As teenagers, the band members, like most rock 'n' roll groups, were intent on becoming pop stars. Instead of creating a brand-new sound or striving for something different, their philosophy was to take popular styles of rock 'n' roll and push them to the edge. It was at that that the band excelled. The passion and soul they pumped into their music on is still in the grooves of each record. And although they set out to be nothing more than a "typical" rock group, they made some of the most atypical records of the 1960s!
Forming in late 1965, the Shadows of Knight were all friends and aquaintances, except for lead singer Jim Sohns, whom they stole from a rival group. The group's early sounds were highly influenced by black music and by white British interpretations of black music. Venturing into hard-edged R&B, the group made two LP' for Dunwich Records within its first year (both records now available again, thanks to Sundazed Records). Those albums are essential listening for anyone who loves the gritty early sounds of groups like the Rolling Stones and the Pretty Things. Of course, it's their version of Them's "Gloria" that shot the Shadows to the top of the American pop charts. Their rise to fame was fast, and the pressures were very hard for the group to handle. By 1967, the group, disillusioned by its mismanagement, began to fall apart. Guitarist Jerry McGeorge went on to form the understated H.P. Lovecraft. Both the bassist Joe Kelly and the drummer Tim Schiffour held out for more straight-ahead blues in the Joe Kelly Blues Band. Jim Sohns held on.
By late 1968, Sohns was the only surviving member, legally securing the Shadows of Knight name for himself. The "group" was then contracted with by bubblegum producers Kasenetz and Katz to record under that name for K&K's Teem Records label. Grabbing at any straw handed to him, Sohns quickly moved to New York, assembled a group of musicians, and went on to record some of the best records of the bubblegum genre.
A master at interpreting popular sounds, Sohns was able to take teen appeal and mix it with his gritty soulful voice for an unbelievable version of "Shake." Jim (under various psuedonyms) is also quite obviously the vocalist on many other soulful bubblegum songs pressed for K&K labels. Firmly grounded in the bubblegum genre and sensing another change in popular music, Jim began to have an interest in harder rock 'n' roll sounds. His last great single is perhaps the most perfect melding of rock and bubblegum sounds: "Run, Run Billy Porter"/ "My Fire Department Needs A Fireman."
Although Sohns kept the Shadows of Knight name alive, he lost his chart-topping drive in 1969 and began to rehash his earlier Chicago career, so his subsequent records are neither timely nor so impassioned.
On July 29th 2022, Jim Sohns passed away from complications due to a stroke. He was 75 years old.
Oh Yeah
The Shadows of Knight Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I got a little woman
She in the town
She say she love me
But best of all
She's my woman
My own all
Yeah she my all
We run around
Have a lot of fun
She whispers in my ear and say oh you're the one
Said oh yeah
Said oh yeah
Said oh yeah
Oh yeah
Picks up a telephone
Caught Pie at home
Said hey little boy, won't cha leave my daughter alone.
Said oh yeah
Said oh yeah
Said oh yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
I love her
I love her
I love her
I love her
Take it easy, baby
Your temperatures runnin' hot
You don't know, baby
Just what cha got
Said oh yeah
Said oh yeah
Said oh yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Ooohhh yeah...
I said oh yeah
You know were runnin' around
Havin' a lot of fun
She whisper to me softly and say
Oh, you're the one
The Shadows of Knight's song "Oh Yeah" has a simple, infectious melody that is focused around the declaration of love to a woman, and the singer's total devotion to her. The lyrics to the song reflect a teenage love and infatuation in which everything will be okay as long as they are together. The song opens with the singer insisting that everything will be alright in the morning, which is an indication of the positive outlook the singer has towards life because of the love he shares with his girlfriend. The lyrics go on to talk about how his partner in love is everything he needs and more, and how they have a lot of fun together as a couple.
The chorus of the song, where the singer repeatedly says "oh yeah," makes one think that the singer is filled with joy and excitement at the mention of his lover's name. The lyrics show the deep connection the singer has with his lover to whom he declares his undying love. The verse also shows that the singer values her opinion and voice when he mentions that she whispers in his ear, and calls him "the one." The last verse of the song further emphasizes the singer's love for his girlfriend and reveals that her temperature is running hot, which could be interpreted as a reference to sexual desire.
Line by Line Meaning
Everything gonna be alright this mornin'
I woke up feeling good, like everything is going to be fine today.
I got a little woman
I have a special woman in my life, someone I care about.
She in the town
She lives nearby, which makes it easy for us to spend time together.
She say she love me
She tells me how much she cares about me, which makes me feel good.
But best of all
What I appreciate most about her is...
She's my woman
...that she's my girlfriend, someone who is with me.
My own all
...she's the only one I want to be with.
She's my lover
...and we share a physical relationship too.
Yeah she my all
...she means everything to me.
We run around
We go out, have fun, and do things together.
Have a lot of fun
We enjoy each other's company and make each other happy.
She whispers in my ear and say oh you're the one
She tells me how much she likes me and how important I am to her.
Said oh yeah
That's right, she really likes me a lot.
Picks up a telephone
I called her on the phone.
Caught Pie at home
Her father answered the phone, and his name is Pie.
Said hey little boy, won't cha leave my daughter alone.
He wants to make sure that I'm treating his daughter well and not causing any problems.
I love her
I have strong feelings of affection for her.
Take it easy, baby
Relax, don't worry, things will be okay.
Your temperatures runnin' hot
You seem to be upset or angry about something.
You don't know, baby
You may not be aware of how you're feeling right now.
Just what cha got
You have something good, and it's important not to lose it.
Ooohhh yeah...
I'm really feeling good about my relationship with this woman.
You know were runnin' around
We're out having fun, exploring the world together.
Havin' a lot of fun
We're enjoying ourselves and each other's company.
She whisper to me softly and say
She speaks to me in a quiet, intimate way.
Oh, you're the one
She tells me how important I am to her, that I'm the person she wants to be with.
Contributed by Savannah B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
les mester
Saw them in concert in 1966. Great performance!
Tom B
Is it me or what? Fifty + years later this song still sounds GREAT.
DeWayne Hanson
Still a GREAT SONG after 40 years plus ! ! ! My band played this in 1967 a lot.....
Jeffrey McGraw
I was instantly attracted/ hypnotized by this song as I was listening to Little Stevens Underground Garage radio show and had to get this CD 5 years ago and still can never get enough of it!
Maurice B
50 years now.
Connor Costarella
I bought this single in 1966, I was 10 yrs old, can't believe I found it...
Jack Kennedy
Ditto! I played it over and over again on a cheesy portable record player until I wore out the vinyl.
Jim Horst
Had the original 45. Thanks for putting this up and for the memories.Still a great song with good riffs!!
Bob Coldeen
likewise.
Butch Alano
Oh yeah!......got this vinyl when i was 15, then the next LP at 17.....these guys are the ultimate garage band....the bass player rocks!