Born in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, Havens moved to Greenwich Village in 1961 in time to get in on the folk boom then taking place. Havens had a distinctive style as a folksinger, appearing in such clubs as the Cafe Wha? His guitar set to an open tuning, he would strum while barring chords with his thumb, using it essentially as percussion while singing rhythmically in a gruff voice for a mesmerizing effect. Havens was signed to Douglas Records in 1965 and recorded two albums that gained him a local following. In 1967, the Verve division of MGM Records formed a folk section (Verve Forecast) and signed Havens and other folk-based performers. The result was Havens's third album, Mixed Bag. It wasn't until 1968 and the Something Else Again album, however, that Havens began to hit the charts -- actually, Havens's fourth, third, and second albums charted that year, in that order. In 1969 came the double album Richard P. Havens 1983. Havens' career benefited enormously from his appearance at the Woodstock festival in 1969 and his subsequent featured role in the movie and album made from the concert in 1970. His first album after that exposure, Alarm Clock, made the Top 30 and produced a Top 20 single in "Here Comes the Sun." These recordings were Havens's commercial high-water mark, but by this time he had become an international touring success. By the end of the '70s, he had abandoned recording and turned entirely to live work.
Havens came back to records with a flurry of releases in 1987: a new album, Simple Things; an album of Bob Dylan and Beatles covers; and a compilation. In 1991, Havens signed his first major-label deal in 15 years when he moved to Sony Music and released Now.
On April 22, 2013, Havens died of a heart attack at home in Jersey City, New Jersey. He was 72.
Discography
* A Richie Havens Record (1965)
* Electric Havens (1966)
* Mixed Bag (February 1967)
* Something Else Again (1968)
* Richard P. Havens, 1983 (1969)
* Stonehenge (1970)
* Alarm Clock (1971)
* The Great Blind Degree (1971)
* Richie Havens On Stage (1972)
* Portfolio (1973)
* Mixed Bag II (January 1975)
* The End of the Beginning (1976)
* Mirage (1977)
* Connections (1980)
* Common Ground (1983)
* Simple Things (1987)
* Sings Beatles and Dylan (1987)
* Live at the Cellar Door (1990)
* Now (1991)
* Cuts to the Chase (1994)
* Time (1999)
* Wishing Well (April 2002)
* Grace of the Sun (2004)
Guest appearances
* Please Don't Touch by Steve Hackett (1978)
* Starlight Express Music and Songs from (1987)
* OVO by Peter Gabriel (2000) (Soundtrack to the Millennium Dome Show)
* "Freedom" on The Best of The Jammy's Volume One w/ The Mutaytor
* "The Long Road" (Duet with Cliff Eberhardt) on Cliff's 1990 album "The Long Road")
Going Back to My Roots
Richie Havens Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Goin' back to my roots
Yeah
To the place of my birth
Back down to earth.
I've been standing in the rain
Tired of short time benefits
And being exposed to the elements.
I'm homeward bound
Got my head turned around.
Zippin' up my boots
Goin' back to my roots
Yeah
To the place of my birth
Back down to earth.
Ain't talkin' 'bout no roots in the land
Talkin' 'bout the roots in the man.
I feel my spirit gettin' old
It's time to recharge my soul
I'm zippin' up my boots
Goin' back to my roots
Yeah
To the place of my birth
Back down to earth.
Zippin' up my boots
Goin' back to my roots.
To the place of my birth
Back down to earth.
Richie Havens's song "Going Back to My Roots" is a soulful and introspective expression of the artist's emotions as he reflects on the hardships he has endured in life. The lyrics are a powerful metaphor that uses the image of zipping up boots as a symbol of returning to one's true self and rediscovering one's roots. The song begins with the artist declaring that he is heading back to his roots, to the place of his birth, and back down to earth. This is an indication that he is embarking on a journey of self-discovery, seeking to reconnect with his true identity and the values that shape who he is.
The lyrics further reveal that the artist has been standing in the rain, drenched and soaked with pain, symbolizing the hardships he has faced in his life. He is tired of the short-term benefits and is exposed to the elements, indicating that he has been living a life of temporary gratification that has left him feeling empty and unfulfilled. The artist is homeward bound, and he can feel his head turning around as if he is finally seeing the light after a long period of darkness. The chorus then repeats the opening line, "Zippin' up my boots, Goin' back to my roots, Yeah" indicating that the artist is committed to rediscovering himself and his identity.
The lyrics are not about the roots of the land, but rather, the roots in the man. The artist acknowledges that he feels his spirit getting old, and it's time to recharge his soul. This is a further indication of the artist's self-awareness and desire to reconnect with what matters most to him personally. By zipping up his boots and going back to his roots, he is metaphorically grounding himself to start a new journey in life. The song concludes with the artist repeating the chorus, stating that he is going back to the place of his birth and back down to earth, signifying a return to his true self.
Line by Line Meaning
Zippin' up my boots
Preparing to embark on a journey
Goin' back to my roots
Returning to the origins of my being
Yeah
Affirming my decision
To the place of my birth
To the location where I first came into existence
Back down to earth.
Returning to reality after a period of detachment
I've been standing in the rain
I have endured hardship and sorrow
Drenched and soaked with pain
Fully saturated with the consequences of my struggles
Tired of short time benefits
Weary of temporary gains that do not provide lasting fulfillment
And being exposed to the elements.
Vulnerable to circumstances beyond my control
I'm homeward bound
Returning to my true self
Got my head turned around.
Changed my perspective
Ain't talkin' 'bout no roots in the land
This is not about a physical place of origin
Talkin' 'bout the roots in the man.
This is about reconnecting with one's innermost self
I feel my spirit gettin' old
I sense a waning of my inner vitality
It's time to recharge my soul
It is time to replenish my spiritual energy
Zippin' up my boots
Preparing to take action
Goin' back to my roots
Returning to the core of my being
To the place of my birth
To where I first began
Back down to earth.
Returning to reality with a renewed sense of purpose
Zippin' up my boots
Ready to undertake a journey
Goin' back to my roots.
Returning to my source and essence
To the place of my birth
To where I first came into being
Back down to earth.
Returning to the reality of who I truly am
Lyrics ยฉ Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LAMONT DOZIER, LAMONT HERBERT DOZIER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@andremartinesvoz
Zippin' up my boots, goin' back to my roots
To the place of my birth, back down to earth
Not talkin' 'bout the roots in the land
I'm talkin' 'bout the roots in the man
Zippin' up my boots, goin' back to my roots
I'm homeward bound, got my head turned around
Goin' back to find myself
I can't live with nobody else
Who's living in the world and not be seen
Goin' back, goin' back right there an' be me
Not talkin' for riches I've had all the time
Finding out happiness is just a state of mind
Just a state of mind
Zippin' up my boots, goin' back to my roots
To the place of my birth, back down to earth, yes
Not talkin' 'bout the roots in the land
I'm talkin' 'bout the roots in the man, yes
Zippin' up my boots, getting back to the roots
I'm homeward bound, got my head turned around, oh oh oh
Going home, I'm coming home
Going home, going home, right to be loved
Not for my riches that I've got the time
Finding out happiness is just a state of mind
Just a state of mind, just a state of mind
Just a state of mind, yeah
Zippin' up my boots, goin' back to my roots
To the place of my birth, get on down to the earth
It's not black, it's not white
It's not red, it's not yellow
It's not black, it's not white
It's not red, it's not yellow
It's not black, it's not white
It's not red, it's not yellow
It's down to earth, it's down to earth
It's down to earth, it's down to earth
It's not red, it's not white
It's not yellow, it's not black
It's not red, it's not white
It's not yellow, it's not black...
@EllaJay
That piano is 10 years ahead of its time! This is like house music fused with disco/funk. The lyrics and vocals are just excellent, so glad I discovered this gem..
@viejosueco
... at least! LOVE your comment even like richies passion to just move to.
@michaeljoseph8012
It was a big club hit right through until 1990
@averilloanthony7527
@@michaeljoseph8012 its still is massive, it's part of our dance club culture history ๐
@edoardociervo7447
Original piece Is from Lamont dozier not richie
@georgebetts8931
โ@@edoardociervo7447The Richie Havens version smashed it as well....
@brenforan4916
1980 remember it like it was only 44 years ago โ๏ธโ๏ธgreat tune
@sabrinamugnaini9686
Innamorata da sempre di questa musica e delle voci cosรฌ, da brividi. I miei 16 anni erano pieni di tutto questo
@donatoillo7988
one of the best track ever recorded in modern music history.ย
@shiva231
All time favourite x