This Used to be the Home of Johnnie Mae

[Peach]

I hope this is in the right spot, since it's solo stuff. This is the first time I've heard this song!!! Wow. Wow!! I haven't heard Eddie sing in this part of his vocal register before. He sounds fantastic!!! I was already an Eddie fan......his floating tenor sounding like an angel. But he sounds great a little lower, too.

Thanks again, Mike. I guess I'm not really starting a *real* thread. I just had to tell someone how much I like this song. 1*-) So I'm telling *you* guys! Peach

[Aba21]

Eddie was still in fine voice at that time. It was his first solo lp and it was a very good one. I like IT'S SO HARD TO SAY GOOD-BYE, CAN I AND I DID IT ALL FOR YOU. If you don't have the entire lp let me know. You'll love it!

[iratherlikeme]

Wake up, there's no smell of bacon frying
And it's hard realizing
She won't be home no more, no more

The first time I heard this song, I was like, okay, I'm guessing Eddie isn't the only person who recorded this song, because I didn't recognize his voice at ALL. Then I read somewhere that he sang it in his natural voice. So I went back and really listened, and I definitely hear him holding it down in there. ;D

I've been meaning to ask: What is this song about? Did the woman leave or has she passed?

[janebse]

Johnnie Mae died, either in January of 2002, or thereabouts. I can't remember whether I read about it in January or whether she died in January. Anyway, it wasn't too terribly long ago.

I too wondered about the basis of the song. Her house is still there. It certainly is a good place to visit if you go to Detroit.

The CD I have it on does not have any information as to who wrote it.

[janebse]

2900 Carter - one of the houses credited to be the home of Johnnie Mae Matthews

The locals still proudly declare that Johnnie Mae Matthews once lived in these premises on Carter. She is well known throughout the city.

She is credited with discovering the Distants (Temptations). The boys were walking past the house one day when they heard Johnnie Mae playing the piano. They began singing on the street outside. Johnnie Mae came out to the porch and told them she liked what she heard and the rest is history. She released their first recording 'Come on' on Northern3732.

To prove the story, I presented this picture to former Distant, Arthur Walton. Without any prompting from myself Arthur immediately said 'that's Carter, that's where Johnnie Mae lived'. He then pointed to the window at the bottom right of the building and confirmed that was where they stood all these years ago.

The Northern label was only the first of several labels to hit the streets under Johnnie Mae's ownership and others included Reel, Audrey, Art, Big Hit and JAM.

Issues on Big Hit, JAM and Art became popular on the Northern Soul scene.

I had the pleasure of meeting Johnnie Mae this year at her home. She put on an old tape of her early recordings and provided an impromptu performance. Now in her mid-sixties, this lady still has an amazing voice.

Johnnie Mae is indisputably one of the pioneers of Detroit soul.

The one at Carter is a nice looking house. There are several other houses that are pointed out as homes of Johnnie Mae. I would think that the "house" referred to in the song might have special meaning for whoever wrote the song.

[janebse]

I guess the name "Johnnie Mae" screams out Temptations to me. I never thought of anything but the Temptations, but now that I really look over the words, I see that it really has nothing to do with Johnnie Mae Matthews.

Reminds me of Lord Randal, the old folk ballad. It came over to the American colonies with the settlers and over here it became "Streets of Laredo" and "St. James Infirmary." There may be some other variations which I've forgotten. If you really look at some of the words, you begin to wonder, "What has this to do with the west" or "What has this to do with jazz or a hospital?"

[Peach]

Okay...this is a little crazy, but I'm sitting here listening to the words, and I'm thinking it's figurative. It's kind of a "life left behind"...... this used to be, this being maybe that person. I don't know. I have a feeling it doesn't mean a thing.

I agree with you, Aba...."Can I" is also a great song!

[Aba21]

Folks the ALL BY MYSELF lp released after Eddie left the Temptations featured a lot of great songs. It was his first solo release and was very well recieved. This song here is about after all they had been through he was reminded if how it was at the beginning. He's saying you can still see it but you can't go back there no more. The linear notes were written by each of the Temptations:

Dennis Edwards says:Tall, lean, handsome, rich and more- that's Eddie.He's not easy to understand, it takes a real person, but remember nothing can come of good except good, which I hope says something about this album. From a brother and a friend. Right on Eddie!

David Melvin English AKA Melvin Franklin: The ability to grow is a true gift and I truely truely believe(a little smile) EJK is truely gifted. Grow on young man,keeping your eyes on the stars and God in your heart. Most of all remember that we, the Temptations are in all four of your corners.

Otis Williams: Eddie to me is one of the truest singers in the business-tgoday and tomorrow.Not because he is a Temptation, but because he can stand on his own in a way I'm sure will surprise a lot of people. In the group or solo, singing is what Eddie is all about.

Paul Williams: Eddie is truely amazing to watch perform. On stage, he captures not only the audiences, but the four of us too. He puts so much of himself into what he sings, there's omething really special in everything he does. And with this album he has done something really special.

Track listings:
Let's Go Back To Day One
This Used To Be The Home of Johnnie Mae
I Did It All For You
It's So Hard For Me To Say Goodbye
Something's Burning
Can I
Didn't We

It was released on the Tamla label in 1971 just after the Sky's The Limit album in which he sang his final Temp song, Just My Imagination. Ironically it was relaesed so soon after Sky's the Limit that it affected the sales of both lps. It was produced by Frank Wilson.

[janebse]

Thank you, ABA, for that posting.

"You Can't Go Home Again." Title of a book, but Eddie also said the same sad thing years later when asked if he'd like to be a Temptation again. "You can't go back."

[Aba21]

You're very welcome all of you......there was way too much water under the dam to go back not only for Eddie but for David also. Dennis came and went so many times I was always looking for him to show up again at any moment. And after a while, I didn't really want them to come back. The Temptations had moved on but so had they. Eddie had an outstanding solo career but he was at the tail end of a genre of music on it's way out. He had some hits during the disco era but thatwas not Eddie K. He was a soulful crooner and the songs on his first solo album spoke to the kind of music he wanted to sing.

Some forget that he wanted to do both. Sing with the group and sing solo but that was unheard of for the most part back then.

[Ivory Fair]

Peach, not to worry, I haven't even figured out what the point of this part of the board is either, and *I* created it. But yeah, I think you put it in the right place (not that it matters that much really.)


It came over to the American colonies with the settlers and over here it became "Streets of Laredo"

As I walked out in the streets of Laredo,
As I walked out, in Laredo one day.
I spied a young cowboy all wrapped in white linen,
Wrapped in white linen as cold as the clay.

Y'all SERIOUSLY need to stop me because I can sing the WHOLE song......

I can see by your outfit that you are a cowboy...

[sukkafu]

very interesting thread and great info. thanks to peach, aba, jane, kalisa, ive, irlm, and of course , willy wonka and the chocolate factory. body by fisher, limos provided by beverly hills limo service.all rights reserved. no reproduction allowed without advance written permission by the publisher. all sales are final. the bidding starts at $3.22.

eddie k= a solo super singer, better than most, but better with the tempts. johnnie mae was a saga type of song.

[MikeNYC]

And The Tempts were much better with him ! It's a two way street. Don't forget that....I won't let you.

[KEEKS]

AMEN to that!!! Well said MIKE.. 2-)

[MikeNYC]

Eddie also said another "sad" thing,he said when asked about rejoining the Temptations"As long as the business is the same,I don't ever want to see it again !" That's VERY SAD !