Kevin Stephen Johnson (born 3 July 1942) is an Australian singer-songwriter. Popular in the 1970s, his biggest hit is "Rock and Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of My Life)", which peaked at No. 4 on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart in 1973 (as well as reaching the UK Top 40). He also had a top 20 hit with "Bonnie Please Don't Go" (aka "She's Leavin'") in 1971. "Rock and Roll" is one of the most covered songs written by an Australian with 27 different artists recording the song in 1975 alone. Covers of "Rock and Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of My Life)" came from fellow Australians, Col Joye and Dig Richards, and from international artists, Mac Davis, Terry Jacks, Gary Glitter, Joe Dassin (in French), The Cats and Tom Jones. Davis' rendition became the highest charting version on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching No. 15 in 1975.
Kevin Johnson | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Kevin Stephen Johnson |
| Born | 3 July 1942 Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia |
| Genres | Rock, folk, country |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, rhythm guitar |
| Years active | 1960–2016 |
| Labels | Sweet Peach, Good Thyme, Festival/Infinity, J&B |
| Website | rocknrolligaveyou |
Early life
editKevin Stephen Johnson was born on and grew up in Tungamull, which is between the Capricorn Coast and Rockhampton, Queensland.[1][2][3] He is the only son of Richard Johnson (timber contractor) and Elinor Johnson (post office, telephone exchange operator).[2] Elinor was also a violinist and gave Johnson lessons but he showed little interest.[2] He bought a guitar in his late teens and began his music career by singing in local beer gardens, then joining the Candymen on lead vocals and rhythm guitar.[2][3] From the early 1960s he worked for the Queensland Department of Roads as a clerk; playing and singing at night and writing songs in his spare time.[2][3] Some of his songs came to the notice of rock and roll artist, Col Joye, who signed Johnson to his publishing company.[3] In September 1966 Col Joye and the Joy Boys had a hit with "Mary Anne", which had been written by Johnson.[3][4]
Career
edit1967-1971: Career beginnings
editIn 1967 Johnson relocated to Sydney and recorded his first single, "Hayman Island" on Joye's ATA label in January.[4][5] He followed with "Woman You Took My Life" in April 1968 but neither single had any chart success.[3][4][5] Aside from his music career Johnson also worked for the Registrar-General's Department of New South Wales.[6] "Woman You Took My Life" was later recorded by Tom Jones, and by Vince Hill.[3] In 1969 Johnson signed with independent label, Sweet Peach.[4][5] His debut album, In the Quiet Corners of My Mind, was released in that year.[4] It was recorded at the Adelaide Studios of Gamba with Jimmy Stewart as producer and Lewandowski as engineer.[7] In February 1971 he issued his first hit single, "Bonnie Please Don't Go" aka "She's Leavin'", which peaked at No. 12 in Melbourne,[8] No. 2 in Sydney,[5] and No. 15 on the Go-Set National Top 60.[9] It remained on the Go-Set charts for a total of 25 weeks; it was listed at No. 22 on their end of year chart; and No. 7 for Top Australian Singles of the year.[9]
In 1971, Johnson won the Male Vocalist Single Award for his self-composed single, "Bonnie Please Don't Go".[10]
1972-1990: "Rock and Roll" and career peak
editKevin Johnson changed labels to the United States-based Tree International, owners of Dial Records, and for two years he wrote songs for other artists while vainly attempting to record his own material.[3][5] He later recalled "Because I'd signed with an American company I couldn't record here ... two years writing and bashing my head against a brick wall".[11] In September 1973 he issued "Rock and Roll I Gave You the Best Years of My Life".[5] It peaked at No. 10 in Melbourne,[8] and at No. 4 on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart.[5][12]
The lyrics describe a musician recalling his childhood dream of being a star and follows his life through his musical work, with some close breaks until he is faced with the ultimate realisation that he is not destined to become a star.[3] It ends on an upbeat note from the would-be celebrity proclaiming "I thank the lord for giving me the little that I knew".[11] Johnson based the early verses on his own life and the later verses "on others I've known. I always draw on things I know, things around me, on everyday life for my songs".[3] He told Australasian Performing Right Association representative, Debbie Kruger, in March 2002, that he had written it in two days:[1][11]
It was a quick song for me because I've spent months on one line. It just came to me one day as I was driving home, feeling all this frustration of two years without making a record. So I decided to write a song not about giving someone the best years of my life, but to write about the pursuit of success, which I thought related to a lot of people around the world, not just in music but anything".
— Kevin Johnson, March 2002.[11]
He had become dissatisfied with his US record label, Dial Records, in Nashville, Tennessee and told them he was about to leave.[13] However he was informed that other artists had already recorded his song, so he quickly recorded and released his own version on the Australian-based Good Thyme label through Festival.[13] Kruger noted that "[the song] reflected his frustration with his own stagnation, and the futile attempts of Australian artists trying to break into America or England".[14] In the US Johnson's single was issued on Mainstream Records,[15] it went to No. 73 on the Billboard singles chart in 1973. It was picked up by producer Jonathan King and released in the United Kingdom on his UK Records label in 1974 when it reached No. 23 on the UK Singles Chart the following year.[13][15] The song reached number 8 in the Irish charts on its original release in 1974, returning to number 18 under the UK Records release in January 1975.
At the 1974 Australian Radio Record Awards, "Rock And Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of My Life)," won the Male Vocalist Single award and his self-produced album under the same name was awarded the Male Vocalist Album.[10]
According to rock music historian, Ian McFarlane, it is one of the most covered songs written by an Australian with 27 different artists recording it in 1975 alone.[5] Covers include fellow Australians, Col Joye and Digby Richards, and international artists, Mac Davis, Terry Jacks, Gary Glitter, Joe Dassin (in French), The Cats and Tom Jones. Some cover artists, including Davis, leave out the lyric "... I'd never be a star" for a happier ending.[5] Johnson believes "There were a few people who wouldn't sing [that line] because in their minds they were big stars".[11] Others, like Glitter, leave out the upbeat ending in the Johnson version for a more sombre ending. Jacks' version went to No. 97 in the US in 1974[16] – it reached No. 22 in Canada – and Davis' rendition became the highest US charting version, reaching No. 15 in 1975.[17]
In February 1974 Kevin Johnson issued his second solo album, Rock and Roll I Gave You the Best Years of My Life, on the Good Thyme label. In the next year he supported an Australian tour by Roberta Flack.[5] He released a succession of singles on the label and followed in August 1976 with a third album, Man of the 20th Century. For that album he used session musicians including Russell Dunlop on drums; Wayne Findlay on keyboards; Jim Kelly, Kirk Lorange, Mark Punch, and Rory O'Donoghue on guitars; and Tim Partridge on bass guitar.[5][18] Later that year he toured Europe and appeared on a TV special broadcast into France, Italy, Germany and Switzerland.[5] His single, "Grab the Money and Run", appeared on the Irish charts.[5]
Johnson toured Europe again in 1977. He also signed with Festival Records' offshoot Infinity to issue further singles and an album, Journeys, which was released in 1978.[5] Additional albums followed including Best of Kevin Johnson (a compilation album, 1979), Night Rider (1981), Spirit of the Times (1985), Now and Then (compilation, 1992) and The Sun will Shine Again (September 1996).[5]
In 1996 Johnson re-wrote "Rock 'N' Roll" for the Australian Football League (AFL) as their official Centenary Song, retitled "Aussie Rules I Thank You for the Best Years of Our Lives".[1][11] It was used as an introductory theme before AFL games during that season.[2][5] During the late 1990s it was used as the closing theme for Foster's Aussie Rules, a US highlights show.
2000s: JAM
editKevin Johnson formed a trio, JAM (initialism for Johnson Ashdown McClellan) with Doug Ashdown ("Winter in America" aka "Leave Love Enough Alone") and Mike McClellan ("Song and Dance Man").[14] They toured Australia through the 2000s.[19][2]
Personal life
editIn 1967 Kevin Johnson married Jill and by April 1975 the couple had two children.[3]
Discography
editStudio albums
edit| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| AUS [20] | ||
| In the Quiet Corners of My Mind |
|
- |
| Rock and Roll I Gave You the Best Years of My Life |
|
21 |
| A Man of the 20th Century |
|
35 |
| Journeys |
|
92 |
| Night Rider |
|
72 |
| In the Spirit of the Times |
|
– |
| In the Spirit of the Times |
|
– |
| The Sun Will Shine Again |
|
– |
| Songs from a Troubled World |
|
– |
| The Devil Found Work |
|
– |
Australian Compilation albums
edit| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| AUS [20] | ||
| The Best of Kevin Johnson |
|
100 |
| A Hard Act to Follow (with Paul O'Gorman) |
|
– |
| Now and Then |
|
– |
| The Ultimate Collection |
|
– |
| The Classics |
|
– |
Singles
edit| Title | Year | Chart peak positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUS [20][9][12] |
GER | UK [15] | |||
| "Hayman Island" | 1967 | - | - | - | non album singles |
| "Woman You Took My Life" | 1968 | - | - | - | |
| "It Was Good While It Lasted" | 1970 | - | - | - | In the Quiet Corners of My Mind |
| "Bonnie Please Don't Go (She's Leaving)" | 1971 | 15 | - | - | Rock & Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of My Life) |
| "All Our Favourite Songs" | 96 | - | - | non album single | |
| "Rock 'N' Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of My Life)" | 1973 | 4 | 47 | 23 | Rock & Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of My Life) |
| "Kedron Brook" | 1974 | 92 | - | - | |
| "Man of the 20th Century" | 1975 | - | - | - | A Man of the 20th Century |
| "Someday Sam" | - | - | - | ||
| "Over the Hills and Far Away" | 1976 | 60 | - | - | |
| "Grab the Money and Run" | - | - | - | ||
| "All I Ever Needed" | 1977 | - | - | - | |
| "Next Plane to New Mexico" | 1979 | - | - | - | Journeys |
| "Paraguayan Sunset" | - | - | - | ||
| "Shaney Boy" | - | - | - | The Best of Kevin Johnson | |
| "He Was Just a Boy" | 1980 | - | - | - | Night Rider |
| "Night Rider" | 1981 | - | - | - | |
| "Reasons" | 1982 | 98 | - | - | |
| "Hard Act to Follow" | 1984 | - | - | - | In The Spirit of the Times |
| "Night Comes" | 1985 | - | - | - | |
Awards
editAustralian Radio Records Awards
edit| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974[22] | Rock 'N' Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of My Life) | Album | Won |
| "Rock 'N' Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of My Life)" | Single | Won |
References
edit- ^ a b c ""Rock and Roll I Gave You the Best Years of My Life" at APRA search engine". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 1 April 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Biography". Kevin Johnson Official Website. Archived from the original on 7 September 2012. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Kusko, Julie (9 April 1975). "High Hopes for Songsmith Kevin". The Australian Women's Weekly. National Library of Australia. p. 57. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
- ^ a b c d e Kevin Johnson-related releases:
- ATA Records label: Singles August 1966 "Moonlight Will Come" by Sandy Scott (written by Johnson); September 1966 "Mary Anne" by Col Joye (written by Johnson); January 1967 "Hayman Island" and April 1968 "Woman You Took My Love" performed and written by Johnson: – Kimball, Duncan (2002). "Record Labels – ATA Records". Milesago: Australasian Music and Popular Culture 1964–1975. Ice Productions. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
