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.
Til The Walls Come Tumblin
The J. Geils Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Too much too soon if you know what I mean
I lost my mind by the count of ten
Nobody ever gonna put me back together again
You gotta knock it out rock it
You gotta sock it out rock it
You gotta rock rock rock it
Ladies flirtations I can't resist
I got to order you decease and desist
I just need some immoral support
And if your momma don't like it she can take me to court
You gotta knock it out rock it
You gotta sock it out rock it
You gotta rock rock rock it
Til the walls come tumbln' down
Mash those potatoes don' t be shy
Feels so good don't you ask me why
The night is wild but I'm in control
You gotta brush your teeth with Rock 'n' Roll
You gotta knock it out rock it
You gotta sock it out rock it
You gotta rock rock rock it
Til the walls come tumbln' down
The J. Geils Band's song "Till the Walls Come Tumblin' Down" is an energetic tune about enjoying life to the fullest and living in the moment. The lyrics begin with a reference to destructive behavior when the singer sings, "Smashed a hole through my TV screen, too much too soon, if you know what I mean." This could be interpreted as a metaphor for impulsively living in the moment and not worrying about consequences or societal norms. The singer then mentions losing their mind, indicating that they are fully embracing this wild lifestyle and are no longer concerned with how others perceive them.
The chorus, "You gotta knock it out rock it, you gotta sock it out rock it, you gotta rock rock rock it 'til the walls come tumblin' down," reinforces the idea of letting loose and leaving everything on the dancefloor. The use of the phrase "til the walls come tumblin' down" implies that the singer will continue to rock out to the point of causing destruction, further emphasizing their carefree attitude.
The second verse describes the singer's attraction to women and their need for "immoral support." The line "And if your momma don't like it she can take me to court" shows that the singer is unapologetic about their behavior and is willing to face any consequences that come with it. The bridge encourages listeners to dance and enjoy themselves, with lines such as "Mash those potatoes don't be shy" and "You gotta brush your teeth with Rock 'n' Roll."
Line by Line Meaning
Smashed a hole through my TV screen
I was so overwhelmed by what I saw on TV that I couldn't control myself and broke it.
Too much too soon if you know what I mean
I experienced too much too soon and it's causing me to feel out of control.
I lost my mind by the count of ten
I completely lost control of myself in a very short period of time.
Nobody ever gonna put me back together again
I've become so wild and out of control that no one can bring me back to my former self.
You gotta knock it out rock it
You have to put all your energy into it and rock it.
You gotta sock it out rock it
You have to give it your all and rock it.
You gotta rock rock rock it
You have to keep rocking it with all your might.
Til the walls come tumbln' down
Don't stop until everything around you is shaking and tumbling down.
Ladies flirtations I can't resist
I am unable to resist the flattery and attention of women.
I got to order you decease and desist
I need to tell you to stop flirting with me in order to maintain control.
I just need some immoral support
I need someone to encourage my wild behavior, even if it's not socially acceptable.
And if your momma don't like it she can take me to court
I don't care about the opinions of anyone's mother, as long as I can continue my wild ways.
Mash those potatoes don' t be shy
Don't hold back, let loose and enjoy yourself like you would when mashing potatoes.
Feels so good don't you ask me why
This wild behavior feels good, and I don't need to explain why I'm doing it.
The night is wild but I'm in control
Even though the night is wild, I feel like I am still in control of my actions.
You gotta brush your teeth with Rock 'n' Roll
You need to inject rock 'n' roll into every aspect of your life, including your daily habits like brushing your teeth.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind