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 Let a Good Girl Go
Syl Johnson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I let a good girl go
She was good to me
But I hurt her constantly
I pushed your right out of my life
But now, now I'm paying the price
For letting a good girl go
I let a good girl go
Always standing by
But like a fool I ran her away
Lord, that was my biggest mistake
I let a good girl go
I let a good girl go
I let a good girl go
I let a good girl go
I never really told her
How much I cared
Cause I didn't realize
That girl was so rare
But now she's gone
There ain't nothing I can do ya'll
But say to myself
Boy, you've been a fool
Been a fool, boy, yes
She was good to me
I hurt her constantly
I pushed your right out of my life
Now, now I'm paying the price
For letting a good girl go
I let a good girl go, yeah
I let a good girl go, oh
I let a good girl go, yeah.
The lyrics to Syl Johnson's song "I Let a Good Girl Go" describe the regret and sadness a man feels after letting go of a woman who was good to him. He realizes that he hurt her constantly and made the mistake of pushing her out of his life. The man acknowledges that he never truly expressed how much he cared for her and that she was a rare find. He is left with the painful realization that he acted foolishly and let go of a woman who was always by his side.
The repetition of the line "I let a good girl go" highlights the regret and deep sense of loss the man feels. The lyrics portray the man's regret, and his realization that he has made a mistake, emphasize the importance of communication in relationships. The song is a reminder that it is essential to appreciate and express your love to your partner before it is too late.
Overall, "I Let a Good Girl Go" is a poignant reflection on the importance of appreciating what you have while you have it. It is a warning against taking people and relationships for granted and a reminder to cherish the good people in our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
I let a good girl go
The singer regrets losing a good woman.
She was good to me
The woman treated the singer well.
But I hurt her constantly
Despite the woman's kindness, the singer mistreated her.
I pushed your right out of my life
The artist drove the woman away.
But now, now I'm paying the price
The artist is suffering the consequences of his actions.
She was on my side
The woman was supportive of the singer.
Always standing by
The woman was loyal to the singer.
But like a fool I ran her away
The artist regrets foolishly driving the woman away.
Lord, that was my biggest mistake
The artist considers losing the woman to be his biggest mistake.
I never really told her
The artist kept his feelings for the woman to himself.
How much I cared
The singer had deep feelings for the woman.
Cause I didn't realize
The artist didn't appreciate the woman while she was around.
That girl was so rare
The singer recognizes the woman's exceptional qualities too late.
But now she's gone
The woman has left the singer's life.
There ain't nothing I can do ya'll
The singer is helpless to change the situation.
But say to myself
The artist is left with only his thoughts.
Boy, you've been a fool
The artist acknowledges his mistake.
Been a fool, boy, yes
The singer emphasizes his regret.
I let a good girl go, yeah
The singer repeats his lament over losing the woman.
I let a good girl go, oh
The artist repeats his lament over losing the woman.
I let a good girl go, yeah.
The artist repeats his lament over losing the woman.
Writer(s): Earl Randle
Contributed by Joseph F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.