Joe Louis Walker (b. 1949) is a U.S. blues guitarist, singer, and producer.… Read Full Bio ↴Joe Louis Walker (b. 1949) is a U.S. blues guitarist, singer, and producer.

Walker was born on 25th December 1949 in San Francisco, California; his parents were blues fans, and introduced him to the music when he was young. He learnt to play the guitar at the age of fourteen, and left home at sixteen to work as a performer. He soon met Mike Bloomfield, who introduced him to the Bay Area Blues scene. During the 1960s, Walker opened for such artists as Earl Hooker, Freddie King, and Lowell Fulson.

In 1975 he left the blues scene for ten years to sing with a gospel quartet called The Spiritual Corinthians. In 1980, he recorded an album with this group called God Will Provide. Walker left the Spiritual Corinthians in 1985, but has maintained a gospel influence in his music.

He returned to San Francisco in 1985, and formed a group called the Bosstalkers. He released four albums on the Hightone Records label before moving to Verve/Gitanes (a division of Polydor/Polygram). Walker released six albums with this label, and won a series of awards in the 1990s.

Walker has released several albums since leaving Verve, including four separate works between 2002 and 2003.

* Official site

Black Girls
Joe Louis Walker Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Well, the blues I've been hearing lately
It sounds like rock 'n' roll
I've been wondering what in the world
Happened to all that soul

We've got to have them black girls
Got to have those black girls
We've got to have those black girls

To put the soul back up in your song

Well, the other girl sounds pretty good
They can almost get that soul
But if you listen carefully
Is that same old rock 'n roll

You got to have those black girls, black girls
Those black girls, black girls
You got to have those black girls
To put the soul back up in your song, alright

Well, they learned it in the church
Learned it in the schools
If you wanna get that soul
There's only one thing you can do

You got to have those black girls, black girls
Yeah, those black girls, black girls
You got to have them black girls
To put the soul back up in your song

You got to have those black girls, black girls
Black girls, black girls
You got to have some black girls
To put the soul back up in your song

Ooh ooh ooh, come here little sister, I want you to sing me a song
Have you seen her, her name's Aretha
Have you heard her, her name is Bertha
Have you seen, her name's Shamika

I need a woman to get down
I'd use brown, come here, little sister
Baby can you shake that thing
I think I've seen her, her name is Tina

She be rolling on a river, she be rolling on a river
Shake it baby, come on baby, I feel, do you feel it

Yeah I feel it, do you feel it
Yeah, yeah

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Joe Louis Walker's song "Black Girls" are centered around the need for black female singers to bring back the soul to rock 'n' roll. The song starts by stating the current blues music sounding like rock 'n' roll and questioning where all the soul has gone. The chorus emphasizes the need for black girls to bring back the soul into the music. The lyrics suggest that other women may sound good, but they cannot replace the uniqueness and familiarity of black female singers in bringing that soulful sound to the music. The verses highlight that black women learned this soulful sound in church and school, and it's ingrained in them; therefore, only they can revive this lost soul in the music.

The song's lyrics are a commentary on the over-commercialization of rock 'n' roll and the loss of soul in popular music at the time of its release. The song acts as a tribute to the African American community's contribution to soulful music and acknowledges that a particular sound and cultural experience come with it. The song has an upbeat and catchy rock sound aimed at a wide audience. Still, its message is directed towards a predominantly white audience, urging them to appreciate and recognize the essential role played by black female singers.

Line by Line Meaning

Well, the blues I've been hearing lately
Joe Louis Walker explains that he's been hearing blues, but they sound more like rock 'n' roll.

It sounds like rock 'n' roll
Joe Louis Walker believes that the blues he's been hearing blend more characteristics of rock 'n' roll.

I've been wondering what in the world
Joe Louis Walker poses the question of what exactly happened to the blues soul.

Happened to all that soul
Joe Louis Walker is questioning what happened to the soulful blues.

We've got to have them black girls
Joe Louis Walker believes that to get soul back in blues music, we need black women.

Got to have those black girls
Joe Louis Walker emphasizes the need for black girl's soulful influence in music to bring back the blues soul.

To put the soul back up in your song
Joe Louis Walker insists that black girls' influence can return the soul to blues music.

Well, the other girl sounds pretty good
Joe Louis Walker acknowledges that other girls can sound good.

They can almost get that soul
Joe Louis Walker admits that some other girls can come close to matching the soul of black girls.

But if you listen carefully
Joe Louis Walker implies that upon listening closely, other girls still fail to deliver the same soul that black girls can.

Is that same old rock 'n roll
Joe Louis Walker explains that other girls wind up sounding like rock 'n' roll.

You got to have those black girls, black girls
Joe Louis Walker continuously reinforces the need for black girls' influence.

Those black girls, black girls
Joe Louis Walker reiterates the need for the soulful influence of black girls.

To put the soul back up in your song, alright
Joe Louis Walker maintains that the soul has to be brought back to music, and it can be done if black girls are involved.

Well, they learned it in the church
Joe Louis Walker asserts that black girls learned soul and have experience with music in church.

Learned it in the schools
Joe Louis Walker emphasizes that black girls have learned about soul in schools.

If you wanna get that soul
Joe Louis Walker implies that the only way to obtain soul is through black girls.

There's only one thing you can do
Joe Louis Walker insists that the only solution to get soul in your song is to involve black girls.

Ooh ooh ooh, come here little sister, I want you to sing me a song
Joe Louis Walker addresses black girls as 'little sister' and asks them to sing for him.

Have you seen her, her name's Aretha
Joe Louis Walker refers to Aretha Franklin and asks if they've seen her.

Have you heard her, her name is Bertha
Joe Louis Walker calls attention to Bertha Hill.

Have you seen, her name's Shamika
Joe Louis Walker mentions Shamika Brown.

I need a woman to get down
Joe Louis Walker needs a woman dancing and grooving to the music.

I'd use brown, come here, little sister
Joe Louis Walker refers to brown skin and calls out to a black girl.

Baby can you shake that thing
Joe Louis Walker wants the girl to dance beautifully.

I think I've seen her, her name is Tina
Joe Louis Walker references Tina Turner and thinks he's spotted her.

She be rolling on a river, she be rolling on a river
Joe Louis Walker references Tina Turner's song 'Proud Mary' and how she rolls on a river.

Shake it baby, come on baby, I feel, do you feel it
Joe Louis Walker urges the girl to dance and highlights his feelings.

Yeah I feel it, do you feel it
Joe Louis Walker reciprocates his feeling that came from the girl's dance.

Yeah, yeah
Joe Louis Walker expresses amusement or agreement.

Contributed by Sydney R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.