His songs have been performed by a number of other musicians including "After Midnight" and "Cocaine" by Eric Clapton,"Cajun Moon" by Randy Crawford, "Clyde" and "Louisiana Women" by Waylon Jennings, "Magnolia" by Jai, "Bringing It Back" by Kansas, "Call Me the Breeze" and "I Got the Same Old Blues" by Lynyrd Skynyrd, "I'd Like to Love You, Baby" by Tom Petty, "Travelin' Light" and "Ride Me High" by Widespread Panic, "Tijuana" by Harry Manx, "Sensitive Kind" by Carlos Santana, "Cajun Moon" by Herbie Mann with Cissy Houston, and "Same Old Blues" by Captain Beefheart.
Cale was born on December 5, 1938, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He was raised in Tulsa and graduated from Tulsa Central High School in 1956. Along with a number of other young Tulsa musicians, Cale moved to Los Angeles in the early 1960s, where he first worked as a studio engineer.
The Leathercoated Minds was a 1966-67 psychedelic studio-based band masterminded largely by Snuff Garrett and J J Cale. The band produced one album, A Trip down the Sunset Strip, co-produced by Cale and Garrett
Finding little success as a recording artist, he later returned to Tulsa and was considering giving up the music business until Clapton recorded "After Midnight" in 1970. His first album, Naturally, established his style, described by Los Angeles Times writer Richard Cromelin as a "unique hybrid of blues, folk and jazz, marked by relaxed grooves and Cale's fluid guitar and laconic vocals. His early use of drum machines and his unconventional mixes lend a distinctive and timeless quality to his work and set him apart from the pack of Americana roots-music purists."
Some sources incorrectly give his real name as "Jean-Jacques Cale". In the 2006 documentary, To Tulsa and Back: On Tour with J.J. Cale, Cale talks about Elmer Valentine, co-owner of the Sunset Strip nightclub Whisky à GoGo, who employed him in the mid-1960s, being the one that came up with the "JJ" moniker to avoid confusion with the Velvet Underground's John Cale. Rocky Frisco tells the same version of the story mentioning the other John Cale but without further detail.
His biggest U.S. hit single, Crazy Mama, peaked at #22 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1972. During the 2006 documentary film To Tulsa and Back Cale recounts the story of being offered the opportunity to appear on Dick Clark's American Bandstand to promote the song, which would have moved the song higher on the charts. Cale declined when told he could not bring his band to the taping and would be required to lip-sync the words to the song.
Cale died on Friday, July 26, 2013, at Scripps Hospital in La Jolla, California, after suffering a heart attack.
Ain't Love Funny
J.J. Cale Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She keeps me laughing all day
We ride on a horse to the river and back
Ain't love funny, funny it's funny
ain't' love funny that way
She calls in the evening to tell me she's back
She likes to talk on the phone
Would I come over and just rub her back
Ain't love funny you know
This woman's touch, it is too much
Tingles right to the bone
Her hand's so slight with a wink in her eyes
Keeps me comin' back home
She gives everything expects no return
She's always there when I'm down
Love her a day, don't go away
Ain't love funny, funny it's funny
Funny when it comes around
We go on for hours about nothin' at all
We never know what it means
Sometimes it's easy, sometimes it's not
Ain't love funny, funny it's funny
Funny it's just what it seems
The lyrics of J.J. Cale's song Ain't Love Funny are a depiction of the ups and downs of a romantic relationship. The song describes the singer's lover and the things they do together. The woman brings him flowers from the water well, keeps him laughing all day, and they ride on a horse to the river and back. These seemingly mundane and simple activities are representative of the small pleasures and daily joys of a relationship that keep things interesting.
The lyrics also describe the woman's actions towards the singer, such as calling in the evening to tell him she's back and wanting him to rub her back. Her touch is described as too much, tingling to the bone, and her eyes are described as having a wink. These descriptions create an image of an intimate and loving relationship.
The lyrics also touch on the complexities of love, how it can be funny, easy, and not so easy all at the same time. The song's title phrase, "Ain't love funny," is repeated throughout the song, emphasizing the humorous and unpredictable nature of love.
Overall, the lyrics to J.J. Cale's Ain't Love Funny depict the simple joys, intimate moments, and complicated nature of love.
Line by Line Meaning
She brings me flowers from the waterwell
She shows her love by bringing thoughtful gifts from nature
She keeps me laughing all day
Her sense of humor brings joy and happiness to my life
We ride on a horse to the river and back
We enjoy simple pleasures together and create lasting memories
Ain't love funny, funny it's funny
Love is unpredictable and can be amusing in its unexpectedness
ain't' love funny that way
Love can be unexpected and strange in its ways
She calls in the evening to tell me she's back
She enjoys sharing the details of her day with me and staying connected
She likes to talk on the phone
Communicating with me is important to her and helps her feel connected
Would I come over and just rub her back
She enjoys physical touch and wants to be close to me
Ain't love funny, funny it's funny
Love can be unpredictable and strange at times
Ain't love funny you know
Love can be difficult to understand and explain
This woman's touch, it is too much
Her touch is powerful and overwhelming
Tingles right to the bone
Her touch creates a physical sensation that is deep and intense
Her hand's so slight with a wink in her eyes
She knows how to use her body language to communicate her love and desire
Keeps me comin' back home
Her love and presence is what keeps me grounded and coming back to her
She gives everything expects no return
She loves selflessly and does not require anything in return
She's always there when I'm down
She is a supportive partner who is there for me in difficult times
Love her a day, don't go away
Her love is valuable and I cherish every moment we have together
Ain't love funny, funny it's funny
Love can be unpredictable and amusing at times
Funny when it comes around
Love can surprise us and be confusing when it enters our lives
We go on for hours about nothin' at all
We enjoy each other's company so much that we can talk for hours without any specific topics
We never know what it means
The depth of our love is hard to define and cannot always be put into words
Sometimes it's easy, sometimes it's not
Love can be both effortless and challenging at times
Ain't love funny, funny it's funny
Love can be peculiar and unpredictable in its ways
Funny it's just what it seems
Love can be strange and confusing, but it is also beautiful and real
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: J. J. CALE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@seanyboi234
The lyrics in this song encapsulate being in love perfectly. Sometimes it's easy, sometimes it's not. So painfully to the point, I adore it. Thank you J.J, rest in peace
@mutualdelusion1798
One of my all time favorite. Thanks.
@kristofernewton422
Miss YOU JJ.
@rawblues
The Band's Garth Hudson is playing accordion on this track.