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.

You And I
Johnny Bristol Lyrics

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You and I, you and I
Sounds like a whole lotta fun
You and I, you and I
Sounds like it oughta be one
One good love affair

You and I, you and I
Sounds like the right combination

You and I, you and I
Sounds like a good creation
Baby, for a love affair

So let's give our love a chance
Together, we can make it grow
Build love's eternal fire
So the whole wide world will know
We're proud of this love affair
We need each other, baby
That helps to make the pact
But it hurts me to my heart
To see us so far apart

You and I, you and I
Sounds like a whole lotta fun
You and I, you and I
That sounds like one
One good love affair, oh, yeah

Think about the time we wasted
The days and nights we spent
Think about two friends who were lovers
And who could never have the strength
For a real good love affair

Oh, we're doing ourselves an injustice
And I don't think that's fair
Cause the kind of love we got
Oh, it's truly rare

Oh, you and I, you and I
Sounds like the right combination
Hey, baby, you and I, you and I
Sounds like a good creation
Baby, for a love affair, oh, yeah

Oh, you and I, you and I
Sounds like you and I
One good love affair, oh, yeah

We owe it to each other, baby
And it brings me to bitter tears
Everytime I think about
All those wasted years

Cause you and I, you and I
Sounds like a whole lotta fun
Baby, you and I, you and I
Yeah, I betcha that's one
One good love affair, oh, yeah

Hey, baby, you and I, you and I
Sounds like the right combination
Oh, baby, you and I, you and I

I bet you that's a good creation
For a damn good love affair

Overall Meaning

The song's lyrics express the idea of a potential love affair between the singer and the person he is addressing in the song. The repetition of the phrase "you and I" creates a sense of unity and togetherness, while the use of the word "sounds" suggests that the singer does not yet know if this love affair will be successful but is hopeful that it will be. The tone of the song is upbeat, and the use of phrases such as "one good love affair" and "good creation" add to the sense of positivity and optimism.

The verse "Think about the time we wasted, the days and nights we spent" implies that the two people in question may have been friends for a long time but have never acted on any romantic feelings they may have had for each other. The line "We're proud of this love affair" suggests that the singer believes this potential relationship could be something worthy of pride and that it would be a positive thing for both parties involved.

Overall, the lyrics to "You and I" express the idea of a potential love affair between two people who have been friends for a long time. The tone is upbeat and optimistic, with a sense of hopefulness that this relationship will be successful.

Line by Line Meaning

You and I, you and I
The song is addressed to a specific person, using the repetition of 'you and I' to emphasize that it is about the two of them.

Sounds like a whole lotta fun
The singer is excited about the idea of being in a relationship with the person, and thinks it will be enjoyable.

Sounds like it oughta be one
The two of them should be together, according to the singer.

One good love affair
The singer is looking for a serious, committed relationship.

Sounds like the right combination
The singer thinks that they have a lot in common and would be compatible in a relationship.

Sounds like a good creation
The relationship they would have together would be a positive thing, according to the singer.

Baby, for a love affair
The singer is addressing their romantic interest directly, using the word 'baby' to show affection.

So let's give our love a chance
The singer is asking their romantic interest to take a chance on them and try to make the relationship work.

Together, we can make it grow
The singer thinks that if they work together, the relationship can become more serious and stronger over time.

Build love's eternal fire
The singer wants to create a long-lasting, passionate, and deep connection with their romantic interest.

So the whole wide world will know
The singer is proud of the love they have with their romantic interest and wants to show it off to others.

We're proud of this love affair
The singer is expressing their pride in the relationship they have with their romantic interest.

We need each other, baby
The singer feels like they and their romantic interest are important to each other's lives and should be together.

That helps to make the pact
The connection between the singer and their romantic interest will be the foundation of their relationship.

But it hurts me to my heart
The singer is saddened by the current situation between them and their romantic interest.

To see us so far apart
The singer and their romantic interest are not together, which is causing the singer pain and sadness.

Think about the time we wasted
The singer is reflecting on the time that has passed where they and their romantic interest were not together.

The days and nights we spent
The time they spent apart had a significant impact on the singer.

Think about two friends who were lovers
The singer and their romantic interest had a friendship before becoming romantically involved.

And who could never have the strength
The relationship between the singer and their romantic interest was made difficult because they didn't have the courage to pursue it.

For a real good love affair
The singer believes that a successful relationship requires bravery and effort.

Oh, we're doing ourselves an injustice
The singer thinks that they and their romantic interest are not being fair to themselves by not being together.

And I don't think that's fair
The situation between the singer and their romantic interest is not fair to either of them.

'Cause the kind of love we got
The singer believes that the love between them and their romantic interest is special and valuable.

Oh, it's truly rare
The love the singer feels for their romantic interest is uncommon and not easily found.

Yeah, I betcha that's one
The singer is optimistic about the idea of being in a relationship with their romantic interest, using the phrase 'I betcha' to show confidence.

We owe it to each other, baby
The singer thinks that they and their romantic interest have a responsibility to be together, using the word 'owe' to show the importance of their relationship.

And it brings me to bitter tears
The fact that they are not together despite their romantic interest is causing great sadness for the singer.

Everytime I think about
The singer is frequently reflecting on the situation between them and their romantic interest.

All those wasted years
The singer feels like they and their romantic interest have lost valuable time that could have been spent together.

Sounds like you and I
The singer feels a deep connection with their romantic interest, using the phrase 'you and I' to emphasize that their bond is unique and special.

For a damn good love affair
The singer believes that their relationship with their romantic interest has the potential to be strong, deep, and meaningful.

Contributed by Olivia W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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