In the 1950s, Johnson sang and played with blues artists Magic Sam, Billy Boy Arnold, Junior Wells and Howlin' Wolf, before recording with Jimmy Reed for Vee-Jay in 1959. He made his solo debut that same year with Federal, a subsidiary of King Records of Cincinnati, backed by Freddie King on guitar.
He then began recording for Twinight Records of Chicago in the mid 1960s. Beginning with his first hit, Come On Sock It to Me in 1967, Johnson dominated the label as both a hitmaker and producer. His song Different Strokes, also from 1967, featured recently on the Ultimate Breaks and Beats breakbeat compilation.
Like other black songwriters of the period, several of his records at this time explored themes of African-American identity and social problems in songs including Is It Because I'm Black, which reached Number 11 in the R&B charts in 1969.
In 1971, Willie Mitchell brought Johnson to Hi Records, for whom he recorded three albums and a number of singles. Produced in Memphis with the Hi house band, these yielded music of power and enduring value, including the hits We Did It, Back for a Taste of Your Love and Take Me to the River, his biggest success, reaching Number 7 on the R&B charts in 1975. However, at Hi Johnson was always to some extent in Al Green's shadow commercially, if not artistically.
After the Hi years ended, Johnson produced two LPs for his own Shama label, the latter of which (Ms. Fine Brown Frame, 1982) was picked up for distribution by Boardwalk Records and produced Johnson's last hit record, the title cut.
Around the mid-eighies, Johnson started a fast-food fish restaurant business, and became semi-retired from performing, only making occasional appearances at blues club gigs.
In 1992, Johnson found out that his classic song "Different Strokes" have been sampled by number of rappers including Wu-Tang Clan, Hammer, and the Ghetto Boys. Stimulated by this fact, he decided to make a come back in the music business. In 1994, he released the album Back in the Game on Delmark Records. The album featured the the Hi rhythm section and his youngest daughter Syleena Johnson.
Blues guitarist and singer Jimmy Johnson, and bassist Mack Thompson, are his brothers.
Anyway the Wind Blows
Syl Johnson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You threat to leave me, girl?
I got down on my knees
And beg you not to go...
Now here you come
Threating me again, girl
But I ain't gonna
If you wanna act the fool
And walk away and leave me...
I ain't going thru no more changes
To keep you girl
Make up your mind
Stay or leave...
Because anyway the wind blow...
It's cool with me
I dooo the best I can
But you don't seem
To understand
I do all I can do for you
But I can't stop you
From doing what you wanna do
I cried all I could cry, baby
And I'm fresh out of tears
If you wanna leeeave your good thing, girl
Then go ahead, I'm telling you like it is...
Anyway the wind blow...
It's cool with me
In Syl Johnson's song “Anyway the Wind Blows”, the lyrics depict a struggling romantic relationship between two people. The beginning of the song alludes to a previous fight where the female threatened to leave. The male character got down on his knees and begged her not to leave. However, now the woman is threatening to leave again and the man is reluctant to cater to her desires. He states that he is not going to "bleed no more" for her.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "Anyway the wind blows, it's cool with me". This phrase is symbolic of the man's willingness to let go of the relationship and accept whatever outcome happens because he is tired of fighting to keep it together. He tells the woman to make up her mind if she wants to stay or leave. He cannot continue going through the emotional changes that come with trying to keep their relationship afloat. He acknowledges that he has done all he can for her, but he cannot stop her from doing what she wants to do.
The song illustrates the choice and acceptance that comes with moving on from a relationship that has run its course. The man recognizes that his partner's decision to stay or leave is out of his power and that he must be content with that outcome. He is tired of the emotional ups and downs that come with trying to make things work, and he is now willing to accept the consequences of her actions.
Line by Line Meaning
You remember the last time
Do you recall the last time we had this argument?
You threat to leave me, girl?
Did you threaten to walk out on me, my love?
I got down on my knees
I knelt before you to plead with you.
And beg you not to go...
To ask you to stay and not leave me alone.
Now here you come
Here you are again.
