After dropping out of high school and joining the US Naval Reserve, he eventually went AWOL to concentrate on music. He fled to Canada in 1964 and started using the name Ricky Matthews. In Toronto, he led various incarnations of The Mynah Birds, some of which included Neil Young and Bruce Palmer (who would go on to form Buffalo Springfield) and Nick St. Nicholas (later of Steppenwolf). After scoring a deal with Motown, the band was swindled by their manager and the label discovered James was on the lam, and the band split up.
After serving time for desertion, James tried to rekindle the Mynah Birds, but eventually found a role as a writer and producer at Motown, using the name Terry Johnson on tunes for Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Bobby Taylor and the Vancouvers and The Spinners. He moved to California in 1969 and formed Salt 'n' Pepper (not to be confused with Salt-N-Pepa) and worked with a number of bands (Heaven and Earth, Great White Cane, and Stone City Band) before returning to Motown, where he developed the gritty funk sound that would bring him hits and notoriety. "Super Freak" in 1981, from the Street Songs album, was his biggest hit. During this period, he also helped launch the careers of R&B singer Teena Marie and the Mary Jane Girls as well as producing Eddie Murphy's hit, Party All the Time.
After remaining moderately successful through the 80s, his popularity waned in the 90s and he succumbed to drugs, having frequent run-ins with the law, one of which resulted in a prison term. After an unsuccessful comeback attempt in 1997 and suffering a stroke, James retired. He died in 2004 from heart failure with multiple contributing factors.
Mr. Policeman
Rick James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've seen you in my neighborhood
You look to me up to no good
I've seen you with your gun in your hand
Hey Mr. Policeman
I saw you shoot my good friend down
He was just havin' fun
Checkin' out a one & one
Everytime you show your face
Somebody dies man
La la la la la la la la la
Hey Mr. Policeman
Why don't you leave the boys alone
Why don't you just roll your own
And call me on the telephone
Hey Mr. Policeman
I see you walkin' on your beat
Searchin' strangers on the street
Especially the whores you meet
It's a shame such a disgrace
Everytime you show your face
Somebody dies man
Somebody dies
(Police monologue) Siren
This is a car #54 wait to check out etc. . . . .
Hey Mr. Policeman
I saw you shoot my good friend down
He was just havin' fun checkin' out a one & one
Hey Mr. Policeman
I see you never havin' fun
Strapped to your side a gun
.357 Smith Magnum
It's a shame & disgrace
Everytime you show your face
Somebody dies man
I'd rather be a farmer than to be a police
I'd rather be a singer than to be a police
I'd rather be a father than to be a police
The lyrics to Rick James's "Mr. Policeman" speak about the deep distrust and disappointment that the singer feels towards law enforcement officials. The opening stanza sets the tone of the song with the singer spotting the policeman in his neighbourhood, insinuating that he is up to no good. The subsequent lines about the policeman having a gun in his hand incite fear and suggest that the figure is more of an aggressor than a protector. This sentiment is further cemented when the singer describes witnessing a friend being fatally shot by the policeman, even though he was "just having fun.”
The song highlights the idea that the police are antagonistic towards those they are meant to protect, approaching all with suspicion and violence. The lyric "why don't you leave the boys alone" emphasizes this point. The final verse of the song has the singer saying that he would rather be a farmer or a father than a policeman, implying that these activities are much more noble and virtuous ways to live out one's life than being a police officer.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey Mr. Policeman
Addressing the policeman
I've seen you in my neighborhood
The policeman is seen in the neighborhood
You look to me up to no good
The policeman is suspicious
I've seen you with your gun in your hand
The policeman carries a weapon
I saw you shoot my good friend down
The policeman shot and killed the singer's friend
He was just havin' fun
The friend was not causing any harm
Checkin' out a one & one
The friend was observing something
It's a shame and disgrace
The action of the policeman is regrettable
Everytime you show your face
The policeman's presence leads to tragedy
Somebody dies man
Someone loses their life due to the policeman's actions
Why don't you leave the boys alone
The policeman should stop targeting young men
Why don't you just roll your own
The policeman should mind his own business
And call me on the telephone
The singer wants to avoid encountering the policeman
I see you walkin' on your beat
The policeman patrols the area
Searchin' strangers on the street
The policeman is investigating suspicious individuals
Especially the whores you meet
The policeman targets sex workers
Somebody dies
Loss of life is a recurring result of police action
This is a car #54 wait to check out etc. . . . .
The sound of a police scanner
I see you never havin' fun
The policeman takes no pleasure in his job
Strapped to your side a gun
The policeman is always armed
.357 Smith Magnum
The specific type of firearm the policeman carries
I'd rather be a farmer than to be a police
The singer has a negative view of the police profession
I'd rather be a singer than to be a police
The singer believes his profession is more fulfilling than being a police officer
I'd rather be a father than to be a police
The singer values being a parent over being a police officer
Contributed by Noah G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Nicole Michelle Lynn
on She's A Brick House
Good call Stewart, it wasn't Rick James, it absolutely was the Commodores
Stuart Day
on She's A Brick House
You know Rick James did not sing Brickhouse right? It was the Commodores.