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.
Blue Water
Syl Johnson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But with all this pain inside
All my eyes can see is blue water
Yo, the world ain't supposed to be
Just look 'round and see
There's for more you and me
Than blue water
Hey, yeah!
Let's make our morning bright
And I know we're bound to see tomorrow gleaming in the sky
Hey, girl! Take my hand
Tell me that you understand
'Cause we don't need to stand in blue water
Our life was a one time trip
And we've got to build our ship
So we won't ever slip into blue water
All you got to do is let yourself go
Just let it overflow
Because that river in your soul is just blue water, yeah!
Let's make our mornings bright
And I know we're bound to see tomorrow clearly in the sky
Hey, girl! Take my hand
Tell me that you understand
'Cause we don't need to stand in blue water
So girl, dry your tears
And try to realise
There's more than what you're seeing
If you open up your eyes (hey)
It's gonna be alright
And I know we're bound to see tomorrow clearly in the sky
Girl take my hand
Tell me you understand
'Cause we don't need to stand in blue water
Girl, take my hand
Hey-yeah!
Let's make our mornings bright
And I know we're bound to see tomorrow clearly in my sky
The lyrics to Syl Johnson's song "Blue Water" explore themes of pain, despair, hope, and love. The opening lines of the song, "A man ain't supposed to cry / But with all this pain inside / All my eyes can see is blue water" express the conflicting emotions of a person who is trying to hold back tears despite feeling immense pain inside. The blue water can be interpreted as a symbol of this person's sadness and despair, which seems to be all-encompassing and all they can see.
However, the song does offer hope and a way out of the blue water. The lyrics encourage the listener to look around and see that there is more in the world than just their pain. The line "Our life was a one time trip / And we've got to build our ship / So we won't ever slip into blue water" emphasizes the importance of taking control of one's life and building a way out of despair. The final lines of the song, "Let's make our mornings bright / And I know we're bound to see tomorrow clearly in my sky / Girl take my hand / Tell me you understand / 'Cause we don't need to stand in blue water" reinforce this message of hope and the power of love to overcome pain.
Overall, "Blue Water" is a powerful and uplifting song that encourages listeners to find hope and happiness in spite of pain and despair.
Line by Line Meaning
A man ain't supposed to cry
Society says men should not show their emotions by shedding tears
But with all this pain inside
Despite the societal pressure, the pain inside the person is overwhelming
All my eyes can see is blue water
The person is feeling lost and hopeless, seeing only vast emptiness in front of them
Yo, the world ain't supposed to be
The world should be a place of acceptance and comfort, rather than pain and suffering
Just look 'round and see
If one observes their surroundings, they will find there is more to life than just their current state
There's for more you and me
Every person has unique talents and value to offer the world
Than blue water
There is more to life than just feelings of hopelessness and despair
Hey, yeah!
An expression of excitement and hope for a better future
Let's make our morning bright
Let us start the day with positivity and hopefulness
And I know we're bound to see tomorrow gleaming in the sky
By maintaining a positive attitude, a better future is inevitable
Hey, girl! Take my hand
A call for companionship and support
Tell me that you understand
A request for empathy and validation
'Cause we don't need to stand in blue water
Together, we can overcome feelings of hopelessness and despair
Our life was a one time trip
Life is finite and we must make the most of it
And we've got to build our ship
We must take control of our lives and build our own path to success
So we won't ever slip into blue water
By taking charge of our life and being proactive, we can avoid feelings of hopelessness and despair
All you got to do is let yourself go
One must be willing to take risks and let their guard down in order to succeed
Just let it overflow
Allowing oneself to feel and experience all emotions can lead to a more fulfilling life
Because that river in your soul is just blue water, yeah!
The feeling of emptiness inside oneself can be overcome, and transformed into a powerful force
So girl, dry your tears
Let go of sadness and negativity, and embrace positivity and hope
And try to realise
An urge to recognize the potential for better things to come
There's more than what you're seeing
There is a broader perspective to life than the current feeling of hopelessness
If you open up your eyes (hey)
One must be willing to be vulnerable and accept new experiences to see the potential of a bright future
It's gonna be alright
A reassurance that things will improve
And I know we're bound to see tomorrow clearly in the sky
A confident assertion that with a positive attitude, the future is within reach
Girl take my hand
A repetition of the call for companionship and support
Tell me you understand
A repetition of the request for empathy and validation
'Cause we don't need to stand in blue water
The idea that we can navigate through life's challenges without succumbing to feelings of despair.
Girl, take my hand
A repeated call for companionship and support.
Hey-yeah!
An expression of hope for a better future.
Let's make our mornings bright
An urge to start each day with positivity.
And I know we're bound to see tomorrow clearly in my sky
With this approach, the future holds promise and opportunity.
Writer(s): Mark James
Contributed by Levi T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.