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.
Everybody Needs Love
Syl Johnson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What Iβ²ve got to say
I'm sure
You wonβ²t be able to turn your head away
'Cause what I'm gonna talk about
Nobody, nobody, nobody wants to be without
Makes no difference who you are
As long as youβ²re alive
And breathing
This is got to be one of your needs
Everybody needs love
Everybody needs love, love, love
Everybody needs love
And I need some love
Love for you and love for me
And every living thing that breathe, mmm
When you see
How the birds make love in the sky
You know, that Iβ²m tied down
Like you and I
And all of the fish that's in the sea
Sometimes
They make love better than you and me
Makes no difference who you are
Or what color you happen to be
As long as youβ²re alive
And breathing
This is got to be one of your needs
Everybody needs love
Everybody needs love, love, love
Everybody needs love
And I need some love
Love for you
And love for me
And every living thing that breathe
Oh, your mama
Your daddy
Your little sister needs love
Everybody need love
And I need
I need some love
I'm talking about love
Iβ²m talking about love, love
Love, love
Everybody needs love
In the song "Everybody Needs Love" by Syl Johnson, the artist explores the universal need for love that transcends all differences, including race, species, and even the natural world. The lyrics assert that nobody wants to be without love, and love is an essential need for every living thing, from humans to animals. The song is inclusive, speaking to everyone's desire for love, regardless of social status or background.
Johnson expresses how the need for love is a unifying force, bringing all living things together. The lyrics that talk about how birds and fishes make love in their own ways point towards the fact that love is expressed in various forms, all of which are necessary to sustain life. Through this song, Syl Johnson highlights the importance of love in our lives and how it impacts every living creature's survival. The chorus, which repeats the phrase "Everybody needs love" four times, emphasizes just how crucial love is to our existence.
"Everybody Needs Love" was released in 1964 and became a hit song for Syl Johnson. It was popular in dance clubs, and the song's message of love and unity made it a popular anthem for the civil rights movement in the United States. The song has been covered by several other artists over the decades, including the Rolling Stones, Al Green, and Ike & Tina Turner. Johnson's track has also been sampled in over 50 different songs by artists such as Wu-Tang Clan, Public Enemy, and DMX.
Line by Line Meaning
When you hear
What I've got to say
I'm sure
You won't be able to turn your head away
'Cause what I'm gonna talk about
Nobody, nobody, nobody wants to be without
This song is about the universal need for love. The opening lines emphasize how important this message is and how it's impossible to ignore. The song highlights that no one wants to be without love.
Makes no difference who you are
Or what breed you happen to be
As long as you're alive
And breathing
This is got to be one of your needs
It doesn't matter who you are or where you come from, every living being needs love. Love is a vital part of our being, and it's something that we all require to survive.
Everybody needs love
Everybody needs love, love, love
Everybody needs love
And I need some love
Love for you and love for me
And every living thing that breathes, mmm
The song firmly reiterates that everybody needs love. In addition to emphasizing the universal need for love, it emphasizes the importance of love for every living creature.
When you see
How the birds make love in the sky
You know, that I'm tied down
Like you and I
And all of the fish that's in the sea
Sometimes
They make love better than you and me
The song notes how animals show love to each other in different ways, and it's fascinating to watch. This reinforces the importance of love and how it's innate in all creatures.
Or what color you happen to be
As long as you're alive
And breathing
This is got to be one of your needs
The song reiterates that love doesn't see color. No matter who you are, where you're from, or what your beliefs are, you need love. It's something we all have in common as human beings.
Oh, your mama
Your daddy
Your little sister needs love
Everybody need love
And I need
I need some love
I'm talking about love
I'm talking about love, love
Love, love
Everybody needs love
The song closes by emphasizing that everyone in your life needs love, from your parents to your siblings to every person you encounter. Love is universal and essential, and this song encourages us to show love to others and appreciate it for ourselves.
Writer(s): Byron Keith Bowie, Syl Johnson, William A Keyes
Contributed by Hunter D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.