The band started as an acoustic blues trio in the mid 1960s with singer and guitarist J. Geils (born February 20, 1946; died April 10, 2017), bassist Danny Klein (Dr. Funk) and harpist Richard Salwitz (stage name Magic Dick). The band formed under the name Snoopy and the Sopwith Camels while Geils was attending Worcester Polytechnic Institute for a couple of semesters. In 1967 the band switched focus, starting to play electric guitar and bass and recruiting drummer Stephen Jo Bladd and fast-talking ex-disc jockey singer Peter Wolf, born Peter Blankenfeld, both from Boston. The following year Seth Justman joined as an organist, and the group signed to Atlantic Records in 1970.
The J. Geils Band first received FM radio airplay with the live single "First I Look at the Purse", then had several hit singles in the 1970s, the most successful of which was "Must Of Got Lost" (1974). Later in the 1970s, the band signed with EMI America Records.
The band had good success covering soul singles. Besides the well-known aforementioned "First I Look at the Purse" from The Contours, they covered the more obscure "I Do" from The Marvelows and "Ain't Nothing But a House Party" from The Showstoppers.
The group's commercial fortunes improved in the early 1980s, first with the humorous "Love Stinks", then with their great success with the Freeze Frame album which included "Centerfold" (#1 for six weeks on the Billboard Hot 100) and then the title cut (#4). Wolf left the group in 1983 for a solo career not long after, over disagreements about whether to continue to take the band in more of a popular direction, or continue with the purist tradition.
The band went on to record one more album of new material, You're Gettin' Even While I'm Gettin' Odd, after Wolf left. He was not replaced, and Seth Justman took over most of the vocal duties. The album produced only one single - "Concealed Weapons", a song about breasts - and was not a success. The band toured in support of the album, but never again recorded anything new. The group then disbanded in 1985 after contributing the title song to the 1985 horror film Fright Night.
The group was not reunited with Wolf until 1999, and subsequently broke up again when ticket sales proved extremely disappointing. Wolf continues to tour with his own backup band, and the rest of the Geils band makes occasional appearances. Since the semi-retirement of the band, Geils has been restoring sports cars in Massachusetts.
On 22 May 2006, the six original members had a surprise reunion, the first time they had all played together in over 20 years, at bassist Danny Klein's 60th birthday party at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston.
Since 2009 they are reunited once more.
The band disbanded in 2017 after the death of bandleader J. Geils.
Must of Got Lost
The J. Geils Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's ain't supposed to be sad though you might feel it that way
It's a song about desperation,
Every now and then we do get desperate
This is a song about L-O-V-E,
And if you abuse it you're gonna lose it
And if you lose it you're gonna 'buse and
'Cause you ain't gonna have it further on down the line
Things ain't gonna be so fine
You're gonna to be sitting there on your little machine
Trying to look and keep it clean and
You're going to be home playing bingo all night all alone
And that's why your sitting there by the telephone
And you know that she ain't going to call you!
So you put on the TV and you're watching Johnny Carson
Segwaying right into the Tomorrow show
But that don't got the go so you turn it off ya turn on the radio,
The radio don't seem to get the click so you say
"Hey Man, I can't lickety split"
You start to open up a little book
And there's something there you got to overlook
And you say "BABY, you know there's somethin on my mind!
"You say "Baby there's somethin on my mind -
I know that you're home and I know you ain't all alone! "
So you start walking over to her house
And you get over to her house
And you walk over to her door and
You start poundin on her door and you say
"Open up the door bitch!?
This is wooba gooba with the green teeth, let me in!!"
Well, she opens up the door
And then you just kinda walk up to her and say
"Baby", (say Baby!) you look up way up at her green mascara
And you say "Oh my darling,
You know her and me was at the party as friends -
Do not believe what they say
That's only gossip that they tellin ya -
A wise crack of lies!"
You say Darling!!!
Take your big curls and squeeze them down Ratumba -
What's the name of the chick with the long hair?
(Rapunzel!) Hey Rapunzel!
