Johnny Bristol (born John William Bristol on 3 February 1939 in Morganton, … Read Full Bio ↴Johnny Bristol (born John William Bristol on 3 February 1939 in Morganton, North Carolina, USA - 21 March 2004), was an African American musician, most famous as a songwriter and record producer for Motown Records in the 1960s and early 1970s.

Bristol and singing partner Jackey Beavers recorded two singles in 1959 for Anna Records, a label owned by Gwen Gordy (Berry Gordy's sister) and Billy Davis and four 45s for Gwen Gordy and Harvey Fuqua's Tri-Phi label, none of which was a success beyond the Midwestern United States.

Recorded in the early 1960s for Harvey Fuqua's Tri-Phi label in Detroit, Michigan as "Johnny & Jackey". When Tri-Phi was absorbed by Motown in the mid-1960s, Bristol became Fuqua's songwriting and production partner, working on material for Motown artists such as Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell ("If I Could Build My Whole World Around You"), Edwin Starr ("Twenty-Five Miles"), David Ruffin ("My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me"), and others. On his own, Bristol produced hits such as "Someday We'll Be Together" for Diana Ross and the Supremes and "I Don't Want to Do Wrong" and "Daddy Could Swear, I Declare" for Gladys Knight and the Pips.

When Motown left Detroit for Los Angeles in 1972, Bristol moved over to MGM Records, where he resumed his career as a recording artist. He released several successful R&B hits, among them "You and I" (1974), and "Leave My World" (1975), as well as the top ten pop hit "Hang In There Baby" (1974). Bristol continued his career a a solo artist and an independent producer into the early 1990s. Bristol's last releases were a 12" single in 1991 for Whichway Records, "Come to Me", and an album, Life & Love, released for the Japanese market in 1993. The latter included Earth, Wind & Fire's "That's The Way I Feel About You" as a duet with his daughter, Shanna J. Bristol. The album received a US release three years later under the title Come To Me.

He died at the age of 65 in his home in Michigan in 2004.

If You Think You Know How To Love Me
Johnny Bristol Lyrics

We have lyrics for 'If You Think You Know How To Love Me' by these artists:

Benatar Pat A breathless drive on a downtown street Motorbike ride in th…
Bob Welch Chapman-Chinn A breathless drive through a downtown stree…
Chris Norman A breathless drive on a downtown street Motorbike ride in th…
Love Songs - Smokie Breathless drive on a downtown street, Motorbike ride in the…
Pat Benatar A breathless drive on a downtown street Motorbike ride in th…
Rex Smith Breathless stride on a downtown street Motor bike ride in t…
Smokey Breathless drive on a downtown street, Motorbike ride in th…
Smokey (UKBradford) Breathless drive on a downtown street, Motorbike ride in th…
Smokie A breathless drive on a downtown street, A motor-bike ride i…

Smokie & Chris Norman Breathless drive on a downtown street, Motorbike ride in the…
Smokie feat Chris Norman Breathless drive on a downtown street, Motorbike ride in the…
Smokie㤰敩据漀 Breathless drive on a downtown street, Motorbike ride in th…
Smokie Breathless drive on a downtown street, Motorbike ride in the…

We have lyrics for these tracks by Johnny Bristol:

Do It To My Mind Evening's settled down Girl, I'm yours for the taking I've g…
Do you love me You turned me on To love Wife of life Healer of my wounds M…
Hang On In The Baby Hmmm! Hmmm! Yeah! Oh! Baby! Hmmm! Hang on in there baby…
Hang on in There Hmmm! Hmmm! Yeah! Oh! Baby! Hmmm! Hang on in there baby…
Hang on in There Baby Hmmm! Hmmm! Yeah! Oh! Baby! Hmmm! Hang on in there baby…
I Sho Like Groovin' With Ya Sure like groovin' with ya Well those little things you do…
I Wouldn't Change A Thing I wouldn't change a thing If I had to live my…
Leave My World Leave my and world I'll leave it to Leave my world…
Look Into the Eyes of a Fool Everyone seems To think that our love is not for real Oh…
Love Me You turned me on To love Wife of life Healer of my wounds M…
Love Me For A Reason Girl when you hold me, how you control me You bend…
Love Takes Tears What does it take to win your love for me? How…
Man In The Sky Yeah Man up in the sky Oh yeah yeah Man up in the…
Man Up in the Sky Nadas iguales, nadas perfecto Entre tu y yo no existe uno…
No More Heartaches Today I'm so glad that love's come home to me Now my…
Someday We'll Be Together Someday we'll be together Say it, say it again Someday we'll…
What Does It Take What does it take to win your love for me? How…
You And I You and I, you and I Sounds like a whole lotta…

You Turned Me On to Love You turned me on To love Wife of life Healer of my wounds M…

The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos

TRACKS

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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@perpetual61

4y↑9

LYRICS:
Girl when you hold me
How you control me
You bend and you fold me
Any way you please
It must be easy for you
The little things that you do
'Cause whenever you're through
You leave at your ease
And I never know, girl
If I should stay or go girl
If you're for real or for play
'Cause you never say

But don't love me for fun, hon
Let me be the one, hon
Love me for a reason
Let the reason be love
Don't love me for fun, hon
Let me be the one
Love me for a reason
Let the reason be love
Kisses and caresses, well
Are only minor tests, babe
Of love which it stresses
Between a woman and a man
So if I'm just a desire
A lust you have acquired
Then I must quench the fire
And proudly take a stand

I can't continue guessing
Because it's only messing
With my pride, and my mind
Oh, so right now is time to tell yah
But don't love me for fun, hon
Let me be the one, hon
Love me for a reason
Let the reason be love
Don't love me for fun, hon
Let me be the one, hon
Love me for a reason
Let the reason be love
If you're only teasing
Thinking that you're pleasing
You best be believing
It's gonna take a lot more
'Cause I'm just a little old-fashioned
It takes more than a physical attraction
My initial reaction is
Honey give me love
Not a facsimile of, baby
Don't love me for fun, hon
Let me be the one, hon
Love me for a reason
Let the reason be love
Oh, don't love me for fun, hon
Let me be the one, hon
Love me for a reason
Let the reason be love

@asifsaifullah1990

6y↑5

Girl when you hold me
How you control me
You bend and you fold me
Any way you please

It must be easy for you
The little things that you do
'Cause whenever you're through
You leave at your ease

And I never know, girl
If I should stay or go girl
If you're for real or for play
'Cause you never say

But don't love me for fun, hon
Let me be the one, hon
Love me for a reason
Let the reason be love
Don't love me for fun, hon
Let me be the one
Love me for a reason
Let the reason be love

Kisses and caresses, well
Are only minor tests, babe
Of love which it stresses
Between a woman and a man
So if I'm just a desire
A lust you have acquired
Then I must quench the fire
And proudly take a stand

I can't continue guessing
Because it's only messing
With my pride, and my mind
Oh, so right now is time to tell yah

But don't love me for fun, hon
Let me be the one, hon
Love me for a reason
Let the reason be love
Don't love me for fun, hon
Let me be the one, hon
Love me for a reason
Let the reason be love

If you're only teasing
Thinking that you're pleasing
You best be believing
It's gonna take a lot more
'Cause I'm just a little old-fashioned
It takes more than a physical attraction
My initial reaction is
Honey give me love
Not a facsimile of, baby

Don't love me for fun, hon
Let me be the one, hon
Love me for a reason
Let the reason be love
Oh, don't love me for fun, hon
Let me be the one, hon
Love me for a reason
Let the reason be love

@himaxize

8y↑5

Girl when you hold me, how you control me
You bend and you fold me, anyway you please
It must be easy for you, the loving things that you do
But just a pastime for you, I could never be

And I never know, girl
If I should stay or go
'Cos the games that you play
Keep driving me away

Don't love me for fun, girl
Let me be the one, girl
Love me for a reason
Let the reason be love

Don't love me for fun, girl
Let me be the one, girl
Love me for a reason
Let the reason be love

Kisses and caresses, are only minor tests, babe
Of love lead to stresses, between a woman and a man
So if love everlasting, isn't what you're asking
I'll have to pass, girl, I'm proud to take a stand

I can't continue guessing
Because it's only messing
With my pride and my mind
So write down this time to time

Don't love me for fun, girl
Let me be the one, girl
Love me for a reason
Let the reason be love

I'm just a little old-fashioned
It's take more than physical attraction
My initial reaction is honey give me love
Not a facsimile of

Don't love me for fun, girl
Let me be the one, girl
Love me for a reason
Let the reason be love

Don't love me for fun, girl
Let me be the one, girl
Love me for a reason
Let the reason be love (love me, love me)
Don't love me for fun, girl
Let me be the one, girl
Love me for a reason
Let the reason be love

All comments from YouTube:

@Onamission1745

13w↑1

Masterpiece.

@nickziex

11y↑10

so unbelievably good! What a voice, love the music of Johnny Bristol!

@frankythefox

10y↑34

The original and best version of this song, the whole album is fantastic.

@tonyrobinson4098

7y↑2

Can't find a CD of this fabulous album

@bevmchugh5903

5y↑1

Can’t find a copy ☹️

@VirgilDavis

5y↑1

And here I thought the Osmonds wrote that song.....lol!

@kgbristol

3y↑1

I must make copies available. Thanks for your enjoyment of my Dad’s music. 🎶

@kgbristol

3y↑2

@@bevmchugh5903 Well, I must look into why not, and make copies available. Thanks for your enjoyment of my Dad’s music. 🎶

1 More Replies...

@sharond5079

9y↑6

You were loved this is just beautiful thanks for the music xxx

@theboyfromxtown

11y↑11

Johnny Bristol - thank you for the music.

@francesmartin9506

6y↑1

great song from a great songwriter

@mark1968

4y↑3

Silky smooth voice. This is the original and the best version.

@malcvann6811

8y↑29

the dispute over this is simple..Johnny is soul..others are pop

@flitsies

9y↑16

To write such a fantastic song WOW

@vijaykumar-do5fr

3y↑1

moments like this...and i sincerely thank the uploader and also youtube.

@bufb

6y↑8

What a song Johnny wrote

@claudettelewis-smith1133

6y↑7

I could listen to this for ever.........Why don't they make music like this anymore?

@kgbristol

❤️

@tonyrobinson4098

7y↑6

One of my favourite songs of all time.RIP Johnny Bristol

@kgbristol

Thank you ❤️🙏🏼🎶

@dth6380221

9y↑6

True words, A real inspiration.

@paultulloch6042

4y↑3

Johnny Bristol is in a different class. Comparisons are forbidden.

@chrisholvor

12y↑7

Real music of my youth- everything since seems less..having a nostalgic trawl and the original songs - often forgotten, seem so much better than the copied versions.

@bevmchugh5903

5y↑3

Just beautiful

@dennishanna7587

9y↑10

What voice he had.

@jeanfrancis3526

5y↑1

Full of soul, love it :-)

@backstreetfan2887

this is so awesome

@rons9946

4y↑1

i love this one too so soulful

@tonyfourhunnid

10y↑11

The Fab Five Inc. lover's rock version is super great as well!

@paulblake5128

Very true

@Kianmur

12w

No other version comes close to this

@patricka.crawley6572

6y↑3

This has 'Soul'.

@jamesbedding

5y↑4

Class

@sl-usa-lions6526

8y↑3

A lovely rendition...

@claudettelewis-smith1133

4y↑1

This the "ORIGINAL"

@cilla-themusiclover

The Osmonds bought me here.....my youth,remembering the 70's and how many versions of songs there are. The Osmonds with Donny singing lead had a hit with this one too.

@aesh3011

4y↑1

It was Merrill, not Donny, who sang lead on the Osmonds record 😊

@chriscontrare

12y↑5

Top song!!

@bevmchugh5903

3y↑1

Perfection

@paulblake5128

5y↑2

Johnny is authentic others follow

@perpetual61

4y↑9

@asifsaifullah1990

6y↑5

@Lee.Higginbotham

4y↑4

I heard Hang On In There Baby on the radio but never this song. Just the Osmonds version which hit #10 US and #1 UK. Kinda funny is that the Osmonds wrote there own hits. At least they picked a nice ballad to cover.

@gregorybooth5479

The Osmonds and boyzone are good for pop, but it's good to hear the original.

@emeldalawson5737

7y↑2

Does a house have to fall, on your head, to GET IT?
Did I leave everything for, whatever? WoW! Light bulb moment!

@himaxize

8y↑5

@telefc

6y↑1

They are - sounds like the Osmond's changed the original. I like Johnny's better.

@telefc

6y↑1

Asif has posted the correct lyric's below.

@PaOsfan

10y↑8

The Osmonds version is best!

@paullondon6625

9y↑5

+Trina Minnich No way!

@chocolatesmile8419

6y↑6

Trina Minnich no way, I love the Osmonds, but Johnny Wrote and produced this song. It's just song differently. I grew up on the Osmonds, was a fan, but Johnny has my heart beating. Wow, he is one sexy dude.

@Lotus-ox6is

5y↑3

The Osmonds sound better singing and taking credit for their own songs, not someone else’s.
Johnny is a great and amazing artist. Can not ever compare Johnny to pop..

@marycallahan1224

4y↑1

Great!

@VirgilDavis

5y↑6

And here I thought the Osmonds song was the original.....who knew?

@madushan2053

4y↑1

❤

@Samalamalamdam

11y↑5

A cut above The Osmonds.

@VirgilDavis

5y↑1

And Boyzone..... :)

@richardcleverley4107

4y↑3

Does anyone know any other songs which include the word "facsimile" in the lyrics?!

@dietersteinike946

6y↑2

Oh my god

@cathibarber3121

🤗🥰

@Shaedye

12y↑2

chuneeeee

@scottjackson7569

In 1974 the Osmond's were no 1 and Johnny was at no3 at the same time..

@5hineepropertyofleetaemin

4y↑4

I like the hun part instead of girl 😊

@richardcleverley4107

Yes, did he have relatives in Liverpool? Scousers use the term "Hun" a lot

@kgbristol

3y↑1

@@richardcleverley4107 our family has U.K. ancestry. The term, “Hun”, is used in America as a short for, “Honey”, a term of endearment. My Dad, may have meant it, in the latter.

@seymoredrains9215

11y↑3

X Factor...take note

@Boudicca-the-musical

15w

Who sang the female counterpoint?

@dalilap4743

5y↑1

Did someone else record this? It sounds familiar to me but not with his voice.

@kgbristol

My Dad Johnny Bristol wrote and sang it, but also produced this on the Osmonds.

@rouselparan618

3y↑1

@@kgbristol i love this orig version...soulful...💕

@kgbristol

@@rouselparan618 🎶 wonderful. ❤️

@lydiaorr6270

5y↑1

Way better than The Osmonds and fucking Boyzone this is an actual tune!

@alanfox4172

8y↑3

JOhnny Bristol make it a sad song. The Osmond s version was more upbeat. But I draw the line with boyzone. Their version is very drab.

@ravenst11

8y↑3

+Alan Fox You mean Bristol created the song, the Osmonds "version" was a remake.
I can guess your age, similarly I guess the age of people who prefer the boyzone version over the Osmonds.

@theboyfromxtown

8y↑2

I agree with your analysis. Johnny's version seems to touch me whereas the other versions don't.

@catherinejackson6571

I'm here because I thought the osmonds brought this song out for many years.

@davidharrison4133

go on,own up.who's singing the backing vocals like your an osmond?

@chrisrushton5844

10y↑23

To all Boyzone fans this man wrote and sung this song way before them and it is far superior to their version, then Boyzone crucified it, shame on them!!!!

@joesophie90

9y↑3

+Chris Rushton Co written, with Wade Brown, David Jones, Jr., as well as Johnny Bristol.

@mrbillhicks

8y↑2

And so say all of us.....

@gabstanace2

7y↑4

Actually, this one, The Osmonds' and Boyzone's are all good. The song is simply so beautiful in itself.

@rickw1100

6y↑3

@ Chris Rushton.......Disagree. Even the Osmonds version is better than this tinny-sounding mess. Boyzones version is far superior. Shame on you!

@Boudicca-the-musical

6y↑4

Boyzone's version is crap. The Osmonds did a good job, but this original (with the original lyrics) captures the essence of the subject matter best. Don't confuse recording technology with vocal qualities.

1 More Replies...

@barriesol

who are the sad 15 who gave this thumbs diown, Donny Osmond fans, hang your sorry heads in shame
Baz

@flashman7612

8y↑15

One of the great all-time songs...RIP Johnny Bristol.

@karlagordybristol4144

7y↑9

Thanks you. Johnny is my Dad. Miss him.

@flashman7612

7y↑3

@Karla Gordy Bristol..Then if thats so you were lucky to have had such a dad. His songs are timeless and to me he was the best.

@autoclub1234

Flashman a

@Boudicca-the-musical

6y↑1

Karla Gordy Bristol He was great. And this is a geat song. Btw, I noticed your name is Karla Gordy Bristol. Does this mean that on your mothers side...?

@thomaschristoph9139

4y↑1

Dear Karla.....I love your dad's music so much....he was one of the greatest and his music will survive many generations....bless you
Thomas from Germany

11 More Replies...

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