In addition to hosting his own television show titled "The Johnny Otis Show", he also became an influential disc-jockey in Los Angeles, hosting his own radio show on radio station KFOX in Long Beach, California in 1955.
That same year, Otis started his own label, Ultra Records (which he changed to the name Dig after five single releases). Continuing to perform and appearing on TV shows in Los Angeles from 1957. On the strength of their success, he signed to Capitol Records. Featuring singer Marie Adams, and with his band now being credited as the Johnny Otis Show, he made a comeback, at first in the British charts with "Ma He's Making Eyes At Me" in 1957. In April 1958, he recorded his best-known recording, "Willie and the Hand Jive", a clave-based vamp, which relates to hand and arm motions in time with the music, called the hand jive. This went on to be a hit in the summer of 1958, peaking at no. 9 on the U.S. Pop chart, and becoming Otis' only Top 10 single. The single reached no. 1 on the Billboard R&B chart.
After playing in a variety of swing orchestras, including Lloyd Hunter's Serenaders, he founded his own band in 1945 and had one of the most enduring hits of the big band era, "Harlem Nocturne". This band played with Wynonie Harris and Charles Brown. In 1947 he and Bardu Ali opened the Barrelhouse Club in the Watts district of Los Angeles. He reduced the size of his band and hired singers Mel Walker, Little Esther Phillips and the Robins (who later became the Coasters). He discovered the teenaged Phillips when she won one of the Barrelhouse Club's talent shows. With this band, which toured extensively throughout the United States as the California Rhythm and Blues Caravan, he had a long string of rhythm and blues hits through 1952.
In the late 1940s he discovered Big Jay McNeely, who then performed on his "Barrelhouse Stomp". In the 1950s he discovered Etta James, for whom he produced her first hit, "Roll With Me, Henry", (also known as "The Wallflower"). Otis produced the original recording of " Hound Dog" written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller with vocal by Big Mama Thornton, and was given a writing credit on all six of the 1953 releases of the song. As an artist and repertory man for King Records he also discovered Jackie Wilson, Hank Ballard, and Little Willie John, among others. He also became an influential disk jockey in Los Angeles. However, he continued to perform, and in April 1957 he had a hit with his best-known recording "Willie and the Hand Jive". His most famous composition is "Every Beat of My Heart", first recorded by The Royals in the 1952 but which became a huge hit for Gladys Knight.
In the 1960s he entered journalism and politics, losing a campaign for a seat in the California Assembly (one reason for the loss may be that he ran under his much less well known real name). He then became chief of staff for Democratic Congressman Mervyn M. Dymally.[citation needed] He was also was the pastor of Landmark Community Church. In 1969 he recorded an album of sexually explicit material under the name Snatch and the Poontangs. In 1970 he played at the legendary Monterey Jazz Festival with Little Esther Phillips and Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson.
In the 1990s Otis bought a farm near Sebastopol, California, north of San Francisco. For a time he ran a coffee shop / grocery store / blues club, where one of the featured singers was the Georgia-born singer Jackie Payne. Around this time Otis also founded and pastored a new church, Landmark Community Gospel Church, which held weekly rehearsals in the tiny town of Forestville, California and Sunday services in Santa Rosa, California. Landmark's worship services centered on Otis' preaching and the traditional-style performances of a gospel choir and a male gospel quartet, backed by a rocking band that featured Otis' son Nicky Otis and Nicky's son, Lucky Otis. The church closed its doors in the mid 1990s.
Otis continued performing through the 1990s and headlined the San Francisco Blues Festival in 1990 and 2000, although because of his many other interests he went through long periods where he did not perform.
Otis was elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.
Otis, of Greek descent, is the older brother of Nicholas Veliotes, former U.S. Ambassador to Jordan (1978-1981) and to Egypt (1984-1986). He is the father of Shuggie Otis.
Frank Zappa has cited Otis as the inspiration for his distinctive trademark facial hair, stating in an interview conducted by Simpsons creator Matt Groening and Guitar Player magazine editor Don Menn, "Itt looked good on Johnny Otis, so I grew it."
Otis had a popular radio show on KPFA, called The Johnny Otis Show. This show was aired every Saturday Morning, live from the Powerhouse Brewery in Sebastopol. Listeners were invited to stop in for breakfast and enjoy the show live. Alas, the show's frequency deteriorated along with Johnny's health. When Otis moved to Los Angeles, the show stuttered, then stopped completely and now even the Powerhouse has closed its doors. Last real show was August 19, 2006. Last show with Johnny was some time before that.
Ma
The Johnny Otis Show Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And all the fellows knew,
She wouldn't bill and coo:
Ev'ry single night some smart fellow would try
o cuddle up to her, but she would cry:
"Ma, he's making eyes at me!
