The guys auditioned for the seminal music team of Leiber and Stoller, who gave the group its name in 1960. In the manner of the time, Leiber and Stoller wanted to extend this to "Binky Jones and the Americans", but Traynor declined to be known as "Binky Jones" his whole career. He instead offered up "Jay", a family nickname, and it suited everyone.
They first hit the Billboard charts in 1962 with the tune "She Cried". Later covered by several other artists, the track's highest charting was #5, inspiring the group. The next two singles didn't fare nearly as well, however, and John Traynor left the band. David Black (né David Blatt) of The Empires took his place (after first agreeing to adopt the name Jay Black), and Empires guitarist Marty Sanders also joined. Black sang lead for the rest of the group's existence.
They returned to the charts in 1963 with "Only In America", a song originally meant for The Drifters. Other notable hits for the Americans were "Come a Little Bit Closer" in 1964, which hit #3, and "Cara Mia" in 1965, which hit #4. The Americans also recorded a commercial for H.I.S. Slacks, and a public service announcement for the Ad Council, featuring a backing track by Brian Wilson and Phil Spector.
In 1968, they recorded an album of their favorite oldies remade fresh, called Sands of Time, and its single was "This Magic Moment", which also came through the Drifters. That track proved to be the last Top Ten record for the group. However, the band's follow-up album, titled 'Wax Museum', yielded the #19 hit "Walkin' In The Rain". First recorded by The Ronettes, the emotive love song has remained a classic on oldies themed stations along with the group's earlier work.
Their next singles failed to chart, nonetheless, and the band grew apart. The demand for live appearances remained. While the other members moved on to solo musical careers in 1973, Jay Black continued to perform as "Jay and the Americans" or "Jay Black and the Americans" until the 1980s, with a variety of musicians, including Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, who would later found Steely Dan. ."
The group reunited in the 1990s for special performances, most notably the 45 Years of Motown special on PBS.
in 2006, Jay Black filed for bankruptcy due to gambling debts, and his ownership of the name "Jay & The Americans" was sold by the bankruptcy trustee to Sandy Deanne (Yaguda), Black's former band mate and original member of Jay & The Americans for $100,000 to pay Black's debts. With the name purchase, former members Deanne, Howard Kane, and Marty Sanders reunited, and recruited a sound-alike singer from Chicago, coincidentally nicknamed "Jay." Thus, John "Jay" Reincke became the third "Jay" and the band returned to playing both national and international music venues. Their show covers the history of Jay and The Americans, acknowledging all three Jays and featuring all of the top hits in their original arrangements.
David Blatt still tours under his stage name, "Jay Black". Kenny Vance is currently the lead singer of Kenny Vance and the Planotones, a neo-doo wop band that he formed in the 1970s. After leaving the group, John Traynor recorded a handful of songs on the Coral label, including "I Rise, I Fall" in 1964. None were hits, but "I Rise, I Fall" became a minor hit for Johnny Tillotson. The label billed Traynor as "JAY formerly of Jay and the Americans." Traynor now tours with Jay Siegel's Tokens.
Friday
Jay & The Americans Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And you know my name is the lord
And then the beat will drop
And that's about it
If she ain't fucking with me
The bitch can't spend the night
The bitch tryna spend the day
She know Ima get her right
I don't even need a sprite
I got all this lean
I don't even need a wife
Yea, I got all this green
Just another day in the life
Popped a handful of beans
Random Friday night
Soon as I stepped in the scene
Bitches coming left and right
Soon as I get me a nut
Then the bitch is out of my sight
These niggas is foolish
Uh, I know these niggas like Judas
But Lordy ain't no carpenter when I show you what this tool is
Et tú Brutus
Uh, Knife in my back why they do this?
Why do they think that I'm clueless?
Tryna play me like I'm stupid
I could never keep my temper in school cuz I never fucked with the students
Ever since I got this big 40 I just wanna pop every nuisance
Young nigga ball like Calvin Coolidge
You a thug nigga then prove it
A young nigga like me he could never go broke
cuz I always know how to recoup it
If she ain't fucking with me
The bitch can't spend the night
The bitch tryna spend the day
She know Ima get her right
Pure promethazine
I don't even need a sprite
I got all this lean
I don't even need a wife
Yea, I got all this green
Just another day in the life
Popped a handful of beans
Random Friday night
Soon as I stepped in the scene
Bitches coming left and right
Soon as I get me a nut
Then the bitch is out of my sight
Baby I know I said I loved you
But the fact of the matter is
I was lying
You just gotta understand I could never feel that way about a Thot
The lyrics to Jay & The Americans's song "Friday" portray a hedonistic and promiscuous lifestyle. The singer, who appears to be living a fast-paced and reckless lifestyle, expresses his disregard for emotional connections and his focus on immediate gratification. The mention of Samuel L. Jackson and referencing the Lord's name adds a touch of irreverence and bravado to the lyrics, further emphasizing the singer's rebellious attitude.
The first verse describes the singer's indifference towards women who are not interested in engaging in sexual activities with him. He asserts his ability to provide a good time and refers to his heavy usage of lean (a mixture of prescription cough syrup and soda) as a means to enhance his experiences. The lyrics suggest that he prefers fleeting encounters rather than long-term commitment, as he claims not to need a wife.
The second verse continues to highlight the singer's carefree attitude, his ability to attract attention from women, and his tendency to dismiss them after satisfying his own needs. The lyrics also imply a sense of distrust towards others, possibly stemming from past betrayals (referenced by the mention of Judas and backstabbing). The singer asserts his self-sufficiency and financial stability, suggesting that he will never go broke due to his resourcefulness.
The final lines reveal the singer's admission that his previous declaration of love was insincere, as he dismissively refers to the person as a "Thot" (a derogatory term for a promiscuous woman). This revelation reinforces the theme of emotional detachment and superficiality portrayed throughout the song.
Line by Line Meaning
And then Samuel L. Jackson would say
Imagine Samuel L. Jackson adding his signature flair to this situation
And you know my name is the lord
I hold power and influence over others
And then the beat will drop
The music will reach its climax and intensity
And that's about it
There's not much more to it
If she ain't fucking with me
If she doesn't want to be involved with me romantically
The bitch can't spend the night
She won't be allowed to stay with me overnight
The bitch tryna spend the day
She's only interested in spending time during the day
She know Ima get her right
I will satisfy her and meet her desires
Pure promethazine
I consume only the main ingredient of a popular substance
I don't even need a sprite
I don't require a specific mixer for this substance
I got all this lean
I possess a significant amount of this substance
I don't even need a wife
I don't desire or require a committed life partner
Yea, I got all this green
I have a substantial amount of money
Just another day in the life
This is just a typical day for me
Popped a handful of beans
I consumed a significant quantity of a particular drug
Random Friday night
On a typical Friday night with no specific plan
Soon as I stepped in the scene
As soon as I entered the social setting/venue
Bitches coming left and right
Women are showing interest and approaching me from every direction
Soon as I get me a nut
Once I fulfill my sexual desires
Then the bitch is out of my sight
Afterwards, I have no further interest in her
These niggas is foolish
These individuals are acting irrationally or foolishly
Uh, I know these niggas like Judas
I am well aware of their disloyalty, just like the biblical Judas
But Lordy ain't no carpenter when I show you what this tool is
When I reveal my power or skill, it becomes evident that I'm not just an ordinary person
Et tú Brutus
This Latin phrase signifies betrayal or deception, as in the story of Julius Caesar
Uh, Knife in my back why they do this?
I feel betrayed by someone who stabbed me in the figurative sense
Why do they think that I'm clueless?
Why do they believe I'm unaware or ignorant of their actions?
Tryna play me like I'm stupid
Attempting to manipulate or deceive me, thinking I'm gullible
I could never keep my temper in school cuz I never fucked with the students
I always had difficulty controlling my anger in school because I never got along with my classmates
Ever since I got this big 40 I just wanna pop every nuisance
Since acquiring this handgun, I have a strong desire to eliminate any annoyances or problems
Young nigga ball like Calvin Coolidge
As a young person, I excel and achieve success comparable to Calvin Coolidge, an American president known for his economic prosperity
You a thug nigga then prove it
If you claim to be tough or a gangster, then demonstrate it
A young nigga like me he could never go broke
As a young person like myself, it's nearly impossible for me to become financially destitute
cuz I always know how to recoup it
Due to my ability to recover or regain money
Baby I know I said I loved you
I acknowledge that I previously expressed feelings of love towards you
But the fact of the matter is
However, the truth is
I was lying
I was not being truthful in my previous statement
You just gotta understand I could never feel that way about a Thot
You need to comprehend that I am incapable of having genuine romantic feelings towards a promiscuous individual
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: Jaden Proctor
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind