Southside Johnny (real name John Lyon, born December 4, 1948 in Neptune, New Jersey) is an American singer, harmonica player, and songwriter, who usually fronts his band The Asbury Jukes.
Lyon grew up in Ocean Grove, New Jersey and graduated from Neptune High School. As an artist, Southside Johnny first achieved prominence in the mid-1970s as the second act to emerge from the Jersey Shore music scene and be considered part of the Jersey Shore sound, following Bruce Springsteen. Southside's first three albums, I Don't Want to Go Home (1976), This Time It's For Real (1977), and Hearts of Stone (1978), were Stax-influenced R&B arranged and produced by the co-founder of the band and Springsteen confederate Steven Van Zandt and largely featured songs written by Van Zandt and/or Springsteen. The Van Zandt-written "I Don't Want To Go Home" became Southside's signature song, an evocative mixture of horn-based melodic riffs and sentimental lyrics. Other notable songs included "The Fever","Talk to Me," "This Time It's For Real," "Love on the Wrong Side of Town," and the definitive version of Springsteen's " Hearts of Stone."
Southside has long been considered the Grandfather of "the New Jersey Sound." Jon bon Jovi has acknowledged Southside as "his reason for singing."
In 1982 the Rolling Stone Magazine voted the album Hearts of Stone among the top 100 albums of the 70's and 80's.
Cast under Springsteen's long shadow, national commercial success eluded Southside and the Jukes, and in 1979 they were dropped by their record company. Now working without Van Zandt, they released The Jukes in 1979 and Love is a Sacrifice in 1980. Neither of these achieved much success either. The band's first official live release also came out in 1980, the double album Reach Up and Touch the Sky.
During the 1980s Southside Johnny's recording contracts continued to change almost by album, but he continued to release records: Trash It Up (1983), a disco influenced album written by Billy Rush and produced by Nile Rodgers; In the Heat (1984) an album trying to reach out to "Adult Oriented Radio"; and At Least We Got Shoes (1986) where guitarist and Jersey shore fixture Bobby Bandiera, who often plays a custom guitar built by First Act Guitars took over songwriting and guitar work from Billy Rush and led the Asbury Jukes back to their original sound. Songwriting credits on At Least We Got Shoes also contain a song co-written by Bandiera and singer Patti Scialfa, who was known as a Jukes collaborator since the 1980 album Love is a Sacrifice and who became a member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band in 1984.
In 1988 Southside Johnny released his first solo record Slow Dance containing ballads and love songs, but also "Little Calcutta" which is still discussed as Southside's most political song of his career, describing the life and environment of the homeless in New York City.
More record label switches, Jukes personnel changes, tours and club dates followed.
Jukes' recording career was re-launched with the album Better Days (1991), which featured production by Van Zandt, songs by Springsteen, and vocal performances from Van Zandt, Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi. With Bobby Bandiera driving the band, the Jukes were gaining new energy for a world wide tour supporting the album. But once again, Southside Johnny's bad luck with the industry was shown when the record label went bankrupt while the tour was still rolling.
Southside performed the theme song for the 1990s sitcom Dave's World, a cover of Billy Joel's "You May Be Right."
Southside eventually relocated to Nashville taking a break from the music business. A few members of the Asbury Jukes would end up being part of The Max Weinberg 7 on the Late Night with Conan O'Brien television show, while some others went on tour and into the recording studio with artists like Jon Bon Jovi, Mink DeVille, Graham Parker, Robert Cray.
In 1998 Southside Johnny came back into the spotlight with an independent release titled Spittin' Fire, a live record with a semi-acoustic Jukes lineup released in France containing a 20 song set recorded during a series of 10 shows at the "Chesterfield Café" in Paris, France.
After a decade without a record contract Southside finally founded his own record label in 2001 under the name of Leroy Records, and started releasing and distributing his new records fully under his own control: Messin' with the Blues (2000), Going to Jukesville (2002), Missing Pieces (2004), Into the Harbour (2005).
Southside continues to perform, and maintains substantial audience followings in some regions of the U.S., such as New Jersey, New York, northeast Ohio, and abroad, in the UK and continental Europe, as 2002's Live At The Opera House DVD, filmed at a sell-out performance in Newcastle upon Tyne, demonstrates. As of 2005, he resides on the Delaware Bay. His annual appearances at Springsteen's Asbury Park holiday shows draw as much crowd excitement as Springsteen himself.
Love On The Wrong Side Of Town
Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Look now, baby, see what you have undone
I did most of the talking
But you were the one who lied
Bye-bye, baby, our love is tumblin' down
I can't be hangin' around
Love on the wrong side of town
You were gone when I needed you by my side
There was no one to dry the tears from my eyes
You were the one who cheated
But I was the one who cried
Bye-bye, baby, our love is tumblin' down
I can't be hangin' around
Love on the wrong side of town
Love on the wrong side of town
Bye-bye, baby, love on the wrong side of town
Bye-bye, baby
The lyrics to the song "Love On The Wrong Side Of Town" by Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes explore a flawed relationship that has come to an end. The singer of the song reflects on how he was there for his partner when she needed someone, but now she sees what she has undone. He also acknowledges that he did most of the talking in the relationship, but she was the one who lied. The chorus of the song suggests that their love was based on a shaky foundation and they were on the wrong side of town, meaning they were never meant to be together.
The second verse goes deeper into the flawed relationship, with the singer stating that his partner was absent when he needed her the most to wipe away his tears. He accuses her of cheating, but he was the one left crying. The repetition of the chorus emphasizes that this relationship is coming to an end, and there is nothing that can be done to save it.
Overall, the lyrics to "Love On The Wrong Side Of Town" convey a sense of frustration and resignation. The singer had invested a lot in this relationship, but it was doomed from the start. The song explores the idea that some relationships are not meant to be, and no matter how hard one tries to make it work, it will always end in heartbreak.
Line by Line Meaning
I was there when you needed someone
I provided my support and presence when you were going through a tough time
Look now, baby, see what you have undone
You should take note of the negative consequences that you brought upon yourself
I did most of the talking
I was the one who expressed myself and opened up
But you were the one who lied
You were the one who deceived me with falsehoods
Bye-bye, baby, our love is tumblin' down
Our relationship is ending and falling apart
I can't be hangin' around
I cannot continue to stay in this situation
Love on the wrong side of town
Our love was doomed to fail due to external factors such as location and societal pressures
You were gone when I needed you by my side
You were absent when I needed your support and companionship
There was no one to dry the tears from my eyes
I was left alone to deal with my emotional pain
You were the one who cheated
You were unfaithful in our relationship
But I was the one who cried
I was the one who experienced the emotional aftermath of your betrayal
Bye-bye, baby, love on the wrong side of town
Our love was doomed to fail from the beginning due to external forces and our own actions
Bye-bye, baby
Farewell, this relationship is truly over
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, STEVE VAN ZANDT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind