)
(What can I do?)

Three a.m., it's me again, wouldn't you know
Things would have to end this way
I did my best by perfect guest knew when to go
Perfect, you knew when to stay

Come on, tell me that you're lonely dear
I've been feeling down some too
After all this time now, I've made it clear
I've been waiting just for you

(What can I say?)
Oh, to make me know baby
(What can I do?)
Ooh, show me that I care
(What can I say?)
Hmmm, got to have your number baby
(What can I do?)
Do-oo-oo-oo

Can't you see the people just stop and stare?
Don't it make you wonder why?
I just happened to be standing there
Can't you see it in my eyes?

(What can I say?)
Hmmm, you got me actin' like a fool girl
(What can I do?)
Ooh, stop making like a little school girl
(What can I say?)
Could be your lucky day, baby
(What can I do?)
Hmmm, let's talk
(What can I say?)
Ahh, talk to me girl

(What can I say?)
Oh, to make you know baby
(What can I do?)
Oh, to show you that I care
(What can I say?)
Ooh, I'm down on my knees
(What can I do?)
Please, please, please, what can I say?

[Fades to end]

(What can I say?)
(What can I do?)
Ooh, what can I do?

(What can I say?)
What can I say, b-a-b-y

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Boz Scaggs's song "What Can I Say" paint a picture of a man deeply in love, who is trying to express his feelings to his love interest. The man is shown to be apologetic and vulnerable, as he contemplates what he can say or do to make his feelings clear. In the first verse, he reflects on how his relationship with his love interest has come to an end, and how he wishes it didn't have to. He acknowledges that he tried to be a good partner while they were together, but wonders if he did enough. He then cautions his love interest to not be alone, as he too has been feeling down lately.

In the second verse, the man tries to convince his love interest to give him another chance. He is aware of the scrutiny that their relationship will receive from those around them, but also points out that he loves her genuinely. He begs her to look into his eyes and see the sincerity of his words. The chorus then reinforces the man's desire to express his love and commitment to his partner, as he asks repeatedly what he can say or do to prove his love.

Overall, the song is a poignant reflection of the struggle of many people in relationships, who are trying to express their love and commitment to their partners sincerely.

Line by Line Meaning

Three a.m., it's me again, wouldn't you know
It's late and I'm calling you again, as usual

Things would have to end this way
I knew it wouldn't last forever between us

I did my best by perfect guest knew when to go
I was a perfect guest, knowing when to leave

Perfect, you knew when to stay
You were perfect for staying as long as you did

Come on, tell me that you're lonely dear
I hope you're lonely too, so we can be together again

I've been feeling down some too
I've been feeling sad as well

After all this time now, I've made it clear
I've been waiting for you and it's obvious now

I've been waiting just for you
I've been patiently waiting for you

Can't you see the people just stop and stare?
I'm attracting attention from others, can't you see?

Don't it make you wonder why?
Doesn't it make you curious about us?

I just happened to be standing there
I was just in the right place at the right time