James Harrell McGriff, Jr. was born April 3, 1936, in Philadelphia. His mother and father both played the piano, and he counted saxophonist Benny Golson and soul singer Harold Melvin among his cousins. First getting involved in music through his family's church, he received his first instrument, a drum set, at age eight; by his teen years, he had taken up acoustic bass and alto sax, and also learned vibes, piano, and drums by the time he finished high school. Bass remained his primary instrument for a while, although he was inspired to try his hand at the Hammond organ after seeing Richard "Groove" Holmes at a club in Camden, NJ. However, McGriff was drafted into the military after high school, and served in the Korean War as a military policeman. Upon returning to the United States, he decided to make law enforcement a career, and after completing the necessary training, he worked on the Philadelphia police force for two and a half years. Still, he never lost interest in music, and around 1955 he augmented his day job by working as a bass player behind vocalists like Carmen McRae and, most frequently, Big Maybelle, who had a regular gig at the local Pep's Showboat club.
With the Hammond organ rising in popularity around Philadelphia, jobs for bass players were scarce, and McGriff contacted Groove Holmes about learning the organ, this time in earnest. He bought his own Hammond B-3 in 1956, and spent the next six months practicing as hard as he could, either at Holmes' house or at Archie Shepp's house (where he stored the instrument). Skipping more and more work time to play gigs, he finally quit the police force, and enrolled at the local Combe College to study music. He later moved on to the prestigious Juilliard School of Music in New York, and also studied privately with Milt Buckner, Jimmy Smith, and Sonny Gatewood. McGriff's first recording was the single "Foxy Due," cut for the small White Marsh label in 1958; it featured a young saxophonist named Charles Earland, who subsequently learned the organ from McGriff and, like his mentor, went on to become one of the instrument's quintessential performers.
McGriff was performing in a small club in Trenton, NJ in 1962 when a talent scout from the small Jell label heard him and offered him a chance to record. McGriff's instrumental soul-jazz rearrangement of Ray Charles' classic "I've Got a Woman" was released as a single, and sold well enough for Juggy Murray's New York-based Sue label to pick it up for wider release. With better distribution and promotion behind it, "I've Got a Woman" hit the national charts and became a bona fide hit, climbing into the Top Five on the R&B charts and the Top 20 over on the pop side. Sue issued McGriff's debut album, naturally also titled I've Got a Woman, in 1963; it too was a hit, nearly making the pop Top 20, and it spun off two more charting singles in the McGriff originals "All About My Girl" (number 12 R&B, Top 50 pop) and "M.G. Blues." Sue released several more McGriff albums over the next two years, including the live At the Apollo, Jimmy McGriff at the Organ (which produced the chart single "Kiko"), the holiday hit Christmas With McGriff (actually his highest-charting album at number 15 pop), the charting Topkapi (a collection of soundtrack themes with orchestral backing), and another chart hit, Blues for Mister Jimmy, which proved to be his last on Sue.
In 1966, McGriff moved over to the Solid State label, where he hooked up with producer Sonny Lester, who would helm most of his records through the '70s. He debuted with Jimmy McGriff and the Big Band, which found him fronting an all-star swing orchestra featuring many Count Basie alumni (it was later reissued as A Tribute to Count Basie). McGriff recorded prolifically for Solid State over the remainder of the decade, including albums like A Bag Full of Soul (1966), A Bag Full of Blues (1967), and I've Got a New Woman (1968; mostly a look back at his Sue material). Most notably, though, McGriff scored another hit single with "The Worm," which made the R&B Top 30 and sent the LP of the same name rocketing into the R&B Top Ten in early 1969. In addition to his Solid State recordings, McGriff cut several albums for Blue Note over 1969-1971, most notably Electric Funk, an early foray into jazz-funk fusion that teamed him with arranger/electric pianist Horace Ott; a similar outing that featured pop/rock and R&B covers, Soul Sugar, was released on Capitol during the same period. Additionally, McGriff toured as part of Buddy Rich's band during the late '60s, and again from 1971-1972.
McGriff made Groove Merchant his primary label in 1971, and although he briefly quit the business in 1972 to start a horse farm in Connecticut, the lure of music proved too powerful to overcome. Early in the decade, he alternated between funky electric outings (usually with covers of contemporary rock and R&B hits) and more traditional, small-group organ-jazz settings. Notable albums included 1973's Giants of the Organ Come Together, a summit with mentor and longtime friend Groove Holmes; a duo album with bluesman Junior Parker; 1976's Mean Machine, a slicker jazz-funk LP that returned him to the R&B album chart's Top 50; and the 1977 follow-up Red Beans, which also sold respectably.
