They began as the Orbits in Toledo in 1957. Led by saxophonist Johnny Paris (born John Matthew Pocisk in Walbridge, Ohio, 29 August 1940 - 1 May 2006, Ann Arbor, Michigan), they were school friends who played on a few recordings behind Mack Vickery, a local rockabilly singer.
They signed with Harry Balk and Irving Micahnik of Twirl Records, which led to national engagements in 1959. Johnny and the Hurricanes recorded "Crossfire" in a vacant cinema to provide echo. It became a nationwide U.S. hit, and ranked No. 23 in the U.S. chart in the summer of 1959.
Johnny and the Hurricanes followed with "Red River Rock", an instrumental version of "Red River Valley", on Warwick Records, that became a top ten hit on both sides of the Atlantic (No. 5 in the U.S., No. 3 in the UK), and sold over a million copies. The musicians in the band then were Paris on saxophone, Paul Tesluk on a Hammond Chord organ, Dave Yorko on guitar, Lionel "Butch" Mattice on bass, and Bill "Little Bo" Savich on drums.
They specialised in versions of old tunes with a rock and roll beat. They chose these songs because they were well recognized and easier to accept with the beat. Tunes were credited to 'King, Mack' and usually one other name: King and Mack were in fact pseudonyms for Harry Balk and Irving Micahnik, the band's managers. In 1960, they recorded the United States Army bugle call, "Reveille", as "Reveille Rock", and turned "Blue Tail Fly" into "Beatnik Fly". Both tunes made the Top 40 achieving number 15 and 25 respectively. The band also recorded "Down Yonder" for Big Top Records. In the same year, they recorded "When The Saints Go Marching In" as "Revival", but it ranked in the charts for just one week, peaking at No. 97. The record was flipped over in the UK, where "Rocking Goose" reached No. 3 in the UK Singles Chart.
The band developed a following in Europe. In 1962, they played at the Star-Club in Hamburg, where the Beatles, then a little-known band, served as an opening act. Johnny and the Hurricanes cut records until 1987, with "Old Smokie" (their cover of "On Top of Old Smokey"), and an original tune, "Traffic Jam", both on Big Top Records, being their last releases to chart in America. Johnny Paris, the only constant member of the band, continued to tour with his Hurricanes in Europe and the United States until his death. He had an uncle, a realtor, in Rossford, Ohio, Johnny's home town, who owned a building on the main street and offered Johnny's first wife, Sharon Venier-Pocisk, space for an antique shop. When not on the road he helped out with the antique shop and vending machine business as payment for the store front for his first wife.
Johnny Paris and his band toured Europe occasionally until the end of 2005. He died on 1 May 2006 at the University Clinic of Ann Arbor, Michigan, of hospital-borne infections after an operation. Paris's second wife and widow, the German journalist, novelist and vocalist Sonja Verena (Reuter) Paris, took over his business (Atila Records, Sirius 1 Music and Johnny and the Hurricanes Incorporated) and the rights to his songs and trademarks. Paris claimed that over 300 musicians played in the band in its fifty-year existence.
The band inspired the song "Johnny and the Hurricanes" on the album How I Learned to Love the Bootboys, by the band the Auteurs. They were also namechecked in the Kinks' 1973 song "One of the Survivors", and in "Bridge in Time" on the 1990 Burton Cummings album Plus Signs.
Drummer Bill "Little Bo" Savich died on 4 January 2002. Bassist Lionel "Butch" Mattice died on October 16, 2006. Guitarist David Yorko died on 17 February 2017 at the age of 73.
Travelin
Johnny & The Hurricanes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't waste your time now, askin' me why
I don't know, I know I'll just be movin' along
You'd say that home is where my love is at
I say that home is where I hang my hat
The time has come to sing a travelin' song
You own a house and a lot of close friends
The two won't match, you know the caves so wild would be wrong
You want your friends and love, a child and a home
You can't buy love on a twenty year loan
The time has come to sing a travelin' song
Someday where we sat on that old porch swing
A tamer man might offer you a ring
A man that wants his friends and neighbors, a child and a home
Don't waste your tears on dreams that never can be
What's right for others is not right for me
The time has come to sing a travelin' song
The time has come to sing a travelin' song
The lyrics to Johnny & The Hurricanes' "Travelin" reveal a conversation between a man and a woman, where the man is explaining to the woman why he can't stay in one place for too long. The woman is emotional and has tears in her eyes, but the man reassures her that he'll just be "movin' along." He explains that the woman wants things like a home and close friends, but for him, the feeling of freedom and the open road is what he desires. The two have different outlooks on life, and the man urges the woman not to waste her tears on dreams that cannot be.
The song ultimately encourages the idea of embracing a nomadic lifestyle and enjoying the journey instead of settling down in one place. The singer acknowledges that the woman may find someone who wants the same things she does, but for him, it's time to sing a travelin' song and continue on his path.
The song's message of cherishing experiences over material possessions and societal norms has resonated with audiences over the years. The upbeat rock 'n' roll sound of Johnny & The Hurricanes also adds to the free-spirited feel of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey little girl, with tears in your eyes
Addressing a girl who's upset but the singer can't give any answers to why she's upset
Don't waste your time now, askin' me why
The singer can't provide an explanation for the girl's tears
I don't know, I know I'll just be movin' along
The singer doesn't know why he has to keep moving, but he must do it anyways
You'd say that home is where my love is at
The girl thinks that love is what makes a place home
I say that home is where I hang my hat
The artist believes that home is wherever he goes and lays his hat
The time has come to sing a travelin' song
It's time for the singer to start moving again
You own a house and a lot of close friends
The girl has her own house and many friends nearby
I love the feel of my back to the wind
The artist enjoys freedom and not being tied down to one place
The two won't match, you know the caves so wild would be wrong
The girl and the artist are too different to be together, it wouldn't work out
You want your friends and love, a child and a home
The girl desires love, children, a home, and close friends
You can't buy love on a twenty year loan
Love can't be bought or sustained on a loan
The time has come to sing a travelin' song
It's time for the artist to move on and continue his travels
Someday where we sat on that old porch swing
Reflecting upon a past moment shared with the girl on a porch swing
A tamer man might offer you a ring
An alternative man might offer the girl marriage in the future
A man that wants his friends and neighbors, a child and a home
The alternative man wants the same things as the girl
Don't waste your tears on dreams that never can be
The girl shouldn't cry over dreams that cannot come true
What's right for others is not right for me
The artist has to do what's right for him and cannot follow the same path as others
The time has come to sing a travelin' song
The singer's journey continues and a new chapter is about to begin
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: K. JONES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Lazy Dog
My Father helped write this song. He played guitar for this band in the early days. I have the original aluminum recording records in my safe. His name is Pat Poiry. I am proud to be his son. Have a good day!
George Wolf
This one of my favorite from the stormsville album.
Soulman
Thumbs up for this song !!!