At the time of their 1990 debut, the kind of rock & roll the Black Crowes specialize in was out of style. Only Guns N' Roses came close to approximating a vintage Stones-style raunch, but they were too angry and jagged to pull it off completely. The Black Crowes replicated that Stonesy swagger and Faces boogie perfectly. Vocalist Chris Robinson appropriated the sound and style of vintage Rod Stewart while guitarist Rich Robinson fused Keith Richards' lean attack with Ron Wood's messy rhythmic sense. At their best, the Black Crowes echo classic rock without slavishly imitating their influences.
The Robinson brothers originally formed the Black Crowes in Georgia in 1984. By the time of their 1990 debut, Shake Your Money Maker, the group comprised Chris Robinson (vocals), Rich Robinson (guitar), Johnny Colt (bass), Jeff Cease (guitar), and Steve Gorman (drums). "Jealous Again," the first single from Shake Your Money Maker, was a moderate hit but it was the band's cover of Otis Redding's "Hard to Handle" that made the group a multi-platinum success. "Hard to Handle" climbed its way into the Top 40, propelling the album into the Top Ten. The acoustic ballad "She Talks to Angels" became the band's second Top 40 hit in the spring of 1991. Shake Your Money Maker would eventually sell over three million copies.
The Black Crowes delivered their second album, The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion, in the spring of 1992, adding new lead guitarist Marc Ford and keyboardist Eddie Harsch. It entered the charts at number one, but it didn't have as many hit singles as the debut; none of the singles cracked the Top 40 and only "Remedy" and "Thorn in My Pride" made the Top 100. Nevertheless, the band established themselves as a popular concert attraction that summer, selling out theaters across America. The Black Crowes' third album, Amorica, arrived in late 1994. Amorica debuted in the Top Ten, but none of the singles from the album made the charts; even though the record went gold, it slipped off the charts in early 1995.
Three Snakes & One Charm, the group's fourth album, was released in July of 1996. The album entered the charts at number 15, but it quickly slipped out of the Top 50. Nevertheless, the album received the best reviews of any Crowes album since The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion. Guitarist Marc Ford was fired from the Black Crowes in August, 1997; two years later, the group returned with By Your Side. In mid-2000, the band collaborated with Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page on the double-disc Live at the Greek, an eclectic mix of newly recorded Zeppelin covers and additional classic blues cuts. A Tribute to a Work in Progress: Greatest Hits 1990-1999, a 16-track best-of compilation was also released in mid-2000. The Don Was-produced Lions appeared in spring 2001, and a summer tour with Oasis -- the Tour of Brotherly Love -- followed in June. But all was apparently not well with the group, in January of 2002 the band announced that they were on hiatus. Drummer Steve Gorman was fired from the band, and Chris Robinson announced his intentions for a solo career.
The Black Crowes have since reunited. All members circa 1992 are back, with the addition of one of their previous bassists, Sven Pipien, and harmony singers Mona Lisa Young and Charity White. They are enjoying a renaissance within the group as well as with their longtime fan base and have been consistently touring since formally reuniting in March 2005. In November of 2007, it was announced that North Mississippi Allstar guitarist Luther Dickinson formally joined the band, replacing Paul Stacey. He appears throughout the Crowes' album Warpaint, which was released in March of 2008.
In late 2019, during an interview on The Howard Stern Show, Chris and Rich Robinson announced that they had resolved their differences (the brothers hadn't spoken in the years since the band's 2015 split). Besides the Robinson brothers, the reunited lineup featured an entirely new backing band including guitarist Isiah Mitchell (from the bands Earthless and Golden Void), bassist Tim Lefebvre (formerly of the Tedeschi Trucks Band), keyboardist Joel Robinow, and drummer Raj Ojha. This line-up premiered at The Bowery Ballroom in New York City on November 11, 2019 where they played the entire Shake Your Money Maker album.
God
The Black Crowes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If you need it, God's got it!
God's got everythang that you need
If you need it, God's got it
God's got everythang that you need
If you need it, God's got it
He's got everythang that you need
He's got every, everything a poor boy needs
Well if it's money
God's got it
He's got everything that you need
Well if it's money
God's got it
He got everything
Well if it's money
God's got it
God got everything that you need
He got everything, everything a poor boy needs
Well alright, alright...
Well if it's a friend
God's got it
God's got everythang that you need
Well if it's a friend
God's got it
He got everything that you need
If it's a friend
God's got it
God got everything that you need
He's got every, everything a poor boy needs
I said He's got it (He's got it)
He's got it (He's got it)
He's got it
He's got it
Come back
Let me try
Put my hand, try it on me
I said he's got
He's got it
He's got it
Well, He's got it
He's got it
He's got it
He's got it
God's got everything.
I just want to get my hands on it
I just want to get my hands on it
Well I just want to get my hands on it, just a little bit of what I need
The Black Crowes' song "God's Got It" is a classic gospel-inspired tune that speaks to the idea that no matter what kind of trouble life throws at you, God has got your back. The lyrics seem to be saying that no matter what you need, God has it - whether it's money, friends, or anything else a person might require. The repetition of the title phrase "God's Got It" reinforces the idea that, even when things look bleak, faith in a higher power can help carry you through.
The song starts by affirming the idea that if you need something, God already has it. This line is repeated in various forms throughout the song, emphasizing the notion that God's abundance is limitless. The lyrics go on to mention specific needs, such as money and friends, but make it clear that God's abundance extends beyond material possessions. The repetition of the phrase "He's got everything, everything a poor boy needs" emphasizes that God's grace is available to everyone, not just the wealthy or privileged.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, well, well
The song's introduction
If you need it, God's got it!
God has everything you need
God's got everythang that you need
God has everything that you need
He's got every, everything a poor boy needs
God has everything that a poor boy needs
Well if it's money
God's got it
He's got everything that you need
God has money and everything that you might need
Well if it's a friend
God's got it
God's got everythang that you need
God can be a friend and provides everything you need
I said He's got it (He's got it)
He's got it (He's got it)
He's got it
He's got it
Emphasizing God's capability and ability to provide your needs
Come back
Let me try
Put my hand, try it on me
I said he's got
He's got it
He's got it
Inviting others to try and experience God's provision
Well, He's got it
He's got it
He's got it
Reassertion of God's ability to provide everything
I just want to get my hands on it
I just want to get my hands on it
Well I just want to get my hands on it, just a little bit of what I need
Expressing desire to experience and take part in God's provision
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind