After playing in a variety of swing orchestras, including Lloyd Hunter's Serenaders, he founded his own band in 1945 and had one of the most enduring hits of the big band era, "Harlem Nocturne". This band played with Wynonie Harris and Charles Brown. In 1947 he and Bardu Ali opened the Barrelhouse Club in the Watts district of Los Angeles. He reduced the size of his band and hired singers Mel Walker, Little Esther Phillips and the Robins (who later became the Coasters). He discovered the teenaged Phillips when she won one of the Barrelhouse Club's talent shows. With this band, which toured extensively throughout the United States as the California Rhythm and Blues Caravan, he had a long string of rhythm and blues hits through 1952.
In the late 1940s he discovered Big Jay McNeely, who then performed on his Barrelhouse Stomp. In the 1950s he discovered Etta James, for whom he produced her first hit, Roll With Me, Henry, (also known as The Wallflower). Otis produced the original recording of Hound Dog written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller with vocal by Big Mama Thornton, and was given a writing credit on all six of the 1953 releases of the song. As an artist and repertory man for King Records he also discovered Jackie Wilson, Hank Ballard, and Little Willie John, among others. He also became an influential disk jockey in Los Angeles. However, he continued to perform, and in April 1957 he had a hit with his best-known recording Willie and the Hand Jive. His most famous composition is "Every Beat of My Heart", first recorded by an obscure group in the '50s but which became a huge hit for Gladys Knight.
In the 1960s he entered journalism and politics, losing a campaign for a seat in the California Assembly (one reason for the loss may be that he ran under his much less well known real name). He then became chief of staff for Democratic Congressman Mervyn M. Dymally.
He continued performing through the 1990s and headlined the San Francisco Blues Festival in 2000, although because of his many other interests he went through long periods where he did not perform.
In the 1990's he lived near Sebastopol, California and ran a coffee shop / grocery store / blues club in that hip rural city north of San Francisco.
He was elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.
Otis had a popular radio show on KPFA, called The Johnny Otis Show. This show was aired every Saturday Morning, live from the Powerhouse Brewery in Sebastopol. Listeners were invited to stop in for breakfast and enjoy the show live. Alas, the show's frequency deteriorated along with Johnny's health. When Otis moved to Los Angeles, the show stuttered, then stopped completely and now even the Powerhouse has closed its doors. The last real show was August 19, 2006 and the last with Otis was some time before that.
Otis died on January 17, 2012 at the age of ninety.
Otis, of Greek descent, was the older brother of Nicholas Veliotes, former U.S. Ambassador to Jordan (1978-1981) and to Egypt (1984-1986). He was the father of Shuggie Otis.
Frank Zappa had cited Otis as the inspiration for his distinctive trademark facial hair, stating in an interview conducted by Simpsons creator Matt Groening and Guitar Player magazine editor Don Menn that "it looked good on Johnny Otis, so I grew it."
Louie Louie
Johnny Otis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Louie, Louie, me gotta go
Fine little girl she waits for me
Me catch the ship for cross the sea
Me sail the ship all alone
Me never think me make it home
Louie, Louie, me gotta go
Three nights and days me sail the sea
Me think of girl constantly
On the ship I dream she there
I smell the rose in her hair
Louie, Louie, me gotta go
Louie, Louie, me gotta go
Me see Jamaica moon above
It won't be long, me see my love
Me take her in my arms and then
I tell her I never leave again
Louie, Louie, oh, me gotta go
Louie, Louie, me gotta go
I say, me gotta go
I say, me gotta go
The lyrics to Johnny Otis's song, "Louie Louie," tell the story of a man who has met a "fine little girl" and is eager to return to her. He must catch a ship to cross the sea, and he spends three days and nights sailing while constantly thinking of her. When he finally reaches his destination, Jamaica, he sees the moon above and knows that he will soon be reunited with his love. He takes her in his arms and tells her that he will never leave again.
While the song's lyrics appear fairly innocent and straightforward, they have been the subject of much controversy over the years. In the 1960s, the FBI even investigated the song's supposed obscenity, although they ultimately concluded that the lyrics were unintelligible and could not be deemed obscene. Some listeners have claimed to hear explicit lyrics in the song, although most agree that these interpretations are likely the result of misheard lyrics.
Despite the controversy surrounding its lyrics, "Louie Louie" remains a beloved rock and roll classic, and has been covered by countless artists over the years. The song's simple chord progression and catchy melody have made it a popular choice for bands to play at live shows and parties. Its enduring popularity has even led to an annual "Louie Louie" parade in Philadelphia.
Line by Line Meaning
Louie, Louie, oh, oh, me gotta go
I must leave quickly, my friend Louie, and I'm singing out to him
Louie, Louie, me gotta go
As I mentioned before, I must leave quickly, my friend Louie
Fine little girl she waits for me
There's a lovely girl at home, waiting for me to come back soon
Me catch the ship for cross the sea
I've got to board the ship to cross the sea and return home
Me sail the ship all alone
I'm sailing the ship back home all by myself
Me never think me make it home
I'm not sure if I'll make it back home safely
Three nights and days me sail the sea
It takes me three whole days and nights to sail across the sea
Me think of girl constantly
I think about the girl I left behind non-stop
On the ship I dream she there
I dream of her being on the ship with me
I smell the rose in her hair
I can almost smell the sweet scent of roses in her hair
Me see Jamaica moon above
As I approach Jamaica, I see the beautiful crescent moon shining above
It won't be long, me see my love
It won't be much longer until I'm reunited with my lovely girl
Me take her in my arms and then
As soon as I see her, I will embrace her tightly in my arms
I tell her I never leave again
I will never leave her again, I promise her
I say, me gotta go
I'm repeating myself, but I really do have to go
I say, me gotta go
As I said before, I must leave quickly
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: RICHARD BERRY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind