Tony Joe White has parlayed his songwriting talent into a modestly successful country and rock career in Europe as well as America. Born July 23, 1943, in Goodwill, Louisiana, White was born into a part-Cherokee family. He began working clubs in Texas during the mid-'60s and moved to Nashville by 1968. White's 1969 debut album for Monument, Black and White, featured his Top Ten pop hit "Polk Salad Annie" and another charting single, "Roosevelt and Ira Lee (Night of the Moccasin)." That same year, Dusty Springfield reached the charts with White's "Willie and Laura Mae Jones." Brook Benton recorded a version of White's "Rainy Night in Georgia" that hit number four early in 1970; the song has since become a near-standard with more than 100 credits. [AMG]
"If some of ya'll never been down South too much...
I'm gonna tell you a little bit about this,
so that you'll understand
What I'm talking about..."
Black And White was the album that followed his own 1969 US top ten hit Polk Salad Annie, the song that introduced swamp rock to the nation: funky horns, southern fried wah-wah guitar, alligator soul boogie and a voice as deep as his sideburns. There's a stack of that here, including an extra-fine version of Willie And Laura Mae Jones, as well as the earlier single Soul Francisco and four other original songs. The second side of the album consists of other people's material done the Tony Joe White way: Johnny Taylor's Who's Making Love, Slim Harpo's Scratch My Back, Roger Miller's Little Green Apples (a surprisingly effective and tender version), Glen Campbell's Wichita Lineman and Dusty Springfield's (or Dionne Warwick's) The Look Of Love. [amazon reviews]
"I ain't never been to San Francisco
But I believe a thing has happened there..."
"Don't steal my love like a thief in the night
And don't leave me in the dark searchin' for your light
If you take from me give somethin' in return
Don't Be so cold while my fire Burns"
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"The cotton was high
And the corn was growing fine
But that was another place and another time"
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But I believe a thing has happened there..."
YEAH, me too... "Soul Francisco" was a big hit in France and Belgium in '68, and it's just a beginning of an succesful career for "Swamp Fox". For me, upon hearing that Elvis-like voice and sexy wah-wah guitar, it was love at first site. Then there's godhead Don't Steal My Love, with even more killer WAH-WAH RUMBLE,epic Willie And Laura Mae Jones andPolk Salad Annie who "Made the alligators look tame". You couldn't ask for more SOUL. This and his 2nd Lp "...Continued" are my alltime favorite Soul/Swamp Rock slabs. This ain't no Garage nor Surf but you're ain't cool without this stuff. Should I say that... THIS IS A MUST!!!
"Don't steal my love like a thief in the night
And don't leave me in the dark searchin' for your light
If you take from me give somethin' in return
Don't Be so cold while my fire Burns"
"The cotton was high
And the corn was growing fine
But that was another place and another time"
***