Whitcomb formed his R&B group Bluesville in Dublin, Ireland. He never had a hit in the U.K. and wasn't all that wild about rock & roll in the first place, preferring traditional forms of blues, ragtime, and Tin Pan Alley. His song "You Turn Me On" -- a tongue-in-cheek three-chord knockoff at the end of a session with exaggerated falsetto vocals and an unforgettable orgasmic vocal hook -- hit number eight in America in 1965, and Whitcomb was briefly a star. The bluesy follow-up, "N-N-Nervous," was a small hit, and that was the end of Whitcomb's hit-making days.
Not much of a rock & roll singer, Whitcomb quickly turned to vaudevillian, British music hall-styled material on his subsequent releases, with meager commercial (and artistic) results. A dedicated archivist, Whitcomb's book, After the Ball, is a thorough history of pre-rock popular music forms.
You
Ian Whitcomb Lyrics
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Come on now honey you know you really turn me on
And when and when you do
Uh huh huh huh uh uh That's my song
Come on now baby, come on and do the jerk with me
Come on now honey, come on and do the jerk with me
And if if you do
Come on now baby you know you really turn me on Ah
Come on now honey you know you really turn me on Ah yeah
And when and when you do
Uh huh huh huh uh uh That's my song
Let's go!
Taken from the 45
"You" by Ian Whitcomb is an upbeat song with a clear message of attraction and desire. The lyrics convey a call to action for the subject of the song to dance and move with the singer. The repeated phrase "Come on now honey you know you really turn me on" emphasizes the singer's strong feelings for the other person. The chorus, "And when you do, uh huh huh huh uh uh, That's my song", reinforces the idea that the singer finds the subject's actions and movements captivating and pleasing, almost like a musical tune.
The use of the phrase "do the jerk with me" in the second verse is a reference to a popular dance craze of the time. The lyrics encourage the subject to join in on this dance and move their body in a way that will satisfy the singer's desire. Overall, the song is a fun and lighthearted expression of attraction and physical chemistry.
Line by Line Meaning
Come on now honey you know you really turn me on
Addressing the listener to say that they cause arousal
And when and when you do
Highlighting the specific moments when the listener arouses the singer
Uh huh huh huh uh uh That's my song
Expressing that those moments are especially enjoyable for the singer
Come on now baby, come on and do the jerk with me
Inviting the listener to dance a specific dance with the artist
And if if you do
If the listener accepts the invitation to dance
Uh huh huh huh uh uh That's my song
Expressing that the dance together would create more enjoyable moments for the singer
Let's go!
Encouraging the listener to act on the singer's invitation
Taken from the 45
Providing background information on the source of the song
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@roncolept
Grew up with a juke box in our basement, and I would play this song endlessly, dancing like all the dancers I would see on the TV music shows. What a blast!
@wrigleyville
Ron Cole, this should have been #1 the second it was released. Love this one!
@tomc8617
You can't be serious??
@tomlynntigard
You don't have to be a spaz to dig it!
@patrickryan1515
Takes me right back to lazy summer days of 1965, and it always put a smile on my face. 6/2018
@fayekramer8314
I love this song the first time I heard it. And I still love it!
@chucksmith5687
Like most Brits in the Invasion they emanated what they heard coming across the Atlantic Ocean from U.S. This rhythmic riff was Jimmy Reeds claim to fame. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgwXQgjEwWo
@tomc8617
Seriously?
@hidenseek4889
Still love this tune after all these decades. Puts me in a good mood.
@elleboucher
Yes, it always puts a smile on my face.