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.
I'm Talkin' 'Bout Freedom
Syl Johnson Lyrics
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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
Makes no difference
Who you are
Or what color you happen to be
This is got to be
One of your needs
I'm talkin' about freedom
I'm talkin' about freedom, yeah
I'm talkin' about freedom, yeah
I'm talkin' about freedom, yo
Freedom for you and me
And every living thing that breathe
When you see how free
The birds fly in the sky
You gonna have to say
"My, oh my, oh my, oh my..."
And all of the water that's in the sea
Oh, how it flows so free
Makes no difference
Who you are
Or what color you happen to be
As long as you're alive and breathing
This is got to be
One of your needs
I'm talkin' about freedom, yo
I'm talkin' about freedom
I'm talkin' about freedom
I'm talkin' about freedom
Oh, what a wonderful world this would be
If everybody could live free
Freedom for you and me
And every living thing that breathe
Oh, your mama needs freedom, your daddy, your li'l sister needs freedom, yo
Freedom to do as I choose to do
Come on, gimme some freedom
I want some freedom, come on, come on, come on, gimme some freedom, yo
Gimme some freedom
Freedom, freedom, freedom, freedom, freedom
Your mama, your sister, your daddy
The lyrics to Syl Johnson's song "I'm Talkin' 'Bout Freedom" reflect the singer's belief in the universal need for freedom. He asserts that nobody wants to be without this essential component of life, regardless of their race or ethnicity. The chorus emphasizes this message with the repeated phrase "I'm talkin' 'bout freedom," driving home the point that freedom is a right that should be available to all living beings. By comparing the freedom of birds and water to human freedom, the lyrics suggest that freedom is a natural state that should not be restricted by societal hierarchies or power imbalances.
The song's call for freedom speaks to the civil rights struggles of the 1960s, specifically the fight for racial equality in the United States. At the time, people of color faced deep-seated institutional and systemic racism that limited their ability to fully participate in society. Johnson's lyrics call on listeners to recognize and fight against this oppression, suggesting that a world where everyone can live free would be a truly wonderful place.
Overall, the song asks us to reflect on the meaning of freedom and our role in ensuring that everyone is able to experience this fundamental human right. It suggests that freedom is not just a political or legal concept but also a deeply personal one that affects our daily lives and our ability to pursue happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
When you hear what I gotta say
Once you listen to what I'm about to say
I'm sure you won't be able to turn your head away
I'm confident that you will find it difficult to ignore
'Cause what I'm gonna talk about
The subject that I will speak of
Nobody, nobody, nobody wants to be without
Everybody desires it
Makes no difference
It doesn't matter
Who you are
Regardless of your identity
Or what color you happen to be
Irrespective of your skin color
As long as you're alive and breathing
Provided you exist and breathe
This is got to be
It is undoubtedly
One of your needs
One of your requirements
I'm talkin' about freedom
I'm discussing the concept of freedom
I'm talkin' about freedom, yeah
I'm emphasizing the importance of freedom
I'm talkin' about freedom, yeah
I'm emphasizing the importance of freedom
I'm talkin' about freedom, yo
I'm talking about freedom, buddy
Freedom for you and me
The liberty that both of us deserve
And every living thing that breathe
As well as every being that inhales oxygen
When you see how free
Once you behold how unconstrained
The birds fly in the sky
When birds soar limitlessly
You gonna have to say
You will probably declare
'My, oh my, oh my, oh my...'
My goodness, oh my goodness
And all of the water that's in the sea
Also, every drop of water in the ocean
Oh, how it flows so free
The way it ebbs and tides unrestrictedly
Oh, what a wonderful world this would be
It would be a glorious world if this were a reality
If everybody could live free
If all individuals had the privilege of living autonomously
Oh, your mama needs freedom, your daddy, your li'l sister needs freedom, yo
It's not just you, even your family members require freedom
Freedom to do as I choose to do
The ability to decide my preferred course of action
Come on, gimme some freedom
Please give me some freedom
I want some freedom, come on, come on, come on, gimme some freedom, yo
I desire and crave the freedom to act according to my own volition
Gimme some freedom
Grant me liberty
Freedom, freedom, freedom, freedom, freedom
Liberty, liberty, liberty, liberty, liberty
Your mama, your sister, your daddy
Your whole family
Contributed by William B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.