At age 16, Doyle Bramhall II toured with Jimmie Vaughan's band, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, as second guitarist. In 1992 Doyle formed Arc Angels with Charlie Sexton and Stevie Ray Vaughan's rhythm section of bassist Tommy Shannon and drummer Chris Layton (also known as Double Trouble). Doyle became Eric Clapton's second guitarist in 2004 after Andy Fairweather-Low backed out of the tour. He left Clapton's band in 2009 to reform Arc Angels.
"Doyle Bramhall II was raised in a home filled with the blues and rock and roll sounds that are indigenous to his birthplace - Austin, Texas. His father, Doyle Bramhall Senior, was the drummer for blues legend Lightning Hopkins and a regular collaborator with Jimmie and Stevie Ray Vaughan.
When Doyle was 16 years old, he toured as second guitarist with Jimmy Vaughan's band, The Fabulous Thunderbirds. Shortly thereafter he and fellow Texan, Charlie Sexton, co-founded the rock band Arc Angels. Doyle and Charlie enlisted the rhythm section from Stevie Ray Vaughan's backing band, Double Trouble, to complete the lineup. The group enjoyed critical acclaim and commercial success.
Following the release of "Jellycream," Doyle's 1999 RCA debut recording, he received phone calls from both Roger Waters and Eric Clapton. Doyle ended up joining Roger Waters for a summer tour while Clapton, along with fellow blues great B.B. King, chose two of Doyle's songs - "Marry You" and "I Wanna Be" - for their collaborative recording entitled "Riding With The King." Upon completion of the "Riding..." project, Doyle, his wife - Susannah Melvoin, and Clapton co-wrote and performed "Superman Inside" for Clapton's album, "Reptile." Doyle's playing is also heavily featured on the album.
The latest offering from Doyle Bramhall II, entitled - "Welcome" - is the purest sampling of Doyle's talents to date. Doyle entered the studio with Smokestack, the band he put together a couple of years ago, and co-producers Benmont Tench and Jim Scott to record the 12 - song set. Joining Doyle in Smokestack is J.J. Johnson on drums and bassist Chris Bruce. Susannah Melvoin contributed background vocals, Benmont Tench pulled keyboard duty and Craig Ross played second guitar.
The album, "Welcome" showcases the diversity of Bramhall's talent; from his songwriting to his intense, soulful vocals and virtuoso guitar playing. Doyle's gravity explosion can be readily heard on such tracks as the driving "Green Light Girl" and the uptempo "Soul Shaker." His dedication to the blues can be felt on tracks like "Life," "So You Want It To Rain" and "Send Some Love."
Doyle and his band are set to open for Eric Clapton on the first leg of a worldwide tour this year".
Official Site
I Wanna Be
Doyle Bramhall II Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's so much easier to run away.
My mind is spent, my body´s old,
Never knowing which way to go
I'm always there for you baby,
Won't you let me see
If we can get closer.
I wanna be felt by you.
I wanna be touched by you.
I wanna be loved by you.
I wanna be anything you want me to.
Don't mean nothing when you're growing old.
Nobody knows what the future holds.
I am left with a bitter taste,
Torn away from that beautiful chase.
Chorus
I wanna be felt by you.
I wanna be touched by you.
I wanna be loved by you.
I wanna be anything you want me to be.
I wanna be felt by you.
I wanna be touched by you.
I wanna be loved by you.
I wanna be anything you want me to be.
The lyrics of Doyle Bramhall II & Smokestack's song "I Wanna Be" convey a message of vulnerability and longing for connection. The singer shares their struggle with feeling lost and uncertain in their daily life, often running away from difficult situations because it's easier. Despite their internal struggles, they express a deep desire to be there for someone they care about and to be loved in return. The fear of growing old and not knowing what the future holds creates bitterness and regret, highlighting the importance of cherishing the present moment and the people in it.
The chorus is a repetition of the singer's longing to be felt, touched, and loved by the person they care about, and to be anything that person wants them to be. The desperation in these lines suggests a deep desire to connect and to feel a sense of purpose and value through being loved and accepted by someone else.
Overall, the lyrics of "I Wanna Be" are relatable and emotional, expressing universal feelings of fear, insecurity, and longing for human connection.
Line by Line Meaning
I wander helplessly day by day.
I feel lost and unsure of what direction to take in my life.
It's so much easier to run away.
Sometimes I feel like giving up and running away from my problems.
My mind is spent, my body´s old,
I feel mentally exhausted and physically drained.
Never knowing which way to go
I don't know what path to take in life.
I'm always there for you baby,
I am a loyal and reliable partner.
Won't you let me see
I want to deepen my relationship with you.
If we can get closer.
I want to strengthen our connection and intimacy.
Every day,
Consistently, without fail.
I wanna be felt by you.
I want you to feel my presence and emotions.
I wanna be touched by you.
I want physical intimacy and closeness with you.
I wanna be loved by you.
I want to feel loved by you.
I wanna be anything you want me to.
I am willing to do anything to make you happy.
Don't mean nothing when you're growing old.
Growing old makes you realize that material things do not matter.
Nobody knows what the future holds.
Life is unpredictable and anything can happen.
I am left with a bitter taste,
I am disappointed and disheartened by the way things turned out.
Torn away from that beautiful chase.
I was separated from something I was passionately pursuing.
Chorus
Repeats the desire for emotional and physical closeness.
I wanna be felt by you.
I want you to feel my presence and emotions.
I wanna be touched by you.
I want physical intimacy and closeness with you.
I wanna be loved by you.
I want to feel loved by you.
I wanna be anything you want me to be.
I am willing to do anything to make you happy.
Contributed by Ruby S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
MrSjd1966
Doyle is brilliant !! heard him with Clapton & Roger Waters plus his welcome album which is superb, he,s one of the best guitarists around at the moment !!
Glen Carta
favorite guitarist,writer and vocalist.........ridiculously great !!!!!!
Marco B.
I lve Doyle's work and have always been a huge fan since Arc Angels days!
Simon James Young
Great to the ears 👂
Brett Mullins
One of my favorite songs by DB2.
borbottamela
Great song....I love doyle style
Oscar le Bassiste
One of the very best!
marcello bottino
Fantastic sound
liktom
Doyle is fantastic!!! Thank God for You Tube!!!!
bbooz
Amazing .. you got see this man SRV said he would be the blues guitar player of the 2000's ..