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")
Wild Night
Richie Havens Lyrics
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And stand before the mirror
And you comb your hair
And grab your coat and hat
And you walk, wet streets
Tryin' to remember
All the wild breezes
In your mem'ry ever.
When you're walkin' out on the street
And the wind catches your feet
And sends you flyin', cryin'
Ooh-wee!
The wild night is calling.
And all the girls walk by
Dressed up for each other
And the boys do the boogie-woogie
On the corner of the street
And the people passin' by
Just stare in wild wonder
And the inside juke-box
Roars out just like thunder.
And everything looks so complete...
The wild night is calling
The wild night is calling
Come on out and dance
Come on out and make romance....
The song "Wild Night" by Richie Havens is a lively and upbeat tune that encourages listeners to let go of their inhibitions and enjoy the moment. The lyrics describe a scene on a wild night out in the city, with people dressed up and dancing in the streets, and the music blaring from the jukebox. The singer of the song is getting ready to join in on the festivities, while reminiscing about past wild nights and feeling the excitement building up inside. The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "The wild night is calling", inviting the listener to come out and join in on the fun.
The lyrics of the song are a celebration of life and the joy of the moment. The singer urges the listener to let loose and forget their worries, to dance and make romance under the wild night sky. The imagery of the wet streets and wild breezes suggests a sense of freedom and spontaneity, while the excitement of the music and people adds to the overall energy of the song. The repetition of the chorus creates a sense of urgency, as if the wild night is calling out to the listener and they cannot resist its pull.
Overall, "Wild Night" is a catchy and fun song that captures the spirit of a wild night out on the town. The lyrics speak to the desire for freedom, the joy of the moment, and the excitement of the night.
Line by Line Meaning
As you brush your shoes
As you prepare yourself for the night
And stand before the mirror
And take a glance at yourself, making sure you look your best
And you comb your hair
And run the comb through your hair to neaten it up
And grab your coat and hat
And put on your coat and hat to keep yourself warm
And you walk, wet streets
And you step out onto the wet streets of the night
Tryin' to remember
Trying to recall all the wild memories you've made in the past
All the wild breezes
All the wild and thrilling adventures and experiences you had
In your mem'ry ever.
That are forever etched in your memory
And ev'rything looks so complete
And everything seems to fall into place
When you're walkin' out on the street
When you're walking down the street, ready to take on the night
And the wind catches your feet
And the wind picks up, sending you running down the street
And sends you flyin', cryin'
And lifts you off your feet, making you cry out in excitement
Ooh-wee!
Expressing the thrill of the moment
The wild night is calling.
The night is beckoning you to come out and play
And all the girls walk by
As you walk down the street, you see all the girls dressed up
Dressed up for each other
Dressed up to impress their friends and each other
And the boys do the boogie-woogie
The boys are dancing to the music on the street corner
On the corner of the street
In a lively and noisy crowd
And the people passin' by
As people walk by, they gaze in amazement
Just stare in wild wonder
Just watching in awe and amazement
And the inside juke-box
And the jukebox inside offers music for everyone to dance to
Roars out just like thunder.
The jukebox is playing loud music that can be heard clearly on the street
The wild night is calling
Once again calling for you to come out and join in the celebration
Come on out and dance
Asking you to come out and join the party
Come on out and make romance....
Asking you to come out and enjoy the company of others for a night of fun and passion
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: VAN MORRISON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind