Born in Leno, Tennessee, Wright, as a youngster, began singing in the church. In 1956, while still in high school, he joined The Sunset Travelers as one of the lead singers for the gospel group. He later fronted a gospel music group, the Harmony Echoes. It was during this time that he was discovered (along with James Carr) by Roosevelt Jamison a songwriter and manager. Their first pop recording in 1964 was "That's How Strong My Love Is," a ballad later covered by Otis Redding and the Rolling Stones. It was issued on Goldwax, the label Wright signed to after leaving his gospel career. It was later determined that Don Robey still had him under a recording contract, due to his gospel group having recorded for Peacock. After his contract was shifted to Don Robey’s Back Beat label, further R&B hits followed. Working with record producer Willie Mitchell, success continued on songs including "Ace of Spades" and "A Nickel and a Nail".
Wright's hits were much more popular in the deep South. His biggest hits were "You're Gonna Make Me Cry" (R&B #6, 1965), "Eight Men, Four Women" (R&B #4, 1967) "Ace of Spades" (R&B #11, 1970), "A Nickel and a Nail" (R&B #19, 1971). The remainder of his 17 hits charted higher than #20 on the R&B charts.
However, Wright was imprisoned for narcotics offenses during the mid-1970s, and, despite signing for Hi Records and releasing a series of recordings, his commercial success failed to recover after his release. A continuing drug problem weakened his health and he died from a heart attack, in Mobile, Alabama at age 41.
Wright is among the most remembered voices of soul music, perhaps mostly for being sampled frequently in hip hop music. In 1996, his song, "Motherless Child" was sampled on the Ghostface Killah album Ironman on a song also called "Motherless Child." It and another Wright recording, "Let's Straighten It Out" have been published on Shaolin Soul, a compilation of tracks that have been sampled by the Wu Tang Clan and its members. "Let's Straighten It Out" was sampled in a Wu-Tang Clan song called "America" from the charity compilation album America Is Dying Slowly. "Ace of Spades" was sampled by Slim Thug and the Boss Hogg Outlawz on a song named "Recognize A Playa".
Johnny Rawls joined Wright's backing band in the mid-1970s, and played together with Wright until the latter's death in 1980. The band then continued billed as the O.V. Wright Band for another 13 years, and toured and performed with other musicians over this time span. These included B.B. King, Little Milton, Bobby Bland, Little Johnny Taylor, and Blues Boy Willie.
I've Been Searching
O.V. Wright Lyrics
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People are like Midas, where the fuck have you been dawg
What you been up to
You wanna know where I've been? Aight
People ask where the fuck I've been
High as fuck, why pretend
People ask where the fuck I've been
Nights is rough trynna find my friends
High as love, my light within
People ask where the fuck I've been
People ask where the fuck I've been
Dying to get inside like a chainsmoker in the cold weather
This life is a ride like a new whip with the gold leather
Two years in, really caught the feels
Was copping feels, now I'm offered deals
Drop pop shit like I'm off my wheels
Burned out, they tired, so off I peel
No room for a passenger
My city? I'm an ambassador
I move quick, got a massive turf
From Valdosta to Lassiter
No amateurs in my atmosphere
I am a jerk, no passes here
We're winning now, we had this clear
So it's our year 'till we dissapear
People ask where the fuck I've been
High as fuck, why pretend
People ask where the fuck I've been
Nights is rough trynna find my friends
People ask where the fuck I've been
High as love, my light within
People ask where the fuck I've been
People ask where the fuck I've been
Where I've been in life
10 jobs, 100 hoes and a fucking wife
How I deal with this strife
I was fucking high, you're motherfucking right
Mescal and mescaline
Medicine for the mess I'm in
Fuck up late, we're escalating
On the dream team, we're the best of them
Presidential with a lovely mental
Grind to stay sharp like your lucky pencil
Whip a bad bitch, but she's just a rental
In perfect shape like a fucking stencil
What if I don't make it? Better than living in stasis
If my record deal never made shit
Still twice as good as this fake shit
In the rat race? Well I placed, bitch
Don't waste shit while I'm wasted
Your homies all complacent
That's why we're never adjacent
Hit the club
Who the fuck am I? I'm a troubled guy
It's publicized
We twice as nice
But we're just as high
Roll dice hit dubs till I'm justified
Been around, but I keep it low key
Fly shit, private, everybody know me
Everybody think I'm new but I rep OG's
Write rhymes, pass time, that's till I OD
People ask where the fuck I've been
High as fuck, why pretend
People ask where the fuck I've been
Nights is rough trynna find my friends
People ask where the fuck I've been
High as love, my light within
People ask where the fuck I've been
People ask where the fuck I've been
People ask where the fuck I've been
High as fuck, why pretend
People ask where the fuck I've been
High as fuck, why pretend
People ask where the fuck I've been
High as fuck, why pretend
People ask where the fuck I've been
Write my sins, let life begin
Pop x, rose at the expose
Everybody knows Midas
Expect no Grey
Expect no pay, let the techno play
Hoes? Patron 'em
Expecto yay
You pay for play and we play for pay
Living day by day in amazing ways
Breaking hard vanilla, that wafer yay
Where the fuck I've been? Let the haters say
The lyrics to this song, "I've Been Searching" by O.V. Wright, seem to be about the singer's absences and his exploration of new experiences. The first verse seems to suggest that people have been wondering where he has been, and he answers them by saying that he has been high, looking for his friends, and trying to find his inner light. He also mentions feeling out of place, like a chainsmoker in the cold, which could symbolize his feeling disconnected from others.
In the second verse, the singer reflects on his life and how it has been filled with different jobs, women, and even a wife. He talks about using drugs like mescaline to cope with the "mess" of his life, and how he strives to stay sharp and move forward. He ultimately concludes that he is a "troubled guy" who is just trying to live life, but he believes in himself and his skill as a rapper.
Overall, the lyrics seem to convey a sense of restlessness and a desire for new experiences. The singer has been absent from the scene for a while, and now that he's back, he wants to push himself further and live life to the fullest.
Line by Line Meaning
Lately I feel like everywhere I go
I feel like wherever I go, I'm surrounded by people who are successful and everything they touch turns to gold.
People are like Midas, where the fuck have you been dawg
People are so successful that they're like the mythological King Midas, who could turn everything he touched into gold. Where have you been all this time?
What you been up to
What have you been doing since we last spoke?
You wanna know where I've been? Aight
Sure, I'll tell you where I've been.
Nights is rough trynna find my friends
I've been having a hard time finding my friends and feeling alone at night.
High as love, my light within
I feel good and happy inside because of my marijuana use.
Dying to get inside like a chainsmoker in the cold weather
I really want to be accepted and welcomed wherever I go, like a chainsmoker who seeks warmth in the cold weather.
This life is a ride like a new whip with the gold leather
Life is like a new car with fancy leather seats - it has its ups and downs, but it's exciting.
Two years in, really caught the feels
After two years, I have developed deep emotions for someone or something.
Was copping feels, now I'm offered deals
I used to only have feelings for someone, but now I'm offered business deals.
Drop pop shit like I'm off my wheels
I make popular music that is catchy and fun, but sometimes it feels like it's out of my control and I'm just going with the flow.
Burned out, they tired, so off I peel
I'm tired and burnt out, so I'm taking a break or leaving this situation.
No room for a passenger
There's no space for anyone to tag along or join me.
My city? I'm an ambassador
I represent my city and its culture to the fullest.
I move quick, got a massive turf
I'm always on the move and have a large territory or fan base.
No amateurs in my atmosphere
I surround myself with only high-quality, professional people.
I am a jerk, no passes here
I can be difficult to work with and don't give anyone an easy time.
We're winning now, we had this clear
We're currently successful and it's obvious we were going to be successful from the start.
So it's our year 'till we dissapear
We will dominate this year until we eventually fade away.
Where I've been in life
What have I been doing or experiencing lately in my life?
10 jobs, 100 hoes and a fucking wife
I've had many jobs, romantic partners, and even a spouse.
How I deal with this strife
How do I cope with the difficulties and challenges in my life?
I was fucking high, you're motherfucking right
I was using drugs and yes, it's true.
Medicine for the mess I'm in
Drugs help me cope with the mess that my life is currently in.
In the rat race? Well I placed, bitch
I may have been in a competitive world but I succeeded regardless.
Don't waste shit while I'm wasted
I still believe in making the most of my time and opportunities, even when I'm under the influence of drugs.
Your homies all complacent
Your friends are content with their current situation and not willing to improve or grow.
Hit the club
Let's go to the club and party.
Who the fuck am I? I'm a troubled guy
I may seem like I have it all figure out, but in reality I'm dealing with a lot of problems and issues.
We twice as nice
Together, we're even better and more talented.
Roll dice hit dubs till I'm justified
I'm gambling and trying to win big until I feel like it's all worth it.
Been around, but I keep it low key
I've been active and involved, but I try to stay out of the spotlight and not draw too much attention to myself.
Fly shit, private, everybody know me
I may keep a low profile, but I still have a cool and stylish image that people recognize.
Everybody think I'm new but I rep OG's
People may think I'm a newcomer, but I'm actually well-connected with the original leaders and pioneers in my field.
Write rhymes, pass time, that's till I OD
I spend my time crafting and writing music until I eventually overdose (on drugs or on success).
Pop x, rose at the expose
I'm taking ecstasy and drinking rose wine at a party or event.
Expect no Grey
Don't anticipate any boring or monotonous moments.
Expect no pay, let the techno play
Don't expect any payment or compensation, just enjoy the music and party atmosphere.
Hoes? Patron 'em
I'm using alcohol to impress and sway women.
Expecto yay
I'm expecting drugs (specifically cocaine) to make me feel good and enhance my experience.
You pay for play and we play for pay
You may have to pay for things to happen, but we make money from doing what we love and enjoy.
Living day by day in amazing ways
We're living life fully and enjoying every moment, without worrying about the past or future.
Breaking hard vanilla, that wafer yay
I'm using drugs (specifically ecstasy) to enhance my sexual experiences.
Where the fuck I've been? Let the haters say
I don't care where I've been or what I've been doing - let the haters talk and criticize me all they want.
High as fuck, why pretend
I'm really high on drugs, so there's no point in pretending otherwise.
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Alexander Newell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind