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.
Thirteen Days
J.J. Cale Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Thirteen days on a gig in the South.
We've got enough dope to keep us all around
We've got two girls dancin' to bring in a crowd
A sound man to mix us, make us sound loud
Sometimes we make money, sometimes I don't know
There's thirteen days with five to go
We're smokin' cigarettes and reefer, drinkin' coffee and
booze
I saw the sun go down in Atlanta, come up in New Orleans
I got to know a waitress, I tried to get in her jeans
Sometimes we make money, sometimes I don't know
There's thirteen days with five to go
Migrant Worker is the name of this band
If we're ever in your town, come see us if you can
Yeah, we been to New Orleans, we been to New York
Some take to the magazines, some take to dope
Sometimes we make money, sometimes I don't know
Thirteen days with five to go
Thirteen Days is a song by J.J. Cale about the life of a traveling musician on tour. The song talks about his experience of being on the road for thirteen days in the South with his band, Migrant Worker. The lyrics reflect the ups and downs of the tour - the camaraderie of the band and the excitement of playing, as well as the use of illicit substances and the difficulty of making money.
The song starts with the line "Thirteen days on a gig in the South", which immediately sets the scene for the story. The band has been on the road for nearly two weeks, and they've got enough drugs to keep them going. They also have two girls who dance to draw a crowd, and a sound man to make them sound good. The singer notes that sometimes they make money, but other times they don't, which reflects the financial instability of being a touring musician.
The lyrics then detail the different cities they've been to on the tour, including Birmingham, Mobile, and Baton Rouge. The band members smoke cigarettes and marijuana, drink coffee and alcohol, and experience the highs and lows of life on the road. The singer also mentions a waitress he tried to seduce, adding a note of romance to the story. The song ends with the singer proudly proclaiming the name of his band and inviting listeners to come see them play.
Overall, Thirteen Days captures the essence of being a traveling musician. It highlights the excitement of being on stage, the camaraderie of the band, and the sense of adventure that comes with exploring new cities. At the same time, it acknowledges the difficulties that come with this lifestyle, including financial instability and the use of drugs.
Line by Line Meaning
Thirteen days on a gig in the South.
We have been performing in the southern part of America for thirteen days.
We've got enough dope to keep us all around
We have sufficient drugs to keep us high throughout the trip.
We've got two girls dancin' to bring in a crowd
Two dancers are employed to attract the audience.
A sound man to mix us, make us sound loud
We have a sound engineer to ensure that our music is loud and mixed to perfection.
Sometimes we make money, sometimes I don't know
Our income is variable and hard to predict.
There's thirteen days with five to go
We have been here for 13 days, but we still have 5 days left.
There's Birmingham, Mobile, and up to Baton Rouge
Our tour has taken us to multiple cities in the South, including Birmingham, Mobile, and Baton Rouge.
We're smokin' cigarettes and reefer, drinkin' coffee and booze
We are consuming a mix of cigarettes, marijuana, coffee, and alcohol.
I saw the sun go down in Atlanta, come up in New Orleans
I witnessed the sunset in Atlanta and sunrise in New Orleans during our trip.
I got to know a waitress, I tried to get in her jeans
I interacted with a waitress and attempted to have sexual intercourse with her.
Migrant Worker is the name of this band
Our band is known as Migrant Worker.
If we're ever in your town, come see us if you can
In case we perform in your city, try to attend our show.
Yeah, we been to New Orleans, we been to New York
We have performed in both New Orleans and New York during our tour.
Some take to the magazines, some take to dope
Some band members indulge in reading magazines, while others take drugs.
Sometimes we make money, sometimes I don't know
Our income remains uncertain and inconsistent.
Thirteen days with five to go
We have been on tour for 13 days and have 5 more days left.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: J.J. CALE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind