Sykes had a long career spanning the pre-war and postwar eras. His pounding piano boogies and risqué lyrics characterize his contributions to the blues. He was responsible for influential blues songs such as "44 Blues", "Driving Wheel", and "Night Time Is the Right Time".
He was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Gennett Records Walk of Fame in 2011.
Born in Elmar, Arkansas, Sykes grew up near Helena but at age 15, went on the road playing piano with a barrelhouse style of blues. Like many bluesmen of his time, he travelled around playing to all-male audiences in sawmill, turpentine and levee camps along the Mississippi River, gathering a repertoire of raw, sexually explicit material. His wanderings eventually brought him to St. Louis, Missouri, where he met St. Louis Jimmy Oden.
In 1929 he was spotted by a talent scout and sent to New York to record for Okeh Records. His first release was "'44' Blues" which became a blues standard and his trademark. He quickly began recording for multiple labels under various names including 'Easy Papa Johnson', 'Dobby Bragg' and 'Willie Kelly'. After he and Oden moved to Chicago he found his first period of fame when he signed with Decca Records in 1934. In 1943, he signed with Bluebird Records and recorded with 'The Honeydrippers'.
In Chicago, Sykes began to display an increasing urbanity in his lyric-writing, using an eight-bar blues pop gospel structure instead of the traditional twelve-bar blues. However, despite the growing urbanity of his outlook, he gradually became less competitive in the post-World War II music scene. After his RCA Victor contract expired, he continued to record for smaller labels, such as United, until his opportunities ran out in the mid 1950s.
Roosevelt left Chicago in 1954 for New Orleans as electric blues was taking over the Chicago blues clubs. When he returned to recording in the 1960s it was for labels such as Delmark, Bluesville, Storyville and Folkways that were documenting the quickly passing blues history. He lived out his final years in New Orleans, where he died from a heart attack on July 17, 1983.
Night Time Is the Right Time
Roosevelt Sykes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is the night time (night and day)
If you wanna be (night and day)
With the girl you love (night and day)
Oh baby (night and day)
Said come on baby (night and day)
Hold me tight (night and day)
Make everything alright (night and day)
Oh is the right time (night and day)
If you want to love me (night and day)
That's what I say
Let me tell you about my mother (night and day)
Hum hum and my father (night and day)
They're long gone (night and day)
Left this poor child cryin' (night and day)
Oh baby (night and day)
Come on baby (night and day)
I want you by my side (night and day)
You gotta keep me satisfied (night and day)
I know the night time (night and day)
Every night is the right time (night and day)
To be with the one you love (night and day)
Oh baby
(Night and day)
(Night and day)
(Night and day)
(Night and day)
(Night and day)
(Night and day)
(Night and day)
(Night and day)
(Night and day)
(Night and day)
(Night and day)
Squeeze me (night and day)
Please me (night and day)
Hold me (night and day)
Tight as you can (night and day)
Oh baby (night and day)
I said come on baby (night and day)
Want you by my side (night and day)
Got to keep me satisfied (night and day)
I know the night time (night and day)
Oh is the right time (night and day)
To be with the one you love (night and day)
I said it, I said it one more time
Oh you know the night time (night and day)
Every day is the right time (night and day)
If you wanna be (night and day)
With the one you love (night and day)
Oh baby (night and day)
Oh come on baby (night and day)
I want you by my side (night and day)
I said I want you by my side (night and day)
I know the night time (night and day)
Oh is the right time (night and day)
To be with the one you love
The song "Night Time Is the Right Time" is a classic blues track that talks about the best time to be with your loved one. The opening lines of the song emphasize the importance of the night time as the right time to be with the person you love. The repetition of the lines "night and day" not only adds rhythm to the song but also emphasizes the dedication of the singer to be with his loved one.
The lyrics then take a personal turn as the singer talks about his parents being gone and leaving him alone. However, he finds solace in the arms of his lover, who satisfies him and makes everything alright. The use of the phrase "night and day" throughout the song gives the impression that the singer's love for his partner is constant, no matter the time of day.
The repeated phrases of "squeeze me, please me, hold me tight" are not only sensual but also emphasize the need for physical touch and affection in a relationship. Overall, the song conveys a message about the importance of spending time with your loved one no matter what time of day it is.
Line by Line Meaning
You know the right time (night and day)
You are aware of the ideal time to be with your loved one, whether it is day or night.
Is the night time (night and day)
Night time is the perfect opportunity to be with the one you love, as well as day time.
If you wanna be (night and day)
If you want to be with your loved one, regardless of the time of day, it can be done.
With the girl you love (night and day)
Being with the girl you love is the ultimate goal, even if it means being with her day or night.
Oh baby (night and day)
An expression of endearment to one's loved one, whether it is day or night.
Said come on baby (night and day)
Encouragement for one's loved one to be with them, regardless of the time of day.
Hold me tight (night and day)
Asking for a tight embrace from one's loved one, whether it is day or night.
Make everything alright (night and day)
Being with one's loved one can fix any problem, whether it is day or night.
I know the night time (night and day)
One is certain that night time is the perfect time to be with their loved one.
Oh is the right time (night and day)
Night time is the perfect time to be with your loved one.
If you want to love me (night and day)
Being with one's loved one is important, whether it is day or night.
That's what I say
Reiterating the importance of being with one's loved one, regardless of the time of day.
Let me tell you about my mother (night and day)
As an aside from the previous verse, the singer chooses to talk about their parents, regardless of the time of day.
Hum hum and my father (night and day)
A non-specific hum outlining the singer's father being talked about, regardless of the time of day.
They're long gone (night and day)
Both the singer's mother and father have passed away, regardless of the time of day.
Left this poor child cryin' (night and day)
The artist is left alone and can't bear the loss of their parents, whether it is day or night.
Come on baby (night and day)
Encouragement for one's loved one to be with them, regardless of the time of day.
I want you by my side (night and day)
The singer desires their loved one to be by their side whether it is day or night.
You gotta keep me satisfied (night and day)
Being with one's loved one is the only way to keep the singer happy, regardless of the time of day.
Every night is the right time (night and day)
Night time is always the right time to be with one's loved one.
To be with the one you love (night and day)
Being with the one you love is more important than the time of day.
Squeeze me (night and day)
Asking for a tight hug, regardless of the time of day.
Please me (night and day)
Asking for happiness from one's loved one, whether it is day or night.
Tight as you can (night and day)
Asking for an embrace that is as tight as possible, whether it is day or night.
I want you by my side (night and day)
The singer desires their loved one to be by their side whether it is day or night.
Oh you know the night time (night and day)
One knows that night time is the perfect opportunity to be with their loved one.
Every day is the right time (night and day)
Being with one's loved one is always the right time, regardless of if it is day or night.
To be with the one you love (night and day)
Being with the one you love is more important than the time of day.
I want you by my side (night and day)
The artist desires their loved one to be by their side whether it is day or night.
I know the night time (night and day)
The singer is certain that night time is the perfect time to be with their loved one.
Oh is the right time (night and day)
Night time is the perfect time to be with one's loved one.
I said it, I said it one more time
Reiterating the importance of being with one's loved one, regardless of the time of day.
I want you by my side (night and day)
The artist desires their loved one to be by their side whether it is day or night.
To be with the one you love (night and day)
Being with the one you love is more important than the time of day.
I know the night time (night and day)
The singer is certain that night time is the perfect time to be with their loved one.
Oh is the right time (night and day)
Night time is the perfect time to be with one's loved one.
I said I want you by my side (night and day)
The singer desires their loved one to be by their side whether it is day or night.
To be with the one you love
Being with the one you love is more important than the time of day.
Writer(s): Roosevelt Sykes, James Oden
Contributed by Lillian A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
JK Rost
One of my favorite Sykes songs!
Homerun Steve
At 21 years old This is the most sincere song ive heard in ages
Donald King
Interesting, never heard this prior. The different versions and how each artist puts his or her spin, no pun intended, on a song. Hard to compare versions done in different styles. Both Nappy Brown and Ray Charles slow the song and it sounds completely different. The Rosevelt Syke's of the world have had a much bigger impact on modern rhythm and blues of the world than given credit.
John Davis
Thanks for the suggestions! Us music lovers have got to stick together... John Fogerty is one person with a planet-sized ego that I CAN actually tolerate and even like. He actually IS probably nearly as talented as he thinks (but he still doesn't have to rub our faces in it)? LOL There's a Ray Charles Tribute video on YouTube where Elton John & Mary J Blige (especially!!!) do a respectful rendition.
Great Pianists
Man that's some tasty piano playing!
Najponk Jazz
Real Blues!!!! Oh yeah....
666cfc
this guy's killer! what a song! People don't know how to write this kind a songs anymore. It's either bitches this and that or it's so phoney like those numerous boybands. It's like love has gone away and been replaced with bitterness and hatred
randomandrare
Mine too. He was a piano playin' mother fuyer. I'm trying to find my box set of "The Paramount Masters" when he recorded for the label as "Dobby Bragg".
trfesok
Heard CCR's version? I'm not crazy about it, as much as love CCR. Sykes also rerecorded much later in a stereo version, with sax.
El Dee
He almost sounds like Blind Lemon Jefferson.