Syl Johnson - Come On Sock It To Me

Born Sylvester Thompson in Holly Springs, Mississippi, Johnson sang and played with blues artists Magic Sam, Billy Boy Arnold, Junior Wells and Howlin' Wolf in the 1950s, before recording with Jimmy Reed for Vee-Jay in 1959. He made his solo debut that same year with Federal, a subsidiary of King Records of Cincinnati, backed by Freddie King on guitar.

He then began recording for Twinight Records of Chicago in the mid 1960s. Beginning with his first hit, Come On Sock It to Me in 1967, Johnson dominated the label as both a hitmaker and producer. His song Different Strokes, also from 1967, featured recently on the Ultimate Breaks and Beats breakbeat compilation.

Like other black songwriters of the period, several of his records at this time explored themes of African-American identity and social problems in songs including Is It Because I'm Black, which reached Number 11 in the R&B charts in 1969.

In 1971, Willie Mitchell brought Johnson to Hi Records, the two recording three albums which spawned a number of singles. Produced in Memphis with the Hi house band, these yielded music of power and enduring value, including the hits We Did It, Back for a Taste of Your Love and Take Me to the River, his biggest success, reaching Number 7 on the R&B charts in 1975. However, at Hi Johnson was always to some extent in Al Green's shadow commercially, if not artistically. Mitchell also chose to use mainly in-house material rather than Johnson originals.

After the Hi years ended, Johnson produced two LPs for his own Shama label, the latter of which (Ms. Fine Brown Frame, 1982) was picked up for distribution by Boardwalk Records and produced Johnson's last hit record, the title cut.

Around the mid-1980s, Johnson started a fast-food fish restaurant business, and became semi-retired from performing, only making occasional appearances at blues club gigs.

In 1992, Johnson found out that his song "Different Strokes" had been sampled by number of rappers including Wu-Tang Clan, Kool G Rap, Hammer, and the Geto Boys. Stimulated by this fact, he decided to make a comeback in the music industry. In 1994, he released the album Back in the Game on Delmark Records. The album featured the Hi rhythm section and his youngest daughter Syleena Johnson.

Blues guitarist and singer Jimmy Johnson, and bassist Mack Thompson are his brothers.

Words c/o: http://en.wikipedia.org
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Category:

Music

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• Syl
• Johnson
• Come
• On
• Sock
• It
• To
• Me

[astarmedia1]

One of the gems! Thanks for upload! :)

[TheDucklipped]

The Butterball rhymes them all!!! If you don't like the blues, you got a hold in your soul!!!. WVON forever!!!!

[8House]

This was a big hit in Chicago during the heyday of WVON, the biggest, baddest low watt radio station ever.

[Limeade04]

@RXmusic4YOU lol.. Yes, my mother was the dancer. We all clearly inherited her feet and her ability to feel the music and move. I'm familiar with three mo tenors. I was really into them in high school when my music teacher introduced them to us. Thanks for the compliment!

[RXmusic4YOU]

@Limeade04 ...your mother must have loved to dance!....great song to get the body moving!...saw your channel...donny hathaway!!!....my all time favorite song...someday we'll all be free...that song means so much to me...i know every word......excellent job!...are you familiar with Three Mo Tenors?...if not check them out on youtube...they will give you inspiration on your singing endeavors....Three Mo Tenors..."Today I Sing the Blues"....

[Limeade04]

@RXmusic4YOU Same here... my Mother wore this out...

[RXmusic4YOU]

WOW..THANKS I HAVE THIS ON A 45...GOOD TO HEAR AGAIN

[mbuggy11]

i loveeeeeee ittttt