Formed in 1963 in Birmingham after the Welsh guitarist Spencer Davis encountered vocalist and organist Steve Winwood (then aged 14 and still at school), and his bass playing brother Muff Winwood performing at a pub, the Golden Eagle, as the Muff Woody Jazz Band. He recruited them and Pete York on drums to form the Rhythm and Blues Quartette, which performed regularly in the city. In 1964, they signed their first recording contract after Chris Blackwell of Island Records saw them at an appearance in a local club; Blackwell also became their producer.
The group's first professional recording was a cover version of Dimples, but they came to success at the end of 1965 with Keep on Running, the group's first number one single. In 1966 they followed this with Somebody Help Me and When I Come Home. For the German market the group released "Det war in Schöneberg, im Monat Mai" and "Mädel ruck ruck ruck an meine grüne Seite" (the first is from a 1913 Berlin operetta, the second is a Swabian traditional) as a tribute single for that audience, Spencer Davis having studied in West Berlin in the early 1960s.
By the end of 1966 and the beginning of 1967, the group released two more hits, Gimme Some Lovin' (which was re-released in a live, nine-minute version by Steve Winwood's Traffic in 1971) and I'm A Man. These tracks proved to be their two best-known successes, especially in the U.S.
In 1967, Winwood left to form Traffic; his brother Muff moved into the music industry as A&R man at Island Records. In a so-called joint venture, the soundtrack to the film Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush featured both the Spencer Davis Group and Traffic.
Despite the Winwoods' departure, the Spencer Davis Group continued performing and released more singles, though not repeating earlier successes. These included Time Seller in July 1967; the b-side, Don't Want You No More, also received radio airplay.
This was followed by "Mr. Second-Class" in late 1967, which was heavily played on Radio Caroline (at that time one of the two remaining pirate radio ships off the British coast) and the group's last minor hit, "After Tea", in 1968. The latter song was released at the same time by the German band The Rattles, providing competition that led finally to a temporary stop to all activities of the band. Davis continued working, however, producing some jazz-oriented albums in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Although short-lived, The Spencer Davis Group - particularly its incarnation with Steve Winwood - was influential, with many of the band's songs covered by other artists over the years. Notable among these are Chicago's 1969 version of "I'm a Man," The Allman Brothers Band's 1969 take of "Don't Want You No More," Three Dog Night's 1970 recording of "Can't Get Enough of It," and The Blues Brothers' 1980 recording of "Gimme Some Lovin'."
Gimme Some Lovin'
The Spencer Davis Group Lyrics
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Crazy people rocking 'cause they want to some more
Let me in baby, I don't know what you got
But you better take it easy 'cause this place is hot
And I'm so glad you made it, so glad you made it
You got to gimme some lovin', gimme, gimme some lovin'
Gimme some lovin', gimme, gimme some lovin'
Well, I feel so good, everything's getting high
You better take it easy 'cause the place is on fire
Been a hard day and I had no work to do
Wait a minute baby, let it happen to you
And I'm so glad we made it, so glad we made it
You got to gimme some lovin', gimme, gimme some lovin'
Gimme some lovin', gimme, gimme some lovin'
Gimme some lovin' everyday, yeh
Well, I feel so good, everything's getting high
You better take it easy 'cause the place is on fire
Been a hard day nothing went too good
Now I'm gonna relax, buddy everybody should
And I'm so glad we made it, hey hey, so glad we made it
You got to gimme some lovin', gimme, gimme some lovin' woo ooo
Gimme some lovin', gimme, gimme some lovin'
Gimme, gimme, gimme some of your lovin', baby
You know I need it so bad woo ooo
Gimme some of your lovin', baby
The song "Gimme Some Lovin'" by The Spencer Davis Group is a fast-paced and energetic rock and roll song. The lyrics are an invitation to a lover, promising to provide the listener with the type of love that can make them "high." The opening lines "Well, my temperature is rising, got my feet on the floor, Crazy people rocking 'cause they want to some more" suggest that the song is being performed in a club or other venue where people are dancing and enjoying the music. The singer is asking to be let in, implying that they are outside and ready to join the party.
As the song progresses, it becomes clear that the singer is feeling good and wants to share that feeling with their lover. The repeated refrain "You got to gimme some lovin', gimme, gimme some lovin'" becomes a joyful demand for affection, with the singer asking for love every day. The line "Been a hard day and I had no work to do, Wait a minute baby, let it happen to you" suggests that the singer has been anticipating this moment of connection and wants their lover to be open to it as well. The song ends with a climactic appeal for affection, with the singer declaring "Gimme, gimme, gimme some of your lovin', baby, You know I need it so bad."
Overall, "Gimme Some Lovin'" is a joyful and upbeat song that asks for love and connection with passion and energy. It captures the feeling of being swept up in a moment of joy and desire and is a classic example of the rock and roll genre.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, my temperature is rising, got my feet on the floor
I am feeling excited and energized, and I am ready to dance.
Crazy people rocking 'cause they want to some more
Everyone is having a good time and wants to keep dancing and partying.
Let me in baby, I don't know what you got
I am attracted to you and want to be close to you, even though I am not sure what makes you special.
But you better take it easy 'cause this place is hot
We need to be careful and not get too wild, because the party is already intense.
And I'm so glad you made it, so glad you made it
I am happy that you came to this party and are here with me.
You got to gimme some lovin', gimme, gimme some lovin'
I need you to show me affection and attention by dancing and having fun with me.
Gimme some lovin', gimme, gimme some lovin'
I want to feel loved and appreciated by you, and I need you to keep dancing with me.
Gimme some lovin' everyday
I need love and affection every day, not just at this party.
Well, I feel so good, everything's getting high
I am feeling great and enjoying the high energy of the party.
Been a hard day and I had no work to do
I had a tough day and am happy to be able to relax and have fun at this party.
Wait a minute baby, let it happen to you
Take a moment to enjoy the party and let yourself have a good time.
And I'm so glad we made it, so glad we made it
I am happy that we both made it to this party and are having a good time together.
You got to gimme some lovin', gimme, gimme some lovin'
I need you to continue showing me love and affection by dancing and having fun with me.
Gimme some lovin', gimme, gimme some lovin'
I want to continue feeling loved and appreciated by you, so please keep dancing with me.
Gimme some lovin' everyday, yeh
I need love and affection every day, not just at this party, and I hope you can give it to me.
Been a hard day nothing went too good
Today was a tough day and things did not go as planned.
Now I'm gonna relax, buddy everybody should
I am going to relax now and I think everyone else should too, so we can enjoy the party even more.
And I'm so glad we made it, hey hey, so glad we made it
I am really happy that we both made it to this party and are having a good time together.
You got to gimme some lovin', gimme, gimme some lovin' woo ooo
I need you to keep showing me love and affection by dancing and having fun with me, and I am really excited about it.
Gimme some lovin', gimme, gimme some lovin'
I want to continue feeling loved and appreciated by you, so please keep dancing with me.
Gimme, gimme, gimme some of your lovin', baby
I need you to show me love and affection, and I want it to be intense and passionate.
You know I need it so bad woo ooo
I really need your love and attention right now, and I hope you can give it to me.
Gimme some of your lovin', baby
I want you to show me love and affection, and I hope you can do it right now.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Spirit Music Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Muff Winwood, Spencer Davis, Steve Winwood
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind