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.
Sad Girl
Joe Bataan Lyrics
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Sad girl
You look so sad
Did he break your heart?
Gee, that's too bad
Get ahold of yourself
Come on and, find someone else
Open up your heart girl
Break away, make a brand new start
Please won't you try, just go out and find yourself another guy
Sad girl
Sad girl
You've got to hold your head high
Things are really gonna change I know
As time goes by because
That's the way love goes
Why? I don't want to know, yeah
Everybody's somebody's fool
And you're no exception to the rule
So play it cool pretty baby, yeah
Everybody's gonna have a good time
Your time's gonna come I know
When you will find true love
Sad girl
Sad girl
The lyrics of Joe Bataan's Sad Girl is an uplifting message directed to a heartbroken girl. The song is a pep talk urging the girl to move on from a broken relationship and seek new love. Bataan starts by observing that she looks so sad and asks if the cause is a broken heart: "Did he break your heart? Gee, that's too bad." But he doesn't dwell on her heartbreak for too long, and he quickly implores her to find someone else and make a brand new start. He encourages her to open up her heart, break away from the past, and seek out new relationships: "Open up your heart girl, Break away, make a brand new start. Please won't you try, just go out and find yourself another guy".
As the verses continue, Bataan continues to encourage the girl to be strong and hold her head high because things are going to change for her. "That's the way love goes, Why? I don't want to know, yeah" he sings, meaning that love has its own mysterious ways, and it's better not to dwell on or understand it too much. He then delivers the universal truth that everybody is somebody's fool, and heartbreak is part of life's lessons. Bataan then assures the girl that her time will come, and she will find true love.
Overall, the song is an upbeat and empowering message delivered with Bataan's signature soulful and funky style.
Line by Line Meaning
Sad girl
The singer addresses the girl as a sad person.
Sad girl
The repetition of the previous line to emphasize her sadness.
You look so sad
The singer notices her sadness and comments on it.
Did he break your heart?
The artist wonders if a broken heart is the cause of her sadness.
Gee, that's too bad
The artist sympathizes with her situation.
Get ahold of yourself
The singer advises her to regain control over her situation.
Come on and, find someone else
The singer invites her to seek out a new relationship.
Open up your heart girl
The artist encourages her to be open to the possibility of love.
Break away, make a brand new start
The artist suggests she leave her past behind and move on.
Please won't you try, just go out and find yourself another guy
The artist implores her to make an effort to find someone new.
You've got to hold your head high
The singer advises her to maintain her self-esteem.
Things are really gonna change I know
The artist believes that her circumstances will improve.
As time goes by because
The passage of time will bring change.
That's the way love goes
Love can be unpredictable and sometimes painful.
Why? I don't want to know, yeah
The singer doesn't need an explanation for her sadness.
Everybody's somebody's fool
Everyone makes mistakes in love.
And you're no exception to the rule
She is not exempt from making mistakes in love.
So play it cool pretty baby, yeah
The singer advises her to be calm and composed in love.
Everybody's gonna have a good time
Eventually, everyone will find happiness in love.
Your time's gonna come I know
The artist is confident that she will find love someday.
When you will find true love
The artist believes that she will find a love that is genuine and lasting.
Sad girl
The artist repeats the opening line to end the song.
Sad girl
The closing line represents a continuation of the opening line.
Contributed by Ian J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.