Ma he's awful nice to me!
I'm beside him, Mercy!
Let his conscience guide him!
Ma, he wants to marry me,
Be my honey bee.
Ev'ry minute he gets bolder,
Now he's leaning on my shoulder,
Ma, he's kissing me!"
Lilly was so good, ev'ry body could tell.
You'd never see her roam,
She'd always stay at home;
All the neighbors knew little Lilly too well.
For when the boys would call, They'd hear her yell:
Ma, he's making eyes at me!
Ma he's awful nice to me!
Ma he's almost breaking my heart,
If you peek in, Can't you see I'm goin' to weaken?
Ma, he wants to marry me,
Be my honey bee.
Ma, I'm meeting with resistance,
I shall holler for assistance,
Ma, he's kissing me!"
The Johnny Otis Show's song "Ma" is a catchy and upbeat tune that tells the story of Little Lilly, a shy and innocent girl who attracts a lot of attention from the boys in her town. The lyrics describe how she rejects their advances and always calls out to her mother for help when they attempt to make a move on her. Despite her resistance, one particular boy seems determined to win her over and Lily finds herself starting to give in to his charms. The song ends with the boy finally getting his way and kissing Lilley, much to her mother's dismay.
The lyrics of this song offer an interesting insight into the social norms and expectations of the time when it was written, likely in the 1950s or 1960s. The notion that a young girl would need to ask her mother for help when approached by a boy reflects the conservative values of the era, where relationships were often closely monitored by parents and the wider community. Furthermore, the idea that a girl who was "awful nice" to a boy was in danger of having her heart broken by him implies that women were viewed as vulnerable and in need of protection, and that men were seen as the more dominant and powerful gender.
Line by Line Meaning
Little Lilly was oh! So silly and shy
Little Lilly was shy and naive
And all the fellows knew,
But all the guys knew
She wouldn't bill and coo:
She wouldn't be affectionate
Ev'ry single night some smart fellow would try
Every night, some guy would try
o cuddle up to her, but she would cry:
To cuddle with her, but she would cry out
"Ma, he's making eyes at me!
"Mom, he's staring at me!
Ma he's awful nice to me!
Mom, he's so nice to me!
Ma he's almost breaking my heart,
Mom, he's almost breaking my heart
I'm beside him, Mercy!
I'm next to him, mercy!
Let his conscience guide him!
Let him think about what he's doing!
Ma, he wants to marry me,
Mom, he wants to marry me
Be my honey bee.
And be my partner
Ev'ry minute he gets bolder,
But every minute he gets more daring
Now he's leaning on my shoulder,
Now he's leaning on my shoulder
Ma, he's kissing me!"
Mom, he's kissing me!
Lilly was so good, ev'ry body could tell.
Lilly was known to be good by everyone
You'd never see her roam,
She never went out much
She'd always stay at home;
She'd always be at home
All the neighbors knew little Lilly too well.
Even the neighbors knew Lilly well
For when the boys would call, They'd hear her yell:
And when guys would call over, they'd hear her yell
"Ma, he's making eyes at me!
"Mom, he's staring at me!
Ma, he's awful nice to me!
Mom, he's so nice to me!
Ma, he's almost breaking my heart,
Mom, he's almost breaking my heart
If you peek in, Can't you see I'm goin' to weaken?
If you look, can't you see I'm about to give in?
Ma, he wants to marry me,
Mom, he wants to marry me
Be my honey bee.
And be my partner
Ma, I'm meeting with resistance,
Mom, I'm facing resistance
I shall holler for assistance,
I'll scream for help
Ma, he's kissing me!"
Mom, he's kissing me!
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Kanjian Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Con Conrad, Sidney Clare
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@gayebrown910
This was such a bit in the 50s we'd never heard anything like it fefore! They are Gorgeous! And those Harmonies!
@trentcooper9975
This is great music 👍
@chrislovell646
I wish this song went on longer,love it
@ddoeser5830
Fijn om te horen lang geleden muziek klonk dikwijls thuis waar ik geboren ben " GEWÉLDIG "❤🇳🇱🙏🌹👋
@tim6836
first record I had still love this an people that's long gone
@wilsalk
When this song came out, in this area of Pa, the song was not played. My brother and i would tune in to the great W.K.B.W.from Buffalo NY., and sooner or later " The Hound" would play this great song, Does anyone else remember that great radio station playing all the hits of the day during that remarkable time for radio and REAL music /
@Petemonster62
Willard Henning - Was WKBW a Rhythm & Blues station?
@Dickneeds
Johnny Otis Show. One of the best all time R&R albums.
@mikepearce8209
The first album I bought. Such memories
@randyhorne1067
What is R&R ?