He was versatile enough to do folk songs, blues, covers of old-time Rock n' roll songs, and some original material, all of them in his own unique style. Rivers's greatest success came in the mid and late 1960s with a string of hit songs (including "Seventh Son," "Poor Side of Town" and "Secret Agent Man") but he has continued to record and perform to the present.
In 1960, Rivers met fellow Louisianan, James Burton, the guitar player for Ricky Nelson. Burton later recommended one of Rivers's songs to Nelson, who went on to record it. In 1961, Rivers went to Los Angeles to meet Nelson, and ended up relocating there, working as a song writer and studio musician. In 1963, Rivers's big break came when he temporarily filled in for a jazz combo at Bill Gazzari's night club; the temporary gig became long-term due to positive customer response.
In 1964, Elmer Valentine then gave Rivers a one-year contract to open his new club, Whisky a Go Go, on Sunset Strip in West Hollywood. The Whisky opened three days before The Beatles released "I Want To Hold Your Hand" and the British Invasion knocked almost every American artist off the top of the charts. But Rivers was so popular, producer Lou Adler decided to issue Johnny Rivers Live At The Whiskey A Go Go. The live album reached #12 on the charts and the single "Memphis" (a Chuck Berry cover) reached #2. Rivers made the successful transition from nightclub entertainer to chart-busting pop singer and had created the Go Go sound, part of a scene which included Go-Go dancers.
Into 1965, Rivers continued to record mostly live, Go Go style records including "Maybellene" (another Berry cover), which he followed "Mountain of Love", "Midnight Special", "Seventh Son" (written by Willie Dixon) e "Where Have All The Flowers Gone" (with Pete Seeger's), all of which were hits.
Rivers wanted to try something different and adopted a more idiosyncratic approach as from 1966. Characterized by his smooth, soulful voice, he produced hit portrayals as "Poor Side Of Town", which would be his biggest hit ever and his only number one record. Into another hit was "Secret Agent Man", the theme from Secret Agent television series (written by P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri). He also started own record company, Soul City Records, where he won a Grammy Award as the producer of the 5th Dimension, which eventually recorded "Aquarius/Let The Sun Shine In" and "Wedding Bell Blues", two number one hits on Rivers' label. Johnny is also credited with giving songwriter Jimmy Webb a major break when they recorded Webb's song "Up, Up, and Away". James Hendricks, one of the artists of that signed with Soul City, wrote "Summer Rain", a song that Rivers recorded and turned a hit.
Johnny Rivers continued to record more hits, including "Baby I Need Your Lovin'" and "The Tracks of My Tears" (cover of The Miracles), both top 10 in 1967. In 1968, Rivers released what many fans consider his best album, Realization, a number five album on the LP charts. The album was evocative of the psychedelic influences of the time and marked a subtle change in his musical direction, with more thoughtful types of songs, included such ballads as "Going Back to Big Sur".
In the 1970s, Rivers continued to record more songs and albums which were a success with music critics, but did not sell as well as some of his earlier hits. One of these albums, "L.A. Reggae" in 1972, reached the LP charts as a result of the top 10 "Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu" (a cover of Huey Smith & the Clowns). Anothers hits that time were "Blue Suede Shoes" (a cover of Carl Perkins), in 1973, which would reach the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100, and "Help Me Rhonda", in 1975 - a cover of The Beach Boys on which Brian Wilson helped with backup vocals. His last entry on the charts was "Swayin' to the Music (Slow Dancing)", a top ten hit in 1977.
1980's until nowadays
Rivers continued recording into the '80's, although his recording career wound down somewhat. In spite of his music hasn't reached the best seller charts for quite a while, Rivers is still touring, doing 50 to 60 shows a year, increasingly returning to the blues that inspired him initially.
In 1998], Rivers reactivated his Soul City imprint and released Last Train to Memphis, his first new studio album in 15 years.
In early 2000, Johnny recorded with Eric Clapton, Tom Petty, and Paul McCartney on a tribute album dedicated to Buddy Holly's backup band, "The Crickets".