Heh heh... Hey Reputa the beautah! Reputa the Beautah!
Hey Reputa the Beautah flip me down your hair
And let me climb up to the ladder of your love!!
Because this is the wooba gooba sayin to ya
"Love comes once and when it comes
You better grab it fast 'cause sometimes the love
You grab ain't gonn' last and
I believe I musta,
You know I think I musta,
You know baby I think I musta,
You know I think I musta,
I musta got lost!!!!!!!
1?2?.3?
(Sung)
Never thought about tomorrow
Seemed like a long time to come
How could I be so blind, baby
Not to see you were the one
I let ya slip on from me baby
I let ya walk on by,
Shoulda loved, you told me
I refused to love, I let it die
Musta got lost, musta got lost, musta got lost
Somewhere down the line
Musta got lost, musta got lost
Give away the day you were mine
Don't know why I let you leave me
Honey I don?t know
See its hard to see lovin' comin baby
But I have a way to see it go
Musta got lost, musta got lost, musta got lost
Somewhere down the line
Musta got lost, I got lost
Give away the day you were mine
Love can be a sweet thing
Girl I just don't understand
Made a game outta lovin' you
Now I hold a losin' hand
Musta got lost, musta got lost, musta got lost
Somewhere down the line
Musta got lost, I got lost girl
Give away the day you were mine
I just don't understand it
I just don't understand it
I just don't understand it
And I musta got lost, musta got lost, musta got lost
Somewhere down the line, hey
Musta got lost, baby, I got lost girl
Give away the day you were mine
Musta got lost, I got lost, musta got lost
Somewhere down the line
Musta got lost, I got lost girl
Give away the day you were mine
C?mon
Oh, I got lost, double-crossed
Your lovin, give it to me all night long
(Instrumental Break)
I said your love got me higher,
Than I ever been lifted before
I said your love got me higher,
Than I ever been lifted before??
Somewhere???????
The J. Geils Band's "Must of Got Lost" is a song that starts off with an introduction that states that the song is not supposed to be sad, though it might feel that way. It is a song about desperation, love, and the consequences that come with abusing it. The lyrics suggest that if someone abuses love, they will lose it, and once they lose it, they will not be able to choose it again. The consequences are loneliness, sitting by the telephone waiting for someone who will never call, playing bingo, and wishing that they had not abused love in the first place.
The song continues with the singer saying that he knows the woman he loves is at home, and he is desperate to get to her. He turns on the TV and the radio, but he cannot find what he needs, so he heads over to her house. He bangs on her door and calls out her name, but she seems reluctant to let him in. The singer then realizes that he made a mistake in not showing his love, and he must have lost her along the way. The song ends with a promise to never let love slip away again.
The lyrics to "Must of Got Lost" are mysterious and open to interpretation. The song is catchy and has a rock and roll beat. The J. Geils Band was known for their high-energy performances, and this song is a perfect example of how they could get the crowd going. "Must of Got Lost" is an anthem for anyone who has lost love due to their recklessness, and it serves as a reminder to cherish the people we love.
Line by Line Meaning
Hold on this song has a little introduction to it
The start of the song includes an introduction
It's ain't supposed to be sad though you might feel it that way
This is a song about desperation, it's not intended to be sad, although it may come off that way
It's a song about desperation,
The song centers around the feeling of desperation
Every now and then we do get desperate
Despair is an occasional human emotion
This is a song about L-O-V-E,
The song is a depiction of love
And if you abuse it you're gonna lose it
Love is fragile and must be treated with care
And if you lose it you're gonna 'buse and
When love is gone, it can cause distress
If you 'buse it you ain't gonna be able to choose it
Mistreating love can result in a lose-lose situation
'Cause you ain't gonna have it further on down the line
Mistreating love now can result in not having it in the future
Things ain't gonna be so fine
The situation won't be ideal
You're gonna to be sitting there on your little machine
You'll be alone with your thoughts
Trying to look and keep it clean and
Attempting to maintain your sanity
You're going to be home playing bingo all night all alone
You'll be lonely and bored
And that's why your sitting there by the telephone
This explains why you're anxiously awaiting a call
And you know that she ain't going to call you!
The waiting is in vain because she won't be calling
So you put on the TV and you're watching Johnny Carson
You turn to TV to pass the time
Segwaying right into the Tomorrow show
The show seamlessly transitions into the next one
But that don't got the go so you turn it off ya turn on the radio,
You switch to the radio for entertainment
The radio don't seem to get the click so you say
The radio isn't fulfilling your needs either
"Hey Man, I can't lickety split"
You express your frustration
You start to open up a little book
You search for something to do
And there's something there you got to overlook
You must ignore something in order to find something else
And you say "BABY, you know there's somethin on my mind!
You realize that you're preoccupied with something and would like to discuss it with your partner
"You say "Baby there's somethin on my mind -
You express your wish for a conversation
I know that you're home and I know you ain't all alone! "
You're aware that your lover is home but don't know their company
So you start walking over to her house
You decide to go to your lover's place
And you get over to her house
You arrive at your lover's home
And you walk over to her door and
You head to the front door
You start poundin on her door and you say
You knock on the door and shout
"Open up the door bitch!?
You use an inappropriate tone and language
This is wooba gooba with the green teeth, let me in!!"
You give an absurd introduction of yourself
Well, she opens up the door
Your lover eventually opens the door
And then you just kinda walk up to her and say
You approach her and say
"Baby", (say Baby!) you look up way up at her green mascara
You address her with a term of endearment and acknowledge her appearance
And you say "Oh my darling
You express affection
You know her and me was at the party as friends -
You explain to her that you were merely friends at a party
Do not believe what they say
You explain that rumors aren't true
That's only gossip that they tellin ya -
You clarify that the rumors are only gossip
A wise crack of lies!"
You describe the rumors as lies
You say Darling!!!
You address her again
Take your big curls and squeeze them down Ratumba -
You make an absurd request
What's the name of the chick with the long hair? (Rapunzel!) Hey Rapunzel!
You refer to another woman with long hair
Heh heh... Hey Reputa the beautah! Reputa the Beautah!
You give another woman a nickname
Hey Reputa the Beautah flip me down your hair
You ask for the woman to let down her hair for you to climb up
And let me climb up to the ladder of your love!!
You compare climbing up her hair to climbing the ladder of love
Because this is the wooba gooba sayin to ya
You repeat your absurd nickname for yourself
"Love comes once and when it comes
You reflect on how love only comes around once
You better grab it fast 'cause sometimes the love
You advise that you must take the opportunity when it presents itself
You grab ain't gonn' last and
You acknowledge that the love you grab might not work out
I believe I musta,
You come to a realization
You know I think I musta,
You come to the same realization again
You know baby I think I musta,
You communicate that this realization involves your lover
I musta got lost!!!!!!!
You acknowledge that you made a mistake
Never thought about tomorrow
You express a lack of future thinking
Seemed like a long time to come
The future seemed unlikely
How could I be so blind, baby
You express regret for overlooking something important
Not to see you were the one
You realize that this person was the one for you
I let ya slip on from me baby
You admit that you let this person go
I let ya walk on by,
You failed to catch this person's attention
Shoulda loved, you told me
You recall that this person loved you and you didn't reciprocate
I refused to love, I let it die
You express your regret for not loving this person
Love can be a sweet thing
You acknowledge that love has its good qualities
Girl I just don't understand
You express confusion about the situation
Made a game outta lovin' you
You realize that you made a game out of this person's feelings
Now I hold a losin' hand
You realize that you've lost the game
C'mon
You encourage something to happen
Oh, I got lost, double-crossed
You acknowledge the situation and how you were betrayed
Your lovin, give it to me all night long
You request the person's love and attention
(Instrumental Break)
An instrumental break in the song
I said your love got me higher,
You express how this person's love affects you
Than I ever been lifted before
You've never felt like this before
Somewhere
An unclear location
I just don't understand it
You remain confused about the situation
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: PETER WOLF, SETH JUSTMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind