Tony Bove came of age in a hotbed of blue-eyed soul, pop and jazz music, full of "great ones" who don’t get celebrated as they should - unless you happen to be in town on New Years Day. Johnny B is a mythical "great one" whose candle burned too early. Words by Tony Bove, music by Tony Bove, Bert Keely and Ann McNamee.
It's time to remember the great ones, the leaders and the seekers of truth
You were always a fast gun, your energy a fountain of youth
And they never could understand you, no they never could pin you down
You were always pushing the limits, always changing the sound
Johnny B, Johnny B, where did you go? Johnny B, Johnny B, where are you now?
And the girls would all stand beside you, while the rest of us would stand behind
And we jumped on the tourbus to fly with you, and who knew what we would find?
Then we partied on past midnight, and you were rockin' rollin' ringin' a bell
And you knew we'd follow you anywhere, almost through the gates of hell
Johnny B, Johnny B, where did you go? Johnny B, Johnny B, where are you now?
What are we, what are we s'posed to do? When without you, without you, we haven't a clue, haven't a clue
It was new year's day with the Mummers, the party on Toulouse Street was on
We were all looking forward to the new year, but you went out on your own
Had us runnin' round town, wearin' a frown but you wouldn't answer the phone
You got caught in the life on the edge of a knife, and you went out of your own
Johnny B, Johnny B, where did you go? Johnny B, Johnny B, where are you now?
Johnny B, Johnny B, where did you go? Johnny B, Johnny B, where are you now?
credits
from Skywriting,
released June 4, 2021
Previously released as part of 52-week High, the FOBs 3rd album on A Minor Label. Produced by Jack Casady and Stacy Parrish, remastered by Bert Keely.
Tony Bove harmonica & lead vocal
Roger McNamee and Giles McNamee rhythm guitars
Larry Marcus drums
Corinne Marcus hand percussion
Bill Bennett bass
Bert Keely lead guitar
Backing vocals by Corinne Monnard Marcus, Ann McNamee and Roger McNamee.
Circle Back! a new box set featuring the Flying Other BrothersSan Francisco, California
Three new albums for 2021. Skywriting revisits the best of six songwriters from the studio albums, Bert's Brew gathers 8
live and studio FOB tracks previously unreleased, and Alive and Grateful collects Dead-related gems from Bert's projects before and during the pandemic....more
This Michigan-based trio trip, swirl, and echo their way through 11 songs of psychedelic, surf-tinged, garage rock. Bandcamp New & Notable Sep 27, 2015