After 1977's Tailgunner (on LRC), McGriff's recorded output tailed off over the next few years. He resurfaced on the Milestone label in 1983, debuting with Countdown, a return to his classic, bluesy soul-jazz style that started to bring him back into the jazz spotlight. A series of strong albums followed during the '80s, including 1984's Skywalk, 1985's State of the Art, 1986's acclaimed The Starting Five, and 1988's Blue to the 'Bone (a near-Top Ten hit on the jazz LP charts); he also recorded a one-off session for Headfirst in 1990, You Ought to Think About Me, that made the jazz Top Ten. Additionally, McGriff co-led a group with saxophonist Hank Crawford during the late '80s, which released several albums, including 1990's popular On the Blue Side (number three on the jazz charts). He also returned to his roots in the church by playing on gospel singer Tramaine Hawkins' 1990 live album. McGriff and Crawford moved over to Telarc for a pair of albums over 1994-1995, Right Turn on Blue and Blues Groove. As soul-jazz returned to cult popularity in both America and the U.K., McGriff found himself playing higher-profile gigs and venues on both sides of the Atlantic. He returned to Milestone and resumed his solo career in 1996 with The Dream Team, which featured saxman David "Fathead" Newman and drummer Bernard "Pretty" Purdie, both of whom would become familiar faces on McGriff recordings in the years to come. Follow-ups included solid records like 1998's Straight Up, 2000's McGriff's House Party, 2001's Feelin' It, and 2002's McGriff Avenue, which looked back on some of his '60s hits.
McGriff died there at age 72 on May 24, 2008, due to complications of multiple sclerosis.
Spinning Wheel
Jimmy McGriff Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Spinning Wheel got to go 'round
Talkin' 'bout your troubles
It's a cryin' sin
Ride a painted pony
Let the Spinning Wheel spin
You got no money, you got no home
Spinning Wheel all alone
You never learn
Ride a painted pony
Let the Spinning Wheel turn
Did you find your directing sign
On the straight and narrow highway
Would you mind a reflecting sign?
Just let it shine within your mind
And show you the colors that are real
Someone is waiting just for you
Spinning Wheel spinning true
Drop all you troubles by the river side
The lyrics to Jimmy McGriff's "Spinning Wheel" speak of the cyclical nature of life: what goes up must come down, and we must also spin endlessly in pursuit of our dreams. This spinning wheel is both a symbol of movement and a metaphor for the struggles and hardships that we experience throughout our lives. We are encouraged to ride a painted pony, an image of hope and whimsy, and let the spinning wheel spin - to let go of our troubles and embrace the journey.
However, the lyrics also acknowledge that life can be full of difficulty and challenge. We may find ourselves with no money, no home, and alone, talking about our troubles and feeling like we never learn. Yet even then, we are urged to ride the painted pony and let the spinning wheel turn. The song suggests that life is full of choices, and we can either choose to be weighed down by our troubles or rise above them and keep moving forward. It's a powerful message of hope and resilience, set to a catchy and upbeat tune.
Overall, "Spinning Wheel" is a song about the ups and downs of life, and the importance of perseverance and resilience in the face of adversity. It reminds us that even when things seem tough, there is always hope and the possibility of a brighter tomorrow.
Line by Line Meaning
What goes up must come down
Every high point of one's life has a corresponding low point.
Spinning Wheel got to go 'round
Life has to continually move forward like a spinning wheel.
Talkin' 'bout your troubles
Focusing too much on one's problems is not healthy.
It's a cryin' sin
Being overly emotional about one's troubles can have negative consequences.
Ride a painted pony
Enjoy life and take some risks to find joy and happiness.
Let the Spinning Wheel spin
Don't dwell on things you cannot control, life will keep moving on.
You got no money, you got no home
Sometimes life can be difficult and we may lack the basic necessities.
Spinning Wheel all alone
Life can sometimes feel isolating and overwhelming.
Talkin' 'bout your troubles and you
Focusing only on one's problems can blind them from seeing opportunities.
You never learn
Repeating old mistakes is a sign of not growing and learning from past experiences.
Ride a painted pony
Life is about taking chances and enjoying the ride.
Let the Spinning Wheel turn
Life and circumstances change, and we must learn to adapt to those changes.
Did you find your directing sign
Have you found your purpose in life?
On the straight and narrow highway
Are you following the path that aligns with your values and goals?
Would you mind a reflecting sign?
Are you open to self-reflection and introspection?
Just let it shine within your mind
Be open to new ideas and perspectives that can help you grow and learn.
And show you the colors that are real
Discover who you truly are and what you stand for.
Someone is waiting just for you
There are opportunities and people in your life that you may not have discovered yet.
Spinning Wheel spinning true
Life is continually moving, and we must find a way to keep up.
Drop all you troubles by the river side
Take time to relax and reflect, sometimes you just need to let your worries fade away.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: David Clayton-Thomas
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind