Born Peter Nitollano, of African-American/Filipino parents, Joe Bataan grew up in Spanish Harlem, where he ran with Puerto Rican gangs and absorbed R&B, Afro-Cuban and Afro-Rican musical influences. His music career followed a pair of stints in Coxsackie State Prison. Self taught on the piano, he organized his first band in 1965 and scored his first recording success in 1967 with "Gypsy Woman" on Fania Records, . The tune was a hit with the New York Latin market despite the English lyrics sung by Joe, and exemplified the nascent Latin Soul sound. In early anticipation of the disco formula, "Gypsy Woman" created dance energy by alternating what was fundamentally a pop-soul tune with a break featuring double timed hand claps, . Joe would take this tendency even further on his influential Salsoul, which fused funk and latin influences in slick yet soulful orchestrations. Salsoul remains influential as a rare groove cult item, but pointed to the future at the time of its release. The LP embodied the artist's highly deliberate and culturally aware musical concept. Bataan theorized the '70s next big thing as a hybrid: an Afro Cuban rhythm section playing Brazilian influenced patterns over orchestral funk. In many ways, his vision was on the money, though most of the money would go to others, and mainstream stardom would elude him. He did, however, get in on the ground floor of the new trend as an early hit maker. His biggest commercial move was a Salsoul production released under the Epic umbrella, and promoted to the new disco market as Afrofilipino, which included 1975's "The Bottle", a much anthologized classic that drives an R&B horn arrangment with a relentless piano montuno.
Always in touch with the street, Joe Bataan picked up on rap very early in the game. His minor rap hit, "Rap-O, Clap-O" was a bit more successful in Europe than in the States, and is remembered as rap's debut in the European market. Nevertheless, his legacy remains his gritty and realistic Latin soul lyrics, his self identification as an "Ordinary Guy", and his highly personal and prophetic merger of Latin and soul influences.
Crystal Blue Persuasion
Joe Bataan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What do you see? (Crystal blue persuasion)
The sun is a-rising (better get ready)
Most definitely (crystal blue persuasion)
A new day is coming (ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)
And people are changing (ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)
Ain't it beautiful? (Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)
Crystal blue persuasion (crystal blue persuasion)
You better get ready (look over yonder)
We're gonna see the light (crystal blue persuasion)
Love, love is the answer (look over yonder)
And that's all right (crystal blue persuasion)
So don't you give up now
So easy to find
Just look to your soul
And open your mind
You better get ready now
You better get ready now
Better get ready now
Better get ready now
You better get ready now
You better get ready now
You better get ready now
You better get ready now
Crystal blue persuasion
It's a new vibration
Crystal blue persuasion
Crystal
Blue persuasion
Maybe tomorrow (maybe tomorrow)
When he looks down, oh yeah (crystal blue persuasion)
On every green field (every green field)
And every town
All of his children
Of every nation
There'll be peace and good (yeah) brotherhood (brotherhood)
Peace and good (peace and good) brotherhood
Crystal blue persuasion
It's a new vibration
Crystal blue persuasion
It's a new vibration (new vibration)
Crystal blue persuasion
Crystal blue persuasion
Joe Bataan's Crystal Blue Persuasion song lyrics signify the dawn of a new era, a new day, and the need for embracing positivity and love. With the lyrics "Look over yonder, what do you see? crystal blue persuasion, the sun is rising, most definitely," the song encourages listeners to prepare themselves for a fresh beginning, a new time of peace, love, and unity, and be ready to embrace the change. The repetitive use of "crystal blue persuasion" and "ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh" in the song emphasizes the beauty and clarity of this new time and how easy it is to find by simply looking within.
The song mentions that people are changing, which further emphasizes the need for people to be open to mind and soul. By doing so, it becomes easier to welcome the new time where love is the answer, and all will be all right. The song encourages listeners to keep the faith, not give up or lose hope in searching for the positivity and love that the crystal blue persuasion represents. In the end, the crystal blue persuasion will bring about peace and good brotherhood worldwide.
Line by Line Meaning
Look over yonder (better get ready)
Be prepared to witness a significant change.
What do you see? (Crystal blue persuasion)
A sense of optimism towards the forthcoming transformation.
The sun is a-rising (better get ready)
Impending enlightenment and growth.
Most definitely (crystal blue persuasion)
Certainty and positivity about the anticipated change.
A new day is coming (ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)
A hopeful outlook towards the future.
And people are changing (ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)
Expectation of personal development and progression.
Ain't it beautiful? (Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)
Appreciation for the beauty of change.
Crystal blue persuasion (crystal blue persuasion)
The overall tone of the song which denotes positivity.
You better get ready (look over yonder)
Be prepared to tackle the forthcoming changes.
We're gonna see the light (crystal blue persuasion)
An optimistic anticipation to witness the positive outcome of change.
Love, love is the answer (look over yonder)
The solution to any challenge that arises during the transformation period is love.
And that's all right (crystal blue persuasion)
It'll be alright as long as there's love.
So don't you give up now
Don't lose hope or give up fighting for change.
So easy to find
The answer/solution to the problems is easily accessible.
Just look to your soul
Reflect inwardly to find the necessary the strength to face the challenges ahead.
And open your mind
Have an open-minded approach to change in order to see the bigger picture.
Crystal blue persuasion
Overall theme of the song which emphasizes hope and positivity towards change.
It's a new vibration
Change will bring about a new and different way of living-life.
Maybe tomorrow (maybe tomorrow)
Hope that things will be better in the future.
When he looks down, oh yeah (crystal blue persuasion)
Optimism that the divine power is also in support of the forthcoming change.
On every green field (every green field)
The change is far-reaching and will impact every aspect of life.
And every town
The transformation will happen anywhere and everywhere.
All of his children
Reference to all human beings in general.
Of every nation
The change will also positively affect the world as a whole.
There'll be peace and good (yeah) brotherhood (brotherhood)
The positive outcome of change will lead to peace and unity among all human beings.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Eddie Morley Gray, Mike Vale, Tommy James
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jackielove8080
Joe Bataan 🎼🎼🎶🎼🎵🎼🎶🎵🎵🎵🎶🎵❤️😍 love this type of music....
@nealparks5768
Nothing like that Latin Flava Fo’Sho
@jeffk2053
bataán para siempre!🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵
@zorro1955
Reminds me of when I was in Brooklyn ny and I was listening to the radio, and heard this, I ran to the record store, and they were out of it, and I was pissed
@QueenSnowPea
Heard this version for the first time. I really like it.
@quietstorm7jenkns731
I like both versions
@motownfan3
LINDA LIKE YOU THIS IS THE 1ST TIME I'VE HEARD THIS VERSION .......SOUNDS GREAT !!!!!!!!
@plazmow
takes me back to my san jose eastside days.. loved that flea market back in the day.
@bobbye.wright4424
This is the one of the best versions of the shondells 69 hit idont usually listen at rock music but the shondells version was one of my alltime favorites
@leosmithonbass
Thanks for posting this. I played a rehearsal with Joe Bataan tonight. First tune he calls is this -- and it's not in my book of music!!! Thankfully, I know the "other" version of this tune, so I could fake my way through it. But I'd rather listen to the Maestro's version so I'm better prepared for the show!