THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

416-Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson-I Need It.

1975-Number 36 single.

Best Bit-At 2.25. He wasn’t christened ‘Guitar,’ but he should have been.

Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson was born John Watson Jr. on February 3rd, 1935, in Houston, Texas, United States, he died on May 17th, 1996. from a heart attack, collapsing on stage while on tour in Yokohama, Japan, at the age of 61. At the age of 15 Watson moved with his mother to Los Angeles, California, after his parents divorced. It was there that he first entered talent contests, which led to him performing with local Blues bands, as a pianist, guitarist and vocalist. He recorded his first songs in 1952 as ‘Young John Watson,’ but he changed to Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson after watching the 1954 American Western film ‘Johnny Guitar’ starring Joan Crawford (190?-1977.) Over the years Watson developed a flamboyant stage act, appearing confident with a humorous personality, and he would often wear outrageous flashy clothing when performing. Over the course of his career Watson toured and recorded with artists as diverse as Little Richard, (1932-2020) (see also best songs 521) Frank Zappa, (1940-1993) Herb Alpert, (see also best songs 815) and many more. His recording output altered with the decades changing music tastes, as he moved from the ‘Blues’ in the 1950’s, to ‘Soul’ in the 1960’s, through to the 1970’s when he turned to ‘Funk.’

Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson is one of the most influential guitarists of all time. The American musician Frank Zappa said that ‘Watson’s 1956 song ‘Three Hours Past Midnight’ inspired me to become a guitarist.’ Watson would go on to contribute to four of Frank Zappa’s studio Albums during the 1970’s, and 1980’s. The American musician Steve Miller covered Watson’s 1957 song ‘Gangster of Love’ in 1968, he also made reference to it in his 1969 song ‘Space Cowboy,’ as well as in his 1973 hit ‘The Joker’ (see also best songs 715.) The American Blues Rock guitarist Jimmie Vaughan has said, ‘When my brother Stevie and I were growing up in Dallas, we idolised very few guitarists. We were highly selective and highly critical. Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson was at the top of the list, along with Freddie, Albert and B. B. King.’ Johnny Guitar Watson was a major influence on a young Jimi Hendrix, (1942-1970) (see also best songs 983 and 492) Watson once said, ‘I used to play the guitar standing on my hands, I had a 150 foot cord and I could get on top of the auditorium, those things Jimi Hendrix was doing, I started that sh#t.’ In a 1994 interview Watson was asked if his 1980 song ‘Telephone Bill’ anticipated ‘Rap’ Music, to which Watson replied, ‘I damn well invented it.’

It was Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson’s 1954 instrumental track ‘Space Guitar,’ that was ground breaking, although it went generally unnoticed at the time of it’s release, retrospectively it has become one of the most important compositions of it’s era. ‘Space Guitar’ was Watson’s first recording to showcase his guitar playing. The backing arrangement for the piece is fairly typical for ‘R&B’ and ‘Jump Blues’ at the time, however, Watson’s groundbreaking performance on the electric guitar sets it apart. ‘Space Guitar’ has been described as being well ahead of its time, with Watson’s over-the-top guitar playing and the heavy use of audio effects. Remember this was 1954, I can only imagine what someone sitting down to listen to it for the first time must have thought. According to Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson, it was a remark by the unnamed recording engineer on the track that inspired the title for ‘Space Guitar,’ ‘I don’t know what you’re trying to do, man, but Jesus, man, what is it? Are you some kind of spaceman?’

The discography of Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson includes at least 27 Albums released between 1963-2004, and at least 53 singles released between 1952-1995. He has never charted within the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, although ‘A Real Mother for Ya,’ from 1977 made Number 41, while 11 of his singles have made the Billboard ‘Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs’ top 40, with ‘A Real Mother for Ya,’ peaking the highest at Number 5. In the UK, Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson’s only top 40 entry is ‘I Need It,’ which made Number 35, but failed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100.

‘I Need It’ was the first of three singles released from Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson’s 1975 Album ‘Ain’t That a Bitch,’ the song was written and produced by Watson. ‘Ain’t That a Bitch,’ was Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson’s first successful ‘Funk’ Album, and has sold in excess of 500,000 copies. In 1998 the British music magazine ‘The Wire’ included ‘Ain’t That a Bitch’ in their list of ‘100 Records That Set the World on Fire (While No One Was Listening.’)

‘You’ve got a thang for me, even the blind could see. Something you got, you can’t beat it, no, well, girl I need it.’