"Sweet Dick Johnny"
Johnny James
October 29, 2020:
Well, it's official. Johnny James ain't goin' away! He's dropping his second CD of 2020, and it doesn't even include his new star-studded single, "Good Thang Remix," featuring Adrena (who's sounding better than ever), Lady Q, Miss Portia (who collaborated on the original from "The Midnight Man" CD), Summer Wolfe & Mz. Hollywood.
4."Good Thang (Remix)"----Johnny James feat. Adrena, Lady Q, Miss Portia, Summer Wolfe & Mz. Hollywood
Having sampled some of Johnny James' pre-Highway-Heavy recordings in the past, I was ready to slam this album as a "must to avoid," while at the same time talking up Johnny's Highway Heavy collaborations. That's still the general drift of this capsule review. Nothing on Midnightman comes close to the ground-breaking work James has done with Highway Heavy, including "Sweet Dick Johnny," "Johnny James," "Running Loose," "Working Man," "Sweet J.J. (Ice In My Veins)," and his many collaborations on Highway Heavy vehicles such as "Ride With Me" (with Tyree Neal), "In My Name" (with Pokey Bear), "Rain" (with Coldrank) and "Concrete" (with Crystal Parker). Highway Heavy has taken this self-obsessed rapper with the gravelly-voiced delivery and made him the Tom Waits of southern soul.
And in the same vein, let's give a nod of appreciation for the unremarked-upon blues collaboration of Tyree Neal (lead guitar) and Charles Lewis aka Highway Heavy (keyboard organ) in backing up Johnny James on "Sweet Dick Johnny," which secured the award for (Best Out-Of-Left-Field Song of 2018). This, as only southern soul fans know, is the real, cutting-edge, up-to-the minute "living blues," a cauldron of tasteful picking and deep-soul organ straight from the Devil's crossroads.
"Show Pony"----Annie Washington
--Daddy B. Nice
About Johnny James
Johnny James' 1st Appearance On The Charts:
Daddy B. Nice's Top 10 "BREAKING" Southern Soul Singles Preview For. . .
-------MARCH 2018-------
…6. "Johnny James"-----Heavy Presents Johnny James
This is potent and fascinating stuff. Highway Heavy's deep-soul organ. A scratchy-voiced singer in hitched-up running pants dancing around on his kitchen counter tops, proclaiming he's "Johnny--Johnny James". You couldn't even imagine it if it wasn't on YouTube.
Listen to Heavy Presents Johnny James singing "Johnny James" on YouTube.
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Johnny James' 2nd Appearance On The Charts:
Daddy B. Nice's Top 10 "BREAKING" Southern Soul Singles Preview For. . .
-------JUNE 2018-------
1. "Sweet Dick Johnny"--Highway Heavy featuring Johnny James
After musical bouts with Pokey Bear and Cold Drank, producer Heavy has finally found his doppelgänger in Johnny James, the wired, will-do-anything vehicle for his song-creating artistry. Not porn, either, like you might think from the title, just Chick Willis-style southern soul, bluesy and boasting, with enough great organ and guitar to be heard (like Heavy's "My Sidepiece") far beyond the chitlin' circuit. This is actually one in a series of at least four songs devoted to the fearless and funny, gravelly-voiced "Johnny," all on YouTube.
Listen to Heavy feat. Johnny James singing "Sweet Dick Johnny".
See related story--RE: Southern Soul Producer Highway Heavy--in Daddy B. Nice's Mailbag.
See yet another related story in Daddy B. Nice's Corner: News & Notes #3 / May 20 2018: Why Do Producers Want To Be Performers? (this page).
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Johnny James' 3rd Appearance On The Charts:
Daddy B. Nice's Top 10 "BREAKING" Southern Soul Singles Preview For. . .
-------SEPTEMBER 2018-------
…10. "Working Man"----Highway Heavy featuring Johnny James
What's the matter with Johnny? Johnny sounds out of breath. Johnny's mumbling. Awww, just your Daddy B. Nice giving him shit because he's a fascinating mo-f-er. I'll tell you what works: Heavy's deep-soul keyboard lines. You could rock your baby to sleep by their graceful fluctuations.
Listen to Highway Heavy featuring Johnny James singing "Working Man" on YouTube.
Tidbits
Honorary "B" Side
"Working Man"
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