At the age of 14 (1957) Danko booked himself as an opening act for ronnie hawkins, & his band The Hawks. Hawkins asked Danko to join his band as a rythym guitarist, though later he would have Danko learn the bass, and by 1960 was Hawkins' bassist.
Around 1963 The Hawks broke away from Hawkins and the members (including Danko) would go on to continue as the Levon Helm Sextet (later renamed to The Canadian Squires and Levon and the Hawks).
In 1965, Bob Dylan recruited Levon and the Hawks to accompany him on his 1965/66 wold tour. However, Levon Helm chose not to tour with Dylan and was replaced on the tour by drummer Mickey Jones. In 1968, Danko and The Hawks, who had moved to Woodstock, where they began to be referred to as simply "the band," began recording with Dylan in the basement of a big pink house that Danko had rented (and which would soon become famous on its on as "Big Pink"). With Levon Helm back in the fold, they also released their first demo, allowing them to secure a record deal with Capitol Records. Working over the next few months, the five-piece band recorded what would become their debut album, Music From Big Pink. At this time, the group more or less officially changed their name from The Hawks to The Band, this time with a capital "B." Shortly after the album was released, Danko was seriously injured in a car crash, breaking his neck and back in nine places. Though he was laid up in traction for many weeks, he recovered and worked with The Band until 1976, when the group did their final concert at San Francisco's Winterland. The film of the concert, directed by Martin Scorsese, was released as "The Last Waltz" in 1978.
Danko would go on to record solo work on Arista Records, releasing his first solo work in 1977 (his self-titled debut). In the early 1990s, Danko teamed with Jonas Fjeld and Eric Andersen and three albums were released, Danko/Fjeld/Andersen in 1991, Ridin' on the Blinds in 1994, and One More Shot in 2001. Danko released a live album in 1997 (Rick Danko in Concert), and, in 1999, he released Live on Breeze Hill, which featured a new studio version of his much-loved song, "Sip the Wine" (the original version was on his first studio album) and was already working on material for his next work called Times Like These. On December 10, 1999, Danko's heart gave out and he passed away in his sleep. Times Like These was released posthumously the following year.
Java Blues
Rick Danko Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Asked if she could help in any way
I could tell by her smile, her number I could dial
If I was in the need of company
I asked her for some Java
Instead she brought a cup of chickory
A taste of Java is like a volcanic rush
Costs many more than you care to pay
But money is nothin, compared to a fired-up day
Don't try to cheat, it's impossible to beat
The only pick-me-up that's here to stay
Java Blues... coffee's got me
Java Blues... coffee coffee coffee
Java Blues... well the coffee's got me
Java Blues... coffee coffee coffee
You know that I'll stay high
Drinkin coffee till I die
Java blues
Won't you boil me water, fill up my cup
You know it takes a lot to keep me up
Down in Bolivia, the people are insane
They want as much for Java as they do for cocaine
Don't try to cheat, it's impossible to beat
The only pick-me-up that's here to stay
Java Blues... coffee's got me
Java Blues... coffee coffee coffee
Java Blues... you don't know what it does to me
Java Blues... coffee coffee coffee
You know that I'll stay high
Drinkin coffee till I die
Java Blues...
The song Java Blues by Rick Danko is about the power of coffee and how it can give a person the feeling of an intense high. The first verse describes the singer stopping at a diner and encountering a blond waitress who offers to be his company. He asks for some Java, which is a slang term for coffee, but is given chickory instead. The singer recognizes the flirtation and interest from the waitress through her smile and could have even gotten her number, but is content with just his coffee.
The second verse is an ode to the power and allure of coffee. The singer describes the rush of caffeine as being volcanic and unstoppable. He acknowledges that it may be expensive but argues that it's worth it for a fired-up day. He then warns against trying to cheat with other pick-me-ups as coffee is the only one that stays reliable. The chorus repeats the phrase "Java Blues" while emphasizing the addictiveness of coffee.
Java Blues has been interpreted in different ways, depending on who is asked. For some, it is a simple love song to coffee, while others have remarked on its possible sexual undertones. However, it is generally agreed upon that the song's rhythm and melody capture the energetic and addictive properties of coffee.
Line by Line Meaning
Stopped by a diner, and the blond behind the counter
I went into a diner and saw a blonde woman working behind the counter.
Asked if she could help in any way
I asked if she could help me.
I could tell by her smile, her number I could dial
The woman smiled back and it seemed like she was interested in giving me her phone number.
If I was in the need of company
I felt like she was willing to keep me company.
I asked her for some Java
I asked her for some coffee.
Instead she brought a cup of chickory
But instead of coffee, she brought me a cup of chickory.
A taste of Java is like a volcanic rush
When you taste coffee, it feels like an explosion of energy in your body.
Nobody's gonna stop me from drinking too much
I won't let anyone stop me from drinking coffee excessively.
Costs many more than you care to pay
Sometimes coffee can be expensive.
But money is nothin, compared to a fired-up day
But compared to having an energetic day, money is meaningless.
Don't try to cheat, it's impossible to beat
You can't cheat coffee or find a better alternative to it.
The only pick-me-up that's here to stay
It's the only thing that can give you an immediate boost and last for a longer time.
Won't you boil me water, fill up my cup
Can you please heat up some water and fill up my coffee cup?
You know it takes a lot to keep me up
I need a lot of coffee to keep myself alert.
Down in Bolivia, the people are insane
People in Bolivia are crazy about coffee.
They want as much for Java as they do for cocaine
They are willing to pay as much for coffee as they would for cocaine.
Java Blues... coffee's got me
The song is called Java Blues and it's about how coffee affects the singer's mood.
Java Blues... well the coffee's got me
The song is again emphasizing how much coffee affects the singer's mood.
Java Blues... you don't know what it does to me
People don't realize how much coffee affects the singer.
You know that I'll stay high
I'll keep drinking coffee and stay alert and energized.
Drinkin coffee till I die
I'll keep drinking coffee until I die.
Java blues...
The song ends with the singer repeating the title and the message of the song.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: EMMETT GROGAN, RICHARD CLAIRE DANKO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ken Jones
I bought the vinyl LP back in 1977 and it still sounds great.
Where's my damned keys
Fortunate enough to have had Rick and Levon be local, and saw Rick do this countless times live at all sorts of venues. Most as intimate as your living-room. I was in attendance for a live version recorded with Paul Butterfield, and it stands out as one of my favorites.
Joel Height
THat's definitely Robbie Robertson on guitar. Sounds amazing
John Rectangle
There's a cover of this song by an English rock band,Dr Feelgood with a great singer,Lee Brilleaux.The cover is as good as the original !
SingleMalt77005
Rick co-wrote this with Emmett Grogan, founder of the Diggers and author of the book "Rigolevio" (and to whom Bob Dylan dedicated his "Street Legal" album).
CW Singer Jr
I think I like this song more than any, post band release of the original folks.
Robbie has done some incredible work too but it is not, "The Band", like this song is.
Although, "Atlantic City" is pretty darn good
IGOR SKLYAROV
Рик Данко - навсегда!!
Alexander Danilov
Плюс
Richard Koch
Robbie Robertson on lead guitar
Mary P
Saw him do this at Park West in Chicago.