Musicians get noticed for a wide array of reasons. Som… Read Full Bio ↴JOHNNY COOPER
Musicians get noticed for a wide array of reasons. Some win various competitions, while others seem to have as much in the way of connections as in pure talent. Then there are those who simply demand attention through performances so dynamic and powerful that they simply can not be ignored.
Johnny Cooper is one of those artists.
The front man of the band that bears his name, Cooper already has reached dual-threat status: he has rare talent that has earned him critical acclaim for his recordings and live shows, and he performs with an energy that captivates audiences in venues of all sizes.
That he has grown so successful — Cooper already has sold more than 50,000 albums — so quickly is hardly surprising, considering he is thriving in the environment in which he was raised. With a mother who was a dance choreographer and a father who owned nightclubs and wrote songs with him, Cooper has been around entertainers throughout his life, and now features a sound that draws on his enormous range of musical influences — a list that includes pop, classic rock, R&B, hip-hop and country — and features an irresistible energy. “That’s what my whole thing’s about,” Cooper says. “I can’t tell you that tomorrow, I’m not going to write a country song, or a funk song, or team up with a rapper. I love it when you tell me I can’t write a certain kind of song, because then I’m going to show up and say, ‘glad you said I can’t do it — here it is.’
“I like a lot of different artists. I listened to a lot of Queen growing up, and Stevie Wonder has had a big effect on my life, but I can’t put on Art Garfunkel and shake my ass. When I first heard Stevie Wonder, I wanted to get up and move. I’m drawn to people who get up there and play with cajones. If I want to hear you sing, I can stay at home and listen to a recording, but if I want to see a show, I want to see a show. That’s the way I am on stage.”
Of course, on-stage theatrics can carry a performer only so far. At his core, Cooper is an extraordinarily gifted musician whose versatility belies his youth. His rich voice is both exceedingly talented and well trained; few singers are willing to perform covers of artists like Justin Timberlake, Michael Jackson, TLC and James Brown, as Cooper did (largely while building up his library of his own compositions) and he does so with a confidence and style worthy of the original artists. He also is a virtuoso guitarist who can dazzle with his full band, in duo performances with a drummer or as a solo acoustic artist. While recording his first several albums, Cooper has become an in-demand performer, often booking more than 200 shows a year and creating music for numerous projects. “I like to write to a challenge,” Cooper says. “A producer called me and said he needed a song for a movie. He said it needed to be ‘kind of honky-tonk, kind of George Jones-ish.’ So I told him to send me the scene — no music, just audio — and I would write a song that fits the scene. I started listening to a bunch of George Jones music and came up with a song, Devil in Glass, that got accepted into the movie.”
Cooper’s band is as diverse as its leader. Cooper had worked on previous projects with drummer Joe Cortez IV (“the best drummer I’ve ever seen in my life,” Cooper says) and was eager to continue their working relationship. He had no intention of adding a keyboard player until his search for a new bassist led him to Jay Sandford, who in turn introduced keyboardist Cris Brenham. “They came in and blew me away,” Cooper says. “Right away, they laid down what my music was missing. It was exciting because it was different. I realized they were exactly what we had been needing.” The final piece to the puzzle was the band’s “utility player,” Matt Puckett, who plays violin and lead/backup guitar and sings backup vocals. “We had an opportunity to play Billy Bob’s in Fort Worth, and every time we play Billy Bob’s, we do it up big — we have backup singers, we bring in a horn section — and I wanted to add someone who could play a really good guitar, sing backup vocals and play the violin. There’s nothing more exciting than someone who can play a lot of instruments, who can fill a lot of roles. Matt can do all of those things, and he does them really well. He’s phenomenal, and he makes us all better.”
With his band complete, Cooper’s focus is on what he enjoys most: creating and performing his unique brand of music that features often-requested signature songs like “Texas to You” and “Crazy,” drawing comparisons to an array of artists, from John Mayer to Maroon 5. “Go big or go home,” Cooper says. “My whole thing is that I want to keep writing music and writing different kinds of music, writing stuff that appeals to more people, not just one type of people. As long as you surround yourself with creative people — and I have done that — I’ll continue to write more music … and better music.”
Cooper’s sound has evolved since his first album, which had a Texas country/southern rock feel. Moving forward, he added more funk and R&B influences, earning comparisons to Lenny Kravitz. His next offering, Red Sessions, is a hybrid of several musical genres and is being supported through pledgemusic.com, which allows fans to help fund the creation of the album. “It’s a hands-on way for people to help make music,” Cooper says. “Fans get to hear our music and make donations toward the next recording, and in return, they get things back, a bunch of personalized stuff. It’s a great way of allowing our fans to help us make the music they enjoy.”
That’s exactly what fans are doing, and in rapidly growing numbers: enjoying the music of Johnny Cooper, whose song writing, on-stage charisma and unique talent has to be seen and heard to be believed.
Discography:
"RED SESSIONS" Release date July 2013
"MOVING ON" Single - Release Date February 2012
"LIVE AT THE PUB II" Release Date July 2011
"Hot Mess" climbed to 11 on the Texas Music Chart (24 weeks)
"FOLLOW" Release Date August 11, 2009
"Bring Me Down" climbed to 7 on the Texas Music Chart (17 weeks)
"Crazy" climbed to 6 on Texas Music Chart (19 weeks)
"Don't Feel Like That Anymore" climbed to 15 on Texas Music Chart (17 weeks)
"IGNITION" released 2006
"Texas To You" Climbed to #5 on the Texas Music Chart (15 weeks)
"Let It All Go" Climbed to #4 the Texas Music Chart (17 weeks)
"Devil Woman" Climbed to #6 the Texas Music Chart (18 weeks)
"Nothing At All" Climbed to #10 on the Texas Music Chart (12 weeks)
"LIVE at the Pub" released 2005
And voted “Best Live CD of 2006” Payne County Line
Awards: “Texas Entertainer of the Year 2006 and 2007” Payne County Line
Leave
Johnny Cooper Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
and I'll never stop running unless you come and hold me down
The airports too far but that station is near
There's only one thing in this world that can keep me here
If you promise to stay right in my way
and don't let me run oh too far away
Now I've heard every story on why i should stay
I said i was leaving and I aint joking this time
There's one thing I fear there's one thing i fear is leaving you behind
So don't let me run
oh no don't let me don't let me don't let me run too far away
oh just promise you'll stay
oh promise me that you'll stay right in my way
and don't let me oh don't let me run to far away
I've been thinking about leaving this town
Then you came running and you turned me right around
So don't let me run
oh no don't let me don't let me don't let me run too far away
oh just promise you'll stay
oh promise me that you'll stay right in my way
and don't let me oh don't let me run to far away
woah don't let me run oh don't let me run too far away
The song "Leave" by Johnny Cooper is a song about someone who's thinking about leaving their town but is hesitant to do so because they fear leaving the person they love behind. The singer in the song is conflicted about their decision and wants the person they love to promise to stay in their way and not let them run too far away. The lyrics show the internal struggle the person is going through and how the love they have for the other person is holding them back from leaving.
The beginning of the song talks about how the person has been thinking about leaving the town but they won't be able to stop running unless the person they love holds them down. The singer is aware that the airport is too far, but the station is near, and they need the other person to stop them from leaving. The song then goes on to talk about how the person has heard all the reasons why they should stay, but their mind doesn't match up to what people say. The only thing they fear about leaving is leaving the person they love behind.
The chorus of the song is a plea to the other person to promise to stay in their way and not let them run too far away. The singer wants the other person to promise to stay by their side and not let them leave, even if they have to hold them down. The song ends with the person reconsidering their decision to leave because the other person came running and turned them around. The song explores the theme of love and how it can sometimes hold a person back from making decisions, even if those decisions are necessary.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been thinking about leaving this town
I've been considering the idea of departing from this place.
and I'll never stop running unless you come and hold me down
I'll continue to run and move on with my life unless you stop me and make me stay.
The airports too far but that station is near
The airport is too far away, but the station is closer, indicating that he wants to leave by train.
There's only one thing in this world that can keep me here
There's only one thing that can make me stay in this place.
If you promise to stay right in my way
If you make a promise to remain in front of me, stopping me from leaving.
and don't let me run oh too far away
And if you make sure that I don't go too far away.
Now I've heard every story on why I should stay
I've listened to everyone's reasons for me to stay.
but too bad mind doesn't match up to what people say
Unfortunately, my mind doesn't agree with what others are saying about why I should stay.
I said I was leaving and I ain't joking this time
I've already stated that I'm leaving, and this time it's not a joke.
There's one thing I fear there's one thing I fear is leaving you behind
The only thing that scares me about leaving is the thought of leaving you behind.
So don't let me run
Therefore, don't let me go away.
oh no don't let me don't let me don't let me run too far away
Please make sure that I don't go too far away from you.
oh just promise you'll stay
Just promise me that you'll stay by my side.
oh promise me that you'll stay right in my way
Promise me that you'll stay in front of me, stopping me from leaving.
and don't let me oh don't let me run to far away
Make sure I don't run too far away from you.
I've been thinking about leaving this town
I've been contemplating leaving this place.
Then you came running and you turned me right around
Then you came and changed my mind, preventing me from leaving.
woah don't let me run oh don't let me run too far away
Again, don't let me go too far away from you.
Contributed by Jeremiah H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.