Benson's next recording was It's Uptown with the George Benson Quartet with Lonnie Smith on organ and Ronnie Cuber on baritone sax. This album showcases Benson's talent in constructing swinging bebop lines at blistering tempos. Benson followed it up with "The George Benson Cookbook," also with Lonnie Smith and Ronnie Cuber.
One of his major hits is the song "This Masquerade", which is included in the top-selling album Breezin' . This album represents a shift to more commercially oriented music which brought Benson a wider audience but alienated some jazz fans. Other singles that have made the Billboard Hot 100 charts include "On Broadway" (1978), "Love Ballad" (1979), "Give Me The Night" (1980) and "Turn Your Love Around" (1982).
Benson continues to play outstanding jazz guitar, as evidenced on recordings such as Jimmy Smith's Off the Top, Benson's own live album Par Excellence, and Tenderly, on which Benson is accompanied by McCoy Tyner on piano.
For his contribution to the recording industry, George Benson has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7055 Hollywood Blvd.
Medicine Man
George Benson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When you're on your own
When there's no one close to you
No place to call your home
In the back alley shadows
My body yearns, the pain it grows
A needle holds the solution
Feel the sting no let it flow
I'm looking for you to keep me satisfied
You hold the key - unlock the door
Like a knife in your hand
A spell that you cast for evermore
I need a shot of satisfaction
My body aches - my blood runs cold
I need a killer chain reaction
That's gonna rock me to the bone
I'm burnin' inside - I'm under the gun
You got what it takes - you know you're the one
You hold the key - unlock the door
Like a knife in your hand
A spell that you cast for evermore
A dangerous game - no plave to hide
I'm lookin' for you to keep me satisfied
You hold the key - unlock the door
Like a knife in your hand
A spell that you cast for evermore
The lyrics of George Benson's "Medicine Man" depict the desperate and dangerous world of addiction. The unnamed narrator is in a town with "no mercy" where there is "no place to call your home" and "no one close to you." However, in the back alley shadows, the singer yearns for a solution to their "pain" and finds it in the form of a needle. They describe the game of addiction as "dangerous" with "no place to hide", but they are "looking for you to keep me satisfied", with "you" presumably being a drug dealer or someone who can provide them with a fix. The singer confesses to needing "a shot of satisfaction" and a "killer chain reaction" that will "rock me to the bone." They are "burnin' inside" and "under the gun," but they believe that "you got what it takes - you know you're the one" to help them.
The lyrics paint a dark picture of addiction and the ways in which it can consume a person's life. They convey the sense of desperation felt by those who are struggling with addiction and the lengths they are willing to go to satisfy their cravings. The imagery of the "knife in your hand" and the "spell that you cast for evermore" further emphasize the dangerous and all-consuming nature of addiction.
Line by Line Meaning
This town has no mercy
The town can be unforgiving and harsh.
When you're on your own
When you are alone and do not have anyone to rely on.
When there's no one close to you
When there is no one nearby to support or comfort you.
No place to call your home
When you do not have a stable or secure living situation.
In the back alley shadows
In the dark and hidden corners of the city.
My body yearns, the pain it grows
Feeling a strong desire for something while also experiencing discomfort.
A needle holds the solution
Turning to drugs as a way to alleviate pain or find relief.
Feel the sting no let it flow
Continuing to use drugs despite the harm it does to one's body.
A dangerous game - no place to hide
Knowing that drug use is risky and can have serious consequences, with no way to avoid those consequences.
I'm looking for you to keep me satisfied
Seeking someone who can provide the necessary drugs to maintain an addiction.
You hold the key - unlock the door
The person who can provide drugs has control over the addiction, like having a key to a locked door.
Like a knife in your hand
Having the power to both heal and harm, and using it with intention.
A spell that you cast for evermore
Having an everlasting hold over the person's addiction.
I need a shot of satisfaction
Craving the euphoria that drugs can provide.
My body aches - my blood runs cold
Feeling physically and emotionally unwell without drugs.
I need a killer chain reaction
Desiring an intense and overwhelming experience, even if it is harmful.
That's gonna rock me to the bone
Wanting to feel a sensation that is deep and all-consuming.
I'm burnin' inside - I'm under the gun
Feeling a sense of urgency to get drugs and experiencing intense internal turmoil.
You got what it takes - you know you're the one
Believing that the provider has the necessary drugs and power to satisfy the addiction.
A dangerous game - no place to hide
Repeating the same risky behavior over and over with no way to escape it.
I'm lookin' for you to keep me satisfied
Continuing to rely on the drug provider to satisfy the addiction.
You hold the key - unlock the door
The drug provider has control over whether the person continues to use drugs or not.
Like a knife in your hand
The provider has the ability to either help or harm the addicted person.
A spell that you cast for evermore
The hold and influence of the drug provider will last forever.
Contributed by Victoria Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.