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.
Nothing Left To Be Desired
Johnny 'Guitar' Watson Lyrics
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Girl you are my inspiration, ohyeah, having you what a sensation, well, you make the man bulid like the man, ha, when problems rise you understand
Chorus
oho oho baby I need you girl with you by my side I could rule the world blue mountain climb the highest tree if I know that you are standing close to me, come on, close to me, well, you make feel a little higher, yeah, make me feel a little higher, yeah, nothing left to be desired, now, ain't nothing left to be desired
Having you is such a treasure ha, yes it is, I'm loving you now come whatever, well, you're the gold that in my rainbow you ‘re all the else I tell you more I'd like to say
Chorus
oho oho baby I need you girl with you by my side I could rule the world blue mountain climb the highest tree if I know that you are standing close to me, come on, close to me, cause, you make me feel a little higher, yes you do, make me feel a little higher, yeah, ain't nothing left to be desired, now, nothing left to be desired
Oh I think I scared a little bit in him listen
Be Bop
Listen oho oho baby I need you girl with you by my side I could rule the world blue mountain climb the highest tree if I know that you are standing close to me, come on, close to me, cause, you make me feel a little higher, yeah, make me feel a little higher, yeah you do now, nothing left to be desired, now, nothing left to be desired
again and again with background
everything is allright
jesus!
In Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson’s song, “Nothing Left To Be Desired”, the singer expresses how he used to have a lot of desires in his life that he thought would bring him thrill, but since he has found the girl he is addressing, he has found contentment and nothing else he wants. The song conveys gratitude towards his partner for being everything he needs while representing the significance of finding someone who understands you during tough times; “when problems rise, you understand”.
The singer describes the girl as his inspiration and how having her is a sensation. The song features praise for the partner, referring to them as gold in his rainbow, and someone he would like to spend the rest of his life with. According to the chorus of the song, the man feels that having the girl by his side makes him feel on top of the world, enabling him to take on any obstacle that comes his way; “with you by my side, I could rule the world, blue mountain climb the highest tree”.
Line by Line Meaning
You know baby I was just standing here and thinking about all the things that a man wants in his life and he find it when he finally get those things he find one thing wrong with it or another and I can truly say but since I found you there is nothing left to be desired, I mean absolutely nothing left to be desired on the thrill side
I was pondering about what a man wants in his life and how he always finds some flaw even after getting what he wants. But ever since I found you, there's nothing left for me to desire, especially when it comes to excitement.
Girl you are my inspiration, ohyeah, having you what a sensation, well, you make the man bulid like the man, ha, when problems rise you understand
You inspire me, and being with you is an amazing feeling. You make me feel capable and strong, and you understand me when things get tough.
oho oho baby I need you girl with you by my side I could rule the world blue mountain climb the highest tree if I know that you are standing close to me, come on, close to me, well, you make feel a little higher, yeah, make me feel a little higher, yeah, nothing left to be desired, now, ain't nothing left to be desired
I need you by my side, and with you, I feel like I can conquer the world. You make me feel ecstatic, and there's nothing else that I could possibly want.
Having you is such a treasure ha, yes it is, I'm loving you now come whatever, well, you're the gold that in my rainbow you ‘re all the else I tell you more I'd like to say
You're a valuable treasure in my life, and I love you no matter what happens. You're the only thing that completes my life, and I could go on and on telling you how much I appreciate you.
oho oho baby I need you girl with you by my side I could rule the world blue mountain climb the highest tree if I know that you are standing close to me, come on, close to me, cause, you make me feel a little higher, yes you do, make me feel a little higher, yeah, ain't nothing left to be desired, now, nothing left to be desired
I need you beside me, and with you, I feel like I could achieve anything. You raise my spirits and make me feel like I'm on top of the world. There really isn't anything else I could ask for.
Oh I think I scared a little bit in him listen
This line does not appear to have any discernible meaning or context.
Be Bop
This line does not appear to have any discernible meaning or context.
Listen oho oho baby I need you girl with you by my side I could rule the world blue mountain climb the highest tree if I know that you are standing close to me, come on, close to me, cause, you make me feel a little higher, yeah, make me feel a little higher, yeah you do now, nothing left to be desired, now, nothing left to be desired
Listen to me when I say that I need you by my side. With you, there's nothing that I couldn't do. You make me feel incredible, and I really don't want anything else.
again and again with background
This line does not appear to have any discernible meaning or context.
everything is allright
This line does not appear to have any discernible meaning or context.
jesus!
This line does not appear to have any discernible meaning or context.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOHNNY GUITAR WATSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind