John Watson, Jr. was born February 3, 1935 in Houston, Texas. His father John Sr. was a pianist, and taught his son the instrument. But young Watson was immediately attracted to the sound of the guitar, in particular the electric guitar as practiced by the "axe men" of Texas: T-Bone Walker and Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown.
His grandfather, a preacher, was also musical. "My grandfather used to sing while he'd play guitar in church, man," Watson reflected many years later. When Johnny was 11, his grandfather offered to give him a guitar if, and only if, the boy didn't play any of the "devil's music"--blues. Watson agreed, but "that was the first thing I did." A musical prodigy, Watson played with Texas bluesmen Albert Collins and Johnny Copeland.
His parents separated in 1950, when he was 15. His mother moved to Los Angeles, and took Johnny with her.
In his new city, Watson won several local talent shows. This led to his employment, while still a teenager, with Jump blues style bands such as Chuck Higgins's Mellotones and Amos Milburn. He worked as a vocalist, pianist, and guitarist.
He quickly made a name for himself in the African-American juke joints of the West Coast, where he was billed as "Young John Watson" until 1954. That year, he saw the Sterling Hayden film "Johnny Guitar," and a new handle was born.
He affected a swaggering, yet humorous personality, indulging a taste for flashy clothes and wild showmanship on stage. His attack resulted in him often needing to change the strings on his guitar once or twice a show, because he "stressified on them" so much, as he put it.
His seminal blues album "Gangster of Love" was recorded in 1953 or 54, and first released on Sam Cooke's Keen Records in 1957. It was not especially heralded at the time--the title song in particular was too fast, too raw, and too witty, especially compared to the likes of the then-kingpins of blues Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf. Watson's ferocious "Space Guitar" of 1954 pioneered guitar feedback and reverb. (He played it without a pick.) Watson would later influence a subsequent generation of white pop musicians, especially guitarists, who struggled to master the Hendrix-like complexity of Watson's technique.
He toured and recorded with good friend Larry Williams, as well as Little Richard, Don & Dewey, The Olympics, and Johnny Otis. He also played with Sam Cooke, Herb Alpert and George Duke. But as the fortunes of blues declined and the era of soul music ascended in the 1960s, Watson in his inimicable style transformed himself from a southern blues singer with a pompadour into an urban soul singer with a pimp hat. He went all out--gold teeth, broad-brimmed hats, fly suits, designer shades, and bling made him one of the most colorful figures in the West Coast funk circle.
He modified his music accordingly. LPs like "Ain't That a Bitch" and "Real Mother For Ya" were landmark recordings in 70's funk. (Watson appeared on the cover of "Real Mother For Ya" sitting in a soapbox Rolls-Royce pushed by his mother.) "Telephone Bill" (on "Love Jones," 1980) featured complex, rapid-fire lyrics that foreshadowed rap music. His subsequent LPs employed "the computer sound," and popularized it.
In his exhaustively researched book "Dream Boogie: The Triumph of Sam Cooke" (2005), Peter Guralnick claims that Watson was an actual pimp, as well as a performer! However, Watson felt "ambivalent" about macking girls, even though it paid better than music.
The shooting death of his friend Larry Williams in 1980 and other personal setbacks led to Watson briefly withdrawing from the spotlight in the Eighties. "I got caught up with the wrong people doing the wrong things," he was quoted as saying by the New York Times. Nevertheless, a series of summer appearances in France resulted in his becoming known there as the "Godfather of Funk."
The release of his album "Bow Wow" in 1994 brought Watson more visibility and chart success than he had ever known. The album received a Grammy nomination, and retrospective releases of his work showered him with critical acclaim.
In a 1994 interview with David Ritz for liner notes to "The Funk Anthology," Watson was asked if his 1980 song "Telephone Bill" anticipated rap music. "Anticipated?" Watson replied. "I damn well invented it!... And I wasn't the only one. Talking rhyming lyrics to a groove is something you'd hear in the clubs everywhere from Macon to Memphis. Man, talking has always been the name of the game. When I sing, I'm talking in melody. When I play, I'm talking with my guitar. I may be talking trash, baby, but I'm talking."
In 1995, he was given a Pioneer Award from the Rhythm & Blues Foundation in a presentation and performance ceremony at the Hollywood Palladium.
His international bookings soared. Back home, his music was sampled by Ice Cube, Eazy-E, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Jay-Z and Mary J. Blige. He sometimes would enter the studio with rappers, at their request. Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre borrowed P-Funk's adaptation of Watson's catchphrase "Bow Wow Wow yippi-yo yippi-yay" for Snoop's hit "What's My Name."
"Johnny was always aware of what was going on around him," recalled Susan Maier Watson (later to become the musician's wife) in an interview printed in the liner notes to the Collectables album "The Very Best of Johnny 'Guitar' Watson." "He was proud that he could change with the times and not get stuck in the past."
Watson died on stage May 17, 1996, while on tour in Yokohama, Japan. His remains were brought home for internment at Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.
I Need It
Johnny 'Guitar' Watson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is everything that it should be
Lovin' you the way I do
Should be gritty clear to you
You've got a thang for me
Even the blind could see
Something you got, you can't beat it - no
Well, girl, I need it - girl, I need it
That thang - that thang
Girl, girl, I need it - girl, I need it
That thang - that thang
Baby, babe, I need it - I need it
Oh yeah - oh yeah
Babe, babe, I need it
Something you got weakens me
I give in like 1-2-3
Sometime I do somethin' wrong
We hug and kiss and it's all gone
Ain't that cold
You've got a thang for me
Even the blind could see
Something you got, can't beat it - no
No, that's why girl, I need it - girl, I need it
Yeh-boo-boo-boo-boo-boo-boo - eh-boo-boo-boo-boo-boo-boo
I need it
That thang - that thang
That thang - that thang
Girl, I need it - I need it
That thang - that thang - that thang
Girl, I need it - girl, I need it - ow
Got to tell it like it is
Love will last a million years
It sure did open up my nose
You kept the dose so it can't goes
You've got a thang for me
Even the blind could see
Something you got, you sure can't beat it
In "I Need It," Johnny 'Guitar' Watson sings about a powerful attraction he has to a woman and how it overwhelms him. The chorus is repetitive and somewhat vague, simply declaring that he needs "that thang" - perhaps referring to the woman's physical charms or some other quality she possesses. However, the verses expand on this idea and illustrate how Watson is drawn into the woman's spell. He describes the love he feels as being everything it should be, but there is a clear sense that he is not in control of the situation. He is weakened by the woman's allure and cannot resist her, even when he knows he is doing something wrong. There is a sense of desperation in Watson's voice as he repeatedly affirms that he needs this "thang," making it clear that he feels compelled to keep returning to this woman no matter what.
Line by Line Meaning
Lovin' you it seemed to me
From my perspective, loving you felt right
Is everything that it should be
Our love is complete and satisfies me
Lovin' you the way I do
My love for you is strong and passionate
Should be gritty clear to you
It should be obvious to you how much I love you
You've got a thang for me
You have feelings for me
Even the blind could see
Your feelings for me are obvious
Something you got, you can't beat it - no
There is something about you that is irresistible
Well, girl, I need it - girl, I need it
I desire that special something about you
That thang - that thang
That irresistible quality you possess
Baby, babe, I need it - I need it
I want and crave that special thing about you
Something you got weakens me
There is something about you that makes me feel vulnerable
I give in like 1-2-3
I have no power over my feelings for you
Sometime I do somethin' wrong
I make mistakes, but our love can overcome them
We hug and kiss and it's all gone
Our love is strong enough to overcome any mistakes we make
Ain't that cold
Isn't our love amazing?
No, that's why girl, I need it - girl, I need it
That's why I crave that irresistible quality you possess
Got to tell it like it is
I need to be honest and upfront about my feelings
Love will last a million years
Our love is timeless and everlasting
It sure did open up my nose
Our love has opened my eyes and made me more aware of the world
You kept the dose so it can't goes
You have given me just the right amount of love, making it impossible for me to go away from you
Something you got, you sure can't beat it
There is something about you that is unbeatable and makes me love you more
Lyrics ยฉ Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHNNY GUITAR WATSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Greg Padilla
I loved how this sounded on my dads old stereo, going speaker to speaker on the chorus. RIP Pops and JGW.
Patrick Paul
6 words....real music...real musicians...classic tune!
Orson Cart
A very under rated record that just did not get the airplay
Jahkey P
I haven't heard this tune in over 20 years and bloody Norah it sounds just as good as when it first came out.. I'm going to play it now and dance in my kitchen. ๐๐๐๐ง๐ฃ๐คThat guitar is sending me doolally๐ณ๐ณ๐ณ ๐ต๐ถ๐ต๐ถ
J Eshun
Johnny Guitar Watson's biggest club hit from the 1976 album Ain't That A Bitch, known for his swaggering humorous personality with his flashy clothes & showmanship, just like Hendrix, he influenced a generation with his guitar playing & charisma
ewaf88
Pure bliss - hit those notes!
Darth Gamer
Johnny kicks ass! My father was the one who made me fall in LOVE with this album!
Farrah C
What a guitar player. ๐๐ R.I.P. Mr Watson. 23.8.18
Jim Dyer
Heard this at 18,loved it and it still sounds as amazing...lindylou.
Captain Scarlet A Mysteron Agent
That guitar is another level of funk. And What a Funky brother man. ๐๐๐ต๐๐