Curtis Ousley was adopted, with his sister, Josephine Ousley Allen. They were raised together in Fort Worth, Texas. Ousley attended I.M. Terrell High School, and studied and performed music with schoolmate Ornette Coleman.
Ousley started playing saxophone at the age of twelve in the Fort Worth area. He took interest in many musical genres including jazz, rhythm and blues, and popular music. As a student pursuing music, he turned down college scholarships in order to join the Lionel Hampton Band. During his time with Hampton, he was able to write and arrange music and learn guitar. In 1952 Curtis decided to move to New York and became a session musician, recording for such labels as Prestige, Enjoy, Capitol, and Atco. He recorded with Nat Adderley, Wynton Kelly, Buddy Holly, Waylon Jennings and Andy Williams.
Stylistically, Curtis took inspiration from saxophonists Lester Young, Louis Jordan, Illinois Jacquet, Earl Bostic, and Gene Ammons. Known for his syncopated and percussive style, he was both versatile and powerful as a musician. He put together a group during his time as a session musician that included Richard Tee, Cornell Dupree, Jerry Jemmott, and Bernard Purdie.
King Curtis enjoyed playing jazz and rhythm & blues but decided he would make more money as a rhythm & blues musician, stating in a 1971 interview with Charlie Gillet that "I love the authentic rhythm & blues more than anything, and I also like to live well." From the 1950s until the mid-1960s, he worked as a session player, recording under his own name and with others such as The Coasters, with whom he recorded "Yakety Yak". Buddy Holly hired him for session work, during which they recorded "Reminiscing". Holly wrote this song, but gave Curtis the songwriting credit for flying down to the session. His best-known singles from this period are "Soul Twist" and "Soul Serenade". He provided backing on a number of songs for LaVern Baker, including her 1958 hit single "I Cried a Tear", where his saxophone became "a second voice".
In 1965, he moved to Atlantic Records and recorded his most successful singles, "Memphis Soul Stew" and "Ode to Billie Joe" (1967). He worked with The Coasters, led Aretha Franklin's backing band The Kingpins. The Kingpins opened for The Beatles during their 1965 performance at Shea Stadium. Curtis produced records, often working with Jerry Wexler and recorded for Groove Records during this period, including the Joe South song "Games People Play" with guitarist Duane Allman.
In March 1971 he appeared with Aretha Franklin and The Kingpins at the Fillmore West, which resulted in two live albums: "Aretha Live at Fillmore West", and Curtis' own "Live at Fillmore West". In July 1971, Curtis recorded saxophone solos on "It's So Hard" and "I Don't Wanna Be a Soldier" from John Lennon's Imagine. Along with The Rimshots, he recorded the original theme song for the 1971 hit television show, Soul Train, titled "Hot Potatoes".
Curtis was killed on August 13, 1971 when he was stabbed during an argument with a pair of drug dealers he discovered on the steps outside his Manhattan apartment. Curtis was attempting to carry an air conditioner into his apartment when Juan Montanez refused to move from the entrance. A fight ensued and Montanez stabbed Curtis. Curtis later died at Roosevelt Hospital. In March 1972, Montanez was sentenced to seven years for second-degree manslaughter, but was released in late 1977 for good behavior.
On the day of Curtis' funeral Atlantic Records closed their offices. Jesse Jackson administered the service and as the mourners filed in, Curtis' band 'The Kingpins' played "Soul Serenade". Among those attending were Ousley's immediate family, including sister Josephine Ousley Allen, other family members, Aretha Franklin, Cissy Houston, Brook Benton and Duane Allman. Franklin sang the closing spiritual "Never Grow Old" and Stevie Wonder performed "Abraham, Martin and John and now King Curtis".
Curtis was subsequently buried in a red granite-fronted wall crypt in the 'West Gallery of Forsythia Court' mausoleum at Pinelawn Memorial Park in Farmingdale, New York, the same cemetery that holds jazz greats Count Basie and John Coltrane.
In 1970, a year before his death, Curtis won the Best R&B Instrumental Performance Grammy for "Games People Play".
Curtis was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 6, 2000.
Tossin' and Turnin'
King Curtis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I couldn't sleep a wink last night just a-thinking of you
Baby things weren't right I kept on tossin' and turnin'
Turnin' and tossin' tossin' and turnin' all night
I threw the blankets on the floor, turned my pillow upside down
Then I thought of you some more
And I kept on tossin' and turnin' turnin' and tossin'
Tossin' and turnin' all night
Pulled down the shade went to the kitchen for a bite
Pulled up the shade, turned off the light
I jumped back into bed it was the middle of the night
The clock downstairs was striking four, couldn't get you off my mind
Heard the milkman at the door but I was tossin' and turnin'
The song "Tossin' and Turnin'" by King Curtis is a classic example of a simple, catchy tune that expresses the frustration and agony of love. The song was originally written by Ritchie Adams and Malou Rene in 1960, and was first recorded by Bobby Lewis. However, King Curtis's instrumental take on the song became a massive hit the following year, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
The lyrics of the song convey the singer's agony as he tosses and turns in bed, unable to sleep because of his love for someone who doesn't seem to reciprocate his feelings. He tries everything in his power to forget about them, but even small things like hearing the milkman at the door are enough to remind him of his heartbreak. The song is an emotional rollercoaster, with the anguished lyrics contrasting sharply with the upbeat musical accompaniment.
One of the interesting things about "Tossin' and Turnin'" is the way it blends different genres of music. The song's saxophone riff and its 12-bar blues structure are clearly influenced by rock and roll and R&B, while the lyrics are more reminiscent of pop ballads. Additionally, the song features a catchy call-and-response section in which the saxophone and guitar take turns playing a short melody that is then echoed by the other instrument.
Another noteworthy aspect of the song is its longevity and influence on popular culture. "Tossin' and Turnin'" has been covered by numerous artists over the years, including Santana, Otis Redding, and Peter Criss of Kiss. It has also been used in movies and TV shows, such as the film Animal House and the Netflix series Stranger Things.
Chords:
Intro: Bb C Bb F F7 Bb C
Verse: Bb C Bb F F7 Bb C
Chorus: F C7 Bb C F C7 Bb C F C7 Bb C Bb C Bb F F7 Bb C
Line by Line Meaning
Baby, baby, can't you see what you're doing to me?
My dear, can't you understand how you're affecting me?
I couldn't sleep a wink last night just a-thinking of you
I simply didn't sleep a wink last night, all I did was think about you
Baby, things weren't right, I kept on tossin' and turnin'
To be honest, things weren't okay and I kept on tossing and turning
Turnin' and tossin', tossin' and turnin' all night
I was continuously tossing and turning all night long
I threw the blankets on the floor, turned my pillow upside down
I was really restless, I even threw my blankets on the floor and turned my pillow upside down
Then I thought of you some more, and I kept on tossin' and turnin'
Then I continued to think about you, and I couldn't stop tossing and turning
Turnin' and tossin', tossin' and turnin' all night
I was turning and tossing, all night long
Jumped out of bed, turned on the light, pulled down the shade went to the kitchen for a bite
I suddenly got out of bed, turned on the light, pulled the shades down and went to the kitchen to have a bite to eat
Pulled up the shade, turned off the light, I jumped back into bed it was the middle of the night
Then I went back to bed, pulled up the shades, turned off the light, even though it was the middle of the night
The clock downstairs was striking four, couldn't get you off my mind
I heard the clock strike four downstairs, but I just couldn't stop thinking of you
Heard the milkman at the door, but I was tossin' and turnin'
I even heard the milkman at the door, but I was still unable to stop tossing and turning
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: RITCHIE ADAMS, MALOU RENE, RICHARD A ZIEGLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind