Johnson was born in the small town of Alamosa, Colorado, in the south-central part of the state; he grew up in Denver. He started playing the guitar at 13. In 1963, he began attending Colorado State University to study music but his college career was truncated when he won an international talent contest two years later. First prize included a deal with Epic Records. Epic released the song "Hills", written and sung by Johnson, as a single. Johnson began extensive touring of clubs and colleges, finding a receptive audience everywhere he went.
Wishing to hone his instrumental skills, in 1966 he set off for Barcelona, Spain, to the Liceu Conservatory, studying with the eminent classical guitarists, Graciano Tarragó and Renata Tarragó. Upon his return to the States, he joined Randy Sparks in a group called the New Society and did a tour of the Orient. When the band dissolved in 1967, he signed on with the Chad Mitchell Trio for a year, spending some of that time co-writing with another member, John Denver. The group was renamed Denver, Boise & Johnson. When the trio came to an end, Johnson made a radical departure from everything he had done previously by taking on a major supporting role in the off-Broadway production of "Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris." The show visited New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago over the next year; by then, Johnson was ready to return to creating and performing his own music.
In 1971, Johnson signed with Atco Records to release his first album, There Is A Breeze, which was released in 1973 and produced by Johnson, Chris Dedrick, Peter Yarrow and Phil Ramone in New York and Toronto, Canada. Feeling this first effort wasn't a true reflection of his music (despite being a huge best seller in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area), Johnson self-produced his next LP in 1975, For All You Mad Musicians, relying more on his voice and guitar for a folk feel. He followed this up with Ain't Dis Da Life, where he added a rhythm section. With each new recording and his continued touring, his popularity was increasing. It was time to make a move on the national market.
Teaming up with Brent Maher and Steve Gibson in Nashville, Tennessee, Johnson created a two-song demo consisting of "Bluer Than Blue" and "Almost Like Being in Love" (the latter song from the Broadway musical Brigadoon). EMI America took one listen and wasted no time in signing him, quickly getting The Michael Johnson Album out in 1978. The first single, "Bluer Than Blue", became Johnson's first Top 40 hit, peaking at No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the summer of 1978; the song became a chart-topping single on the Adult Contemporary chart. "Almost Like Being in Love" went to No. 91 on the R&B chart while hitting the Top 5 on the AC chart and the Top 40 on the pop chart. His next EMI album, Dialogue, provided his third big hit, "This Night Won't Last Forever" and a Gold Record for European sales of "I'll Always Love You."
Johnson recorded five albums in all for EMI and in 1985 moved over to RCA Records, where he adopted a contemporary country style that stayed compatible with his soft, mellow leanings; this shift was evident in his choice of duet partners country-pop singers Juice Newton and Sylvia. Johnson's change proved successful, as he scored five Top Ten country hits from 1986 to 1989, including the chart-toppers "Give Me Wings" and "The Moon Is Still Over Her Shoulder." After two country albums on RCA (plus two greatest hits collections), Johnson moved over to Atlantic Records in 1991, which effectively halted his commercial momentum. He recorded sporadically in the 1990s for smaller labels. In 1995, the country music group 4 Runner scored a minor hit with the single "Cain's Blood", for which Johnson co-wrote an updated version with Jack Sundrud of Poco. Johnson also proved to be a successful writer of print when he wrote "The Solo Performer" columns for the magazine Performing Songwriter from 1993 through 1998.
In August 2007, Johnson underwent successful quadruple bypass heart surgery. A charitable organization, "Friends of Michael Johnson," was temporarily set up to help defray medical expenses.
Johnson died July 2017, at his home in Minneapolis, Minnesota, at the age of 72.
temptation
Michael Johnson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She's had time enough to figure it out
She ain't gonna be no queenie
She's just way too down and out
She's saved her money but it will not help her now
Temptation, got to pay the people
Temptation, till she's old and feeble
She draws a picture on the wall
With her mind that's only partially gone
But she's got more that she can do
Figuring out why the sky is blue
And she won't bother us till 1992
Temptation, got to pay the people
Temptation, till she's old and feeble
The judge says let's deliver this girl from temptation
What she would've given to live in a neighborhood
Just like me and you
With someone to show her the rules she's broken
But society has spoken
Temptation, got to pay the people
Temptation, till she's old and feeble
The judge says let's deliver this girl from temptation
The lyrics of Michael Johnson's song "Temptation" tell the story of a young woman named Casey who has had a difficult life, and is now facing temptation. The song presents Casey's circumstances as being beyond her control, with lines like "she's just way too down and out," and "society has spoken." Despite her struggles, Casey has a creative mind and spends her time drawing and pondering the mysteries of the world, such as the reason why the sky is blue. The song implies that there are systemic barriers that prevent Casey from accessing the opportunities and support she needs to overcome her challenges, and instead she is left to face temptation alone.
The repeated phrase "temptation, got to pay the people, temptation, till she's old and feeble" speaks to the idea that we often pay a price for our choices and actions, especially when we are facing difficult circumstances. The judge's line "let's deliver this girl from temptation" suggests that there is hope for Casey, that perhaps someone will step in to help her resist temptation and make a better life for herself.
Overall, "Temptation" is a poignant song that reflects on the challenges that those living in poverty and facing systemic barriers can face in their lives. It speaks to the idea that we all have a role to play in creating a more just and equitable society.
Line by Line Meaning
Casey ought to know by now
Casey should be aware of her situation by now
She's had time enough to figure it out
She has had sufficient time to understand her situation and make a decision
She ain't gonna be no queenie
She won't have a luxurious life like a queen
She's just way too down and out
She is feeling extremely depressed and hopeless
She's saved her money but it will not help her now
Although she has saved her money, it won't make a difference in her current condition
Temptation, got to pay the people
The allure of temptation will ultimately cost people something
Temptation, till she's old and feeble
This temptation will continue to follow her and weigh her down as she ages
The judge says let's deliver this girl from temptation
The judge wants to help Casey overcome the temptation she's facing
She draws a picture on the wall
She is expressing her artistic creativity
With her mind that's only partially gone
Although she is struggling mentally, she still has some creative abilities
But she's got more that she can do
She has the potential to achieve more than just drawing on the wall
Figuring out why the sky is blue
She has the curiosity and potential to learn more about the world around her
And she won't bother us till 1992
She won't disturb anyone until the year 1992, indicating a sense of isolation from society
What she would've given to live in a neighborhood
She desires to live in a community with a sense of belonging
Just like me and you
The singer is referring to people with a stable living condition
With someone to show her the rules she's broken
She needs guidance to help her understand her mistakes
But society has spoken
Society has already made its decision and consequences for her actions
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: R. GOODRUM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Philip Lacabanne
One of my favorite song of the Album !!
John Evans
Would love to hear from Randy the story behind this song.