Souther was greatly influenced by Texan Roy Orbison. Following his move to Los Angeles in the late 1960s, he met a young guitarist from Detroit named Glenn Frey. They bonded over their Detroit roots and a common love of country and R&B music. In short order, they began working together while sharing a small apartment in Los Angeles' Echo Park area (their downstairs neighbor was Jackson Browne with whom both Souther and Frey would collaborate on numerous projects).
Shortly after meeting, Souther and Frey formed a folk duo called Longbranch Pennywhistle. Their lone album, released in 1970 on Jimmy Bowen's Amos Records, featured significant contributions from guitarists James Burton and Ry Cooder, fiddler Doug Kershaw, drummer Jim Gordon, pianist Larry Knechtel and bassist Joe Osborn.
After recording an eponymous solo album in 1972, persuaded by David Geffen, Souther formed the Souther Hillman Furay Band with Chris Hillman and Richie Furay. The group released two albums, but creative tensions and lack of record sales, not to mention Furay's discomfort at playing secular music after a conversion to Christianity, led to the band's demise.
Souther is probably best known for his well crafted songwriting abilities, especially in the field of country rock. He co-wrote some of the biggest hits for The Eagles, including "Best of My Love", "Victim of Love", "Heartache Tonight", and "New Kid in Town". In 2008 "The Eagles" charted with "How Long" which was on his "John David Souther" album in 1972 (but written by Jack Tempchin, who also wrote "Peaceful Easy Feeling"). Souther avoided the spotlight deciding to not be one of "The Eagles" when they first formed! Nevertheless, he joined The Eagles on numerous occasions live on stage. As such and because of his significant songwriting contributions, he became known as "the secret Eagle".
He also wrote songs for several of Linda Ronstadt's multi-platinum albums, including "Faithless Love" from "Heart Like a Wheel" album and "White Rythm and Blues" included in her "Living in the USA" album. Linda once said JD was the best songwriter in the world. He also recorded several notable duets with Ronstadt including "Sometimes You Can't Win" and "Prisoner in Disguise". He also wrote for Bonnie Raitt including "Home" on her album "Sweet Forgiveness."
His biggest hit as a solo artist was the 1979 Orbison-influenced song "You're Only Lonely" from the album of the same name which reached the top 10 of the Billboard Charts. A collaboration with James Taylor called "Her Town Too" from Taylor's "Dad Loves His Work" reached number 11 on the Billboard Pop Singles Chart.
He was a Contributor on the Roy Orbison and Friends, A Black and White Night 1987 concert and video, and sang The Platters' "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" in the 1989 movie Always!
Downtown
J.D. Souther Lyrics
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Bring her home with me, put her in my house
Go downtown, gonna find myself a woman
One who wants to play cat and mouse
Go downtown, gonna walk around 'til I find her
I need some loving in my place
Go downtown, gonna find myself a woman
Later in my bed, I'm gonna love her
Lay her down, stroke her right
Go downtown, gonna find myself a woman
Silk and lace, maybe tonight
You know I got to find myself a lover
Bring her home with me just in case
You know I got to find myself a woman
Just a small taste of silk and lace
Lay her in my bed, I'm going to love her
Lay her down, stroke her right
Go downtown, gonna find myself a woman
Silk and lace, maybe tonight
Silk and lace, maybe tonight
The lyrics to J.D. Souther's song "Downtown" are focused on his intention to go out and find himself a woman for the night, purely for physical pleasure. The singer seems to view women as a sort of commodity, going on a search for one that will play "cat and mouse" with him, and even referring to her as a "small taste of silk and lace". The lyrics are fairly straightforward and lack any sort of emotional depth that would typically be present in a love song.
The repetition of the phrase "Go downtown, gonna find myself a woman" emphasizes the singer's determination to seek out his aforementioned pleasure. The lyrics "Later in my bed, I'm gonna love her/Lay her down, stroke her right" serve to further objectify the woman he is seeking, reducing her to nothing more than a sexual object to fulfill his desires. Overall, the lyrics paint a picture of a man who is not seeking love or a meaningful connection, but rather is solely interested in satisfying his carnal desires.
Line by Line Meaning
Go downtown, gonna find myself a woman
I'm heading to the city center to find a romantic partner
Bring her home with me, put her in my house
I intend to take her back to my place
Go downtown, gonna find myself a woman
I'll keep searching until I meet a woman who's up for cat and mouse
One who wants to play cat and mouse
I'm looking for someone who loves a playful chase
Go downtown, gonna walk around 'til I find her
I'll take a stroll to find potential partners
I need some loving in my place
I'm feeling lonely and crave intimacy
Just a small taste of silk and lace
I don't want a serious relationship, just physical pleasure
Later in my bed, I'm gonna love her
I plan to have sex with her
Lay her down, stroke her right
I'll make sure she enjoys the experience
You know I got to find myself a lover
I'm eager to have someone in my life
Bring her home with me just in case
I want to be prepared for any romantic opportunities
Silk and lace, maybe tonight
I'm hoping to find a woman who's interested in casual sex
Lay her in my bed, I'm going to love her
I'll take her to bed to get intimate
Silk and lace, maybe tonight
I hope to find someone to have sex with tonight
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: J. Cale
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind