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.
Let's Go To Tahiti
J.J. Cale Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let's go to Tahiti
Well, the man been working
In the shop all year
He said
"Men, we've got to get out of here"
Well, the girl been working in the five-and-dime
She says,
Let's go to Tahiti
Let's go to Tahiti
Tell the captain
"Put the rhum on the boat"
Everybody on board, let's see if she'll float
Let that old jet plane fly on by
We've got the time till the day we die
Let's go to Tahiti
Let's go to Tahiti
The lyrics to J.J. Cale's Let's Go To Tahiti are an invitation to escape from the mundane routine of work and monotony of everyday life. The opening lines, "Let's go to Tahiti, Let's go to Tahiti," set the tone for a carefree adventure. The singer of the song is the man who has been working all year and wants to escape the grind of the shop. He rallies his co-workers, telling them that they have to get out of there. The woman, who has also been working hard, urges her friends to go while they still have the time.
The song is an ode to travel and the sense of freedom it brings. The captain is told to put the rum on the boat and everyone jumps on board to see if it will float. The lyrics suggest that it doesn't matter how they get there, as long as they do. The jet plane flies on by, but they're in no hurry, they have all the time in the world. The invitation is to escape, to slow down, and enjoy the simple things in life. Cale's smooth and laid-back voice captures the spirit of the song and takes the listener on a journey to the tropics.
In conclusion, Let's Go To Tahiti is a song about breaking free from the routine and finding adventure. It's an invitation to escape, to enjoy life's simple pleasures, and to explore the world beyond our daily lives. The theme of the song is timeless and resonates with everyone who longs for a change of pace.
Line by Line Meaning
Let's go to Tahiti
The singer suggests that they all go to Tahiti for a change of scenery and adventure.
Well, the man been working
The man has been working hard and deserves a break.
In the shop all year
The man has been working in a shop for a full year without a break.
He said "Men, we've got to get out of here"
The man vocalized that it's time to leave and explore so as to break the monotony of their work.
Well, the girl been working in the five-and-dime
The girl has been working in a five-and-dime store.
She says, "Girls, let's go while we've still got the time"
The girl suggests that they leave while they still have the time to explore and enjoy life.
Tell the captain "Put the rhum on the boat"
The singer instructs the captain to put rum on the boat so they can enjoy a drink while sailing to Tahiti.
Everybody on board, let's see if she'll float
They are excited to see if the boat will float, and they urge everyone to come aboard and find out.
Let that old jet plane fly on by
They do not care for an airplane; they want to explore the world by sea.
We've got the time till the day we die
They can take all the time they need to explore and enjoy life, as they have their whole life ahead of them.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BILL BOATMAN, ROGER TILLISON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
steelyman08
It's raw, simple, and utterly addictive. As if JJ was out in the backyard producing it. I almost expect to hear some crickets singing along in the background. Perfect! Thanks (-:
Michael
Goes really well with the crickets here.
I want to try it with bullfrogs though. 👄♥️
aaaarrrgggghh
this is one of the best songs ever made
William Fever
Written by Bill Boatman and Roger Tillison.
Austin Jones
This song is absolute FIRE!
EGBOK
Makes me wanna go to Tahiti and swing my hips. And take a lover... :D
Musuta
WE NEED MORE MAHNE
Mercenary Bassist
Great quality, thanks!
salemclaren
J.J. Cale FOREVER
shahzaib200
Dutch: I'm telling you, Arthur, Tahiti is where we should go. Let's go to Tahiti music hits