In all, Rivers had 9 top ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100 and 17 in the top 40 from 1964 to 1977. In total, he has sold well over 25 million records.
Joker In The Wind
Johnny Rivers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lying here, waitin' for the mornin' light
In my mind, it's just a dream
This hole in my life
Is not really what it seems
Now that your livin' with him
I can't pretend
Joker in the wind, blown away again
You had the moves, i had to take a chance
The taste of your kiss
Chills up & down my spine
I took my heart, and laid it on the line
Under your spell
I never thought it would end
Joker in the wind, blown away again
I can never forget that look in your eyes
Blinded by lust
Believing in all of those lies
I had a girl so rare and true
I turned my back, and walked away with you
All of my friends tried to tell me so
Don't be a fool, don't let her go
I'll be alright, i just don't know when
Joker in the wind, blown away again
Joker in the wind, i'm goin' home again
The lyrics of Johnny Rivers's song "Joker In The Wind" tell the story of a person who is heartbroken and reflecting on a past relationship. The singer had been waiting for a new day, hoping that things would change, but realizes that the hole in their life is not as it appears. The person they loved is now with someone else, and they can no longer pretend that everything is fine. The title "Joker in the Wind" refers to the singer feeling like a joke, blown away and forgotten once again.
In the second verse, the singer remembers the beginning of their relationship as a "perfect dance" where they took a chance on someone with beautiful moves. But now, the taste of their former lover's kiss haunts them, causing chills up and down their spine. They gave their heart and trusted this person, only to end up under their spell, never thinking it would come to an end. The singer reflects on their foolishness, remembering the warning signs their friends tried to give them, but they were blinded by lust and believed the lies they were told.
In the end, despite the heartache, the singer declares that they will be alright and they are going back home. This suggests a desire to heal and move on from the pain caused by the relationship, perhaps learning from their mistakes.
Overall, "Joker In The Wind" portrays the emotions of heartbreak, regret, and acceptance of the end of a relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Forty days and forty nights
I have been in this state of longing for a long period of time
Lying here, waitin' for the mornin' light
I am stuck in sadness, waiting for a new day to bring some hope
In my mind, it's just a dream
I cannot believe the reality of the situation, it feels unreal
This hole in my life
There is a void in my life
Is not really what it seems
The emptiness I feel is more complex than it appears on the surface
Now that your livin' with him
You have moved on and are now in a relationship with someone else
I can't pretend
I cannot fake my feelings or ignore the reality of the situation
Joker in the wind, blown away again
I am constantly being let down and disappointed, just like a joker being blown away by the wind
Lookin' back, it was a perfect dance
Reflecting on the past, our relationship seemed flawless and harmonious
You had the moves, i had to take a chance
You were confident and alluring, which made me take a risk and pursue you
The taste of your kiss
The sensation of your kiss
Chills up & down my spine
It sent a shiver of excitement and pleasure through my entire body
I took my heart, and laid it on the line
I risked my feelings and gave you my heart, openly and honestly
Under your spell
I was captivated and influenced by your charm and allure
I never thought it would end
I never anticipated that our relationship would come to an end
Joker in the wind, blown away again
Once again, I find myself disappointed and abandoned, just like a joker being blown away by the wind
I can never forget that look in your eyes
The expression in your eyes left a lasting impression on me
Blinded by lust
My judgment and rationality were clouded by intense desire
Believing in all of those lies
I naively trusted and believed in the falsehoods you told me
I had a girl so rare and true
I had a remarkable and genuine girl in my life
I turned my back, and walked away with you
Despite having something special, I chose to abandon it and be with you
All of my friends tried to tell me so
My friends attempted to warn me and advise against my actions
Don't be a fool, don't let her go
They urged me not to act foolishly and not to lose the special girl
I'll be alright, i just don't know when
I will eventually recover and be okay, but I am uncertain about the timeline
Joker in the wind, blown away again
Once again, I find myself disappointed and abandoned, just like a joker being blown away by the wind
Joker in the wind, i'm goin' home again
Feeling defeated, I retreat back to my home, alone and lost
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Johnny Rivers, Pat Robinson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind