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."
Mocking Bird
Johnny Otis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He's gonna buy me a mockingbird
And if that mockingbird won't sing
He's gonna buy me a diamond ring
And if that diamond ring won't shine
He's gonna surely break this heart of mine
And that's why I keep on tellin' ev'rybody, sayin'
Wo, wo, wo, wo, wo
Hear me now and understand
He's gonna find me some peace of mind
And if that peace of mind won't stay
I'm gonna find myself a better way
And if that better way ain't so
I, I, I'll ride with the tide and go with the flow
And that's why I keep on shoutin' in your ear sayin'
Wo, wo, wo, wo, wo
Everybody have you heard?
She's gonna buy me a mockingbird
And if that mockingbird won't sing
She's gonna buy me a diamond ring
And if that diamond ring won't shine
She's gonna surely break this heart of mine
And that's why I keep on tellin' ev'rybody, sayin' no, no, no, no,no
Listen now and understand
She's gonna find me some peace of mind
And if that peace of mind won't stay
I'm gonna find myself a better way
I might rise above , I might go below
I, I, I'll ride with the tide and go with the flow
And that's why I keep on shoutin' in your ears y'all
No, no, no, no, no, no, now, now, baby
The lyrics of Johnny Otis's song "Mocking Bird" tell a story about a person who is unhappy with their current situation and is putting their hope in external things like a mockingbird or a diamond ring to make them happy. The first verse speaks from a female perspective, with her partner promising to buy her a mockingbird and later a diamond ring if it doesn't sing. She fears that if the ring doesn't shine, her heart will be broken. The refrain includes the repetition of "wo, wo, wo, wo, wo" which could represent her anxiety and uncertainty.
The second verse switches to a male perspective and repeats the same story. He hopes that his partner will find him peace of mind, but if she doesn't, he will find a better way, even if it means going below or rising above. The refrain changes to "no, no, no, no, no" emphasizing his skepticism and perhaps disillusionment.
Overall, the lyrics convey a sense of yearning for happiness and the search for external factors to bring it about. It also shows the potential futility of those efforts, as well as the willingness to adapt and accept life's ups and downs.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody have you heard?
Have you heard what I'm about to say?
He's gonna buy me a mockingbird
He's promised to buy me a mockingbird as a gift.
And if that mockingbird won't sing
If that mockingbird doesn't sing, then...
He's gonna buy me a diamond ring
...he'll buy me a diamond ring instead.
And if that diamond ring won't shine
If that diamond doesn't shine, then...
He's gonna surely break this heart of mine
...he'll break my heart for failing to please me.
And that's why I keep on tellin' ev'rybody, sayin'
That's why I keep sharing this story with everyone, and saying...
Wo, wo, wo, wo, wo
I express my dissatisfaction with this situation.
Hear me now and understand
Listen carefully and try to comprehend.
He's gonna find me some peace of mind
He'll find a way to make me feel more at ease.
And if that peace of mind won't stay
If I can't keep that peace of mind, then...
I'm gonna find myself a better way
...I'll look for another way to be happy.
And if that better way ain't so
If that other way doesn't work out either, then...
I, I, I'll ride with the tide and go with the flow
...I'll be adaptable and take things as they come.
And that's why I keep on shoutin' in your ear sayin'
That's why I keep telling you this message loudly and repeatedly.
No, no, no, no, no
I disagree with the situation presented earlier.
Listen now and understand
Pay attention to what I'm about to say and truly grasp its meaning.
She's gonna find me some peace of mind
She'll find a way to make me feel more at ease.
And if that peace of mind won't stay
If I can't keep that peace of mind, then...
I'm gonna find myself a better way
...I'll look for another way to be happy.
I might rise above, I might go below
I could end up in a better or worse place than I started.
I, I, I'll ride with the tide and go with the flow
...Regardless, I'll accept my fate and move forward.
And that's why I keep on shoutin' in your ears y'all
That's why I keep repeating this message loudly to all of you.
No, no, no, no, no, no, now, now, baby
I strongly disagree with what was initially presented, so please listen carefully to what I have to say.
Lyrics Β© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CHARLIE FOXX, INEZ FOXX
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@alextudor43
Trop gΓ©nial !
@hugobalzac6828
This is wonderful.
@kev5125
Brilliant
@stephenlancaster7038
Del was a friend of my mother all those years ago