- Sweet Peach Records label: Singles 1969 "It Was Good While It Lasted", 1970? "In the Quiet Corners of My Mind", 1971 "Bonnie, Please Don't Go", "All Our Favourite Songs". Albums 1969 In the Quiet Corners of My Mind: – Kimball, Duncan; Stevens, Bill; McHenry, Paul (2002). "Record Labels – Sweet Peach". Milesago: Australasian Music and Popular Culture 1964–1975. Ice Productions. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p McFarlane, Ian (1999). "Encyclopedia entry for 'Kevin Johnson'". Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop. Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86448-768-2. Archived from the original on 6 August 2004. Retrieved 1 April 2009.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ Yates, Allan (19 October 1981). "The best years have been good years". The Canberra Times. National Library of Australia. p. 3. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
- ^ Information for debut album:
- In the Quiet Corners of My Mind Johnson, Kevin; Stewart, Jimmy; Sweet Peach (Firm); Gamba (Firm) (1970), In the Quiet Corners of My Mind, Sweet Peach. National Library of Australia, retrieved 1 May 2014,
Credits: Produced by Jimmy Stewart. Notes: Words and music by Kevin Johnson. Produced at the Adelaide Studios of Gamba. Lyrics for "In the quiet corners of my mind" on cover. Photography by Denis Whitburn, Bob Davis. Art direction by Denis Whitburn
. - "In the Quiet Corners of My Mind": Johnson, Kevin; Sweet Peach (Firm) (1970), "In the Quiet Corners of My Mind" /"Melody Brown", Sweet Peach. National Library of Australia, retrieved 1 May 2014,
Notes: Musical direction : Phil Cunneen. Produced by Jimmy Stewart. Engineered by Lewandowski
.
- In the Quiet Corners of My Mind Johnson, Kevin; Stewart, Jimmy; Sweet Peach (Firm); Gamba (Firm) (1970), In the Quiet Corners of My Mind, Sweet Peach. National Library of Australia, retrieved 1 May 2014,
- ^ a b Guest, Thomas J. (1991). Thirty Years Of Hits (1960–1990). Collingwood, Melbourne, Australia: M. J. Moloney. ISBN 0-646-04633-0.
- ^ a b c
- Go-Set charts for 21 August 1971: Nimmervoll, Ed (21 August 1971). "National Top 60". Go-Set. Waverley Press. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
- Go-Set Australian charts – Top Records for the Year of 1971: Nimmervoll, Ed (21 August 1971). "Top Records for the Year of 1971: Top Singles for 1971". Go-Set. Waverley Press. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
- ^ a b "Cash Box" (PDF). Cash Box. 1 April 1975. p. 19. Retrieved 12 November 2021 – via World Radio History.
- ^ a b c d e f Kruger, Debbie (March 2002). "They Wrote the Songs: Songwriters Discuss the Stories and Inspirations Behind Their Most Famous Songs" (PDF). APRAP. Australasian Performing Right Association: 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 August 2002. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
- ^ a b Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book Ltd. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. Note: Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting from 1974 until Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) created their own charts in mid-1988. In 1992, Kent back calculated chart positions for 1970–1974.
- ^ a b c "Kevin Johnson – 'Rock and Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of My Life)'". Where Did They Get that Song?. PopArchives.com.au (Lyn Nuttall). Retrieved 1 May 2014.
- ^ a b Kruger, Debbie (14 February 2002). "The Long Run". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 22 September 2007.
- ^ a b c "Kevin Johnson | Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
- ^ "Terry Jacks | Awards". Allmusic. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
- ^ "Mac Davis | Awards". Allmusic. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
- ^ a b "Kirk Lorange". Passagen.se. Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 28 September 2012. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
- ^ Spencer, Chris (2004). Ed Nimmervoll (ed.). "Come Back Again..." HowlSpace. Archived from the original on 6 February 2012. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
- ^ a b c Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 160. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "Kevin Johnson 'The Classics' Gets A Vinyl Release Date". noise11. 24 March 2022. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
- ^ "Cash Box Magazine" (PDF). Cash Box. 14 December 1974. p. 32. Retrieved 15 November 2021 – via World Radio History.