Threating me again, girl
Making the same threat as before, my love.
But I ain't gonna
But I refuse to.
Bleed no more
Be hurt anymore.
If you wanna act the fool
If you want to make foolish decisions.
And walk away and leave me...
Leave me behind.
I ain't going thru no more changes
I'm not making any more compromises.
To keep you girl
To keep you in my life.
Make up your mind
Decide what you want.
Stay or leave...
Stay with me or go.
Because anyway the wind blow...
Whichever way life takes us...
It's cool with me
I'll be okay with it either way.
I dooo the best I can
I do everything I can, my love.
But you don't seem
But it appears that you don't.
To understand
Comprehend how much I care for you.
I do all I can do for you
I do everything I can for you.
But I can't stop you
But I can't prevent you.
From doing what you wanna do
From doing what you desire.
I cried all I could cry, baby
I've shed all my tears for you, my dear.
And I'm fresh out of tears
I have no more tears to shed.
If you wanna leeeave your good thing, girl
If you want to abandon something valuable, my love.
Then go ahead, I'm telling you like it is...
Then go ahead, I'm being honest with you.
Anyway the wind blow...
Regardless of the outcome...
It's cool with me
I'll be fine with it.
Writer(s): Earl Randle
Contributed by Nora H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
91Definite
“The Adventure of Dirt McGirt” episode from Wu Tang American Saga 😢! One of the most creative episodes so far of the third and final season of the show! I was glad it was an episode that focused on Dirty in a ‘70’s blaxploitation theme! Which is one of his favorite eras I believe of music and movies. Syl Johnson is definitely something amazing since I finally came across this song from that episode. Rest In Peace to both of them 💯👑! #RIPSylJohnson #RIPDirtMcGirt #Wutangforever
nugentsn
Literally why I'm here!!!
91Definite
@nugentsn no doubt man 💯🫡
Big FrEd
Watching right now
Trel Watkins
😂😂😂 Real shit !
Dean Taylor
Raising a glass this evening here in the UK while listening to the great man's music. RIP Syl
Byron Woods
Rest in Heavenly Peace Syl Johnson (1936-2022)
GeorgiaBoy1961
Syl Johnson is one of the great unheralded geniuses of R&B, soul and blues - his greatest songs will never die as long as people appreciate great music. Al Green may have gotten the headlines - and he deserved them - but Johnson carved out his own special place in the music to which not even Green could go.
Dianne
You can say that again. I heard Syl Johnson singing "Is It Because I'm Black" on an old documentary from the 70s about 3 weeks ago. It is crazy that the music industry sleeps on some very gifted singers and musicians.
GeorgiaBoy1961
@Dianne - Hi Diane... I used to live not far from Chi-town, and if memory serves, Syl Johnson opened a chain of restaurants after semi-retiring from live performances and the life of a working musician. Glad to see he had a good life after his run of musical success. It can be such a capricious and cold-hearted business, the entertainment world... and talent of the kind he had does not always get recognized or appreciated the way it ought to be. Life ain't fair, and that goes double in the music business.
In looking up a detail or two, I see that he passed away only a few days ago. I'm very sad to see that. He was an amazing performer, and well-loved around the city. I hope he was proud of his legacy as a musician, because he was the real deal right down the line. It doesn't get any more real or authentic than what he did. You want to hear soul, R&B and blues the way they ought to sound, he's your man.
Hat tip to the guys at Hi Records, too, who did those classic 1970s recordings with him. Willie Mitchell for the production and arranging, and the Hodges Brothers and Howard Grimes (Al Jackson, Jr. too, before his death) for laying it down in the studio. Syl played a very nice harp and some guitar, too, in addition to his amazing vocals.
Isn't Jimmy Johnson his brother, the local Chicago blues great? Oh man, I see that we lost him earlier this year, too. Man, that's tough to see them go, but maybe they're together in a better world. Thanks for writing, but I'm going to go now ... I have the urge to put on one of his records. Or maybe go drive around a bit with one of his albums on the stereo.