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.
Stagger Lee
Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The night was clear and the moon was yellow
And the leaves came tumbling down
I was standing on the corner when I heard my bulldog bark
He was barkin' at the two men who were gamblin' in the dark
It was Stagger Lee and Billy, two men who gambled late
Stagger Lee told Billy, "I can't let you go with that"
"You have won all my money and my brand new stetson hat"
Stagger Lee started off goin' down that railroad track
He said "I can't get you Billy but don't be here when I come back"
Stagger Lee went home and he got his forty-four
Said "I'm goin' to the barroom just to pay that debt I owe"
Stagger Lee went to the barroom and he stood across the barroom door
He said "Nobody move" and he pulled his forty-four
Stagger Lee shot Billy, oh he shot that poor boy so bad
Till the bullet went through Billy and it broke the bartender's glass
Oh Stagger Lee
Oh Stagger Lee
Oh Stagger Lee
Oh Stagger Lee
Irving Music BMI
The lyrics to Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes's song Stagger Lee tell the story of a deadly confrontation between two men - Stagger Lee and Billy - who were gambling in the dark. Stagger Lee threw seven, but Billy claimed he threw eight. Stagger Lee, feeling cheated, told Billy that he couldn't let him go with that and that he had won all his money and his brand new stetson hat. Stagger Lee walked away but warned Billy not to be there when he came back.
Stagger Lee returned home, got his forty-four gun, and went to the barroom to pay the debt he owed. He stood across the barroom door and told everyone not to move before shooting Billy. The bullet went through Billy and broke the bartender's glass. The song ends with a chorus of "Oh Stagger Lee" repeated several times.
The song is based on a real-life murder that happened in St. Louis, Missouri in 1895. Lee Shelton, also known as "Stag" Lee or "Stack" Lee, shot and killed William Lyons over a gambling dispute. The murder became infamous in the African American community and inspired numerous folk songs and blues renditions.
Line by Line Meaning
The night was clear and the moon was yellow
It was a clear night with a yellow moon.
And the leaves came tumbling down
The leaves were falling.
I was standing on the corner when I heard my bulldog bark
The singer was on the corner when they heard their dog bark.
He was barkin' at the two men who were gamblin' in the dark
The dog was barking at two men gambling in the dark.
It was Stagger Lee and Billy, two men who gambled late
The gamblers' names were Stagger Lee and Billy.
Stagger Lee threw seven, Billy swore that he threw eight
Stagger Lee threw seven, but Billy said he threw eight.
Stagger Lee told Billy, "I can't let you go with that"
Stagger Lee said to Billy that he couldn't let him keep the money.
"You have won all my money and my brand new stetson hat"
Stagger Lee was upset because Billy won all his money and his hat.
Stagger Lee started off goin' down that railroad track
Stagger Lee left, walking down the railroad track.
He said "I can't get you Billy but don't be here when I come back"
Stagger Lee told Billy to leave before he comes back.
Stagger Lee went home and he got his forty-four
Stagger Lee went home and got his gun.
Said "I'm goin' to the barroom just to pay that debt I owe"
Stagger Lee went to the bar to pay his debt.
Stagger Lee went to the barroom and he stood across the barroom door
Stagger Lee stood in front of the door in the bar.
He said "Nobody move" and he pulled his forty-four
Stagger Lee ordered everyone not to move and showed his gun.
Stagger Lee shot Billy, oh he shot that poor boy so bad
Stagger Lee shot Billy, injuring him severely.
Till the bullet went through Billy and it broke the bartender's glass
The bullet went through Billy and broke the bartender's glass.
Oh Stagger Lee
Repeating Stagger Lee's name.
Oh Stagger Lee
Repeating Stagger Lee's name.
Oh Stagger Lee
Repeating Stagger Lee's name.
Oh Stagger Lee
Repeating Stagger Lee's name.
Irving Music BMI
The music's publisher.
Contributed by John L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
anthony gallo
Great vid.all original members, anyone have a clue what happened to SSJ's hand in '78. One show at the stone pony he even thanked his dr,who was in the audience?? If u know post it please
bobistheowl
I know that the band includes Billy/ Willy Rush, (lead guitar), Kevin Kavanaugh, (piano), Al, (The Doctor), Berger, (bass), Eddie Manion, (baritone sax), Stanley Harrison, (tenor sax), and La Bamba, (trombone). Southside introduced all of them at the Montreal show on December 18, 1978. I have no idea who the drummer is, nor the second guitarist, nor the two guys playing trumpet. If you know, please reply.
Chris Goione
Steve Becker - Drums, Joel Gramolini - Second guitar, Rick Gazda - Trumpet, Rich Rosenberg - Trombone