Shuggie Otis, born 1953, is the son of Johnny Otis, a rhythm and blues musician. He started performing in his youth and released his first record in 1970. He not only writes songs, but also plays guitar, piano, organ, and bass. He has recorded with Frank Zappa, Al Kooper, Etta James, and Eddie Vinson, and more recently Mos Def.  The Brothers Johnson's version of his composition &quot;Strawberry Letter 23&quot; reached #1 in the Billboard rhythm and blues chart and #5 in the Billboard pop chart in 1977.  Shuggie's albums include: &quot;Here Comes Shuggie Otis&quot;, &quot;Freedom Flight&quot; and &quot;Inspiration Information&quot;. 

Shuggie Otis est un guitariste, chanteur, compositeur et producteur américain de rhythm and blues, né le 30 novembre 1953 à Los Angeles. Il est le fils de Johnny Otis.      * Al Kooper Introduces Shuggie Otis, CBS, 1969     * Here Comes Shuggie Otis, Epic-CBS, 1970     * Freedom Flight, Epic, 1971     * Inspiration Information, Luaka Bop, 1974 

Shuggie Otis (* 30. November 1953 in Los Angeles, eigentlich Johnny Alexander Veliotes) ist ein amerikanischer Rhythm and Blues-, Rock-, Blues- und Funk-Sänger bzw. -Musiker, Songwriter und Musikproduzent. Der Sohn des teils griechischstämmigen Musikers und Produzenten Johnny Otis spielt Gitarre, Klavier, Orgel und Bassgitarre. Otis wohnt in Sebastopol (Kalifornien). Zu seinen bekanntesten Titeln zählen Sweet Thang und Strawberry Letter 23 aus dem 1971er Album Freedom Flight, das 1977 in der Version der Brothers Johnson ein internationaler Singlehit war...

 Shuggie Otis realmente tenía una visión. Comparado a la tierna edad de 15 años con Hendrix y los grandes Kings de la guitarra blues (B.B, Albert, Freddie), el virtuoso joven creó dos álbumes profundamente curiosos y expansivos, que rompieron todos los esquemas de los géneros musicales: FREEDOM FLIGHT en 1971 e INSPIRATION INFORMATION en 1974. Los discos, elaborados casi en su totalidad por él mismo, asombraron a Sly Stone y le dieron a los Brothers Johnson su canción más exitosa (Strawberry Letter23) Shuggie se adelantó a la síntesis de éstilos de Prince casí una década. 

Intro:

(Am          G             F             G  (X2))

Verse 1:

Am                         Dm        Em  F  G
 Hello, my love, I heard a kiss from you.
Am                            Dm  Em   F  G
 Red magic satin playing near,     too.
Am                                    Dm   Em          F   G
 All through the morning rain, I gaze; the sun doesn't shi-ine.
Am                           Dm         Em   F  G
 Rainbows and waterfalls run through my mind.

Verse 2:

Am                    Dm   Em     F                 G
 In the garden I see, west purple shower, bells and tea.
Am                               Dm         Em    F  G
 Orange birds and river cousins, dressed in green.
Am                     Dm Em        F  G
 Pretty music; I hear; so happy and lo-oud.
Am                       Dm     Em    F  G
 Blue flower echo from a cherry cloud.

Chorus 1:

F
 Feel sunshine, sparkle pink and blue,
                               C                 C7
Playgrounds will laugh, if you try to ask; is it cool? Is it cool?

F
 If you arrive and don't see me,
             D7          Em           Dm
I'm going to be, with my baby... I am free.
       Em                    Dm
Flying in her arms, over the sea.

Verse 2:

Am                                   Dm  Em          F  G
 Stained window yellow candy screen, see speakers of ki-ite.
Am                          Dm      Em     F  G
 With velvet roses, diggin' freedom flight.
Am                   Dm     Em    F      G
 A present from you;  Straw-berry Letter 22.
Am                         Dm    Em  F  G
 The music plays; I sit in for a few.

Bridge 1:

F  Am      Bb     Dm     C7     F
    Ooh... ooh... ooh... ooh... ooh,
F  Am      Bb     Dm     C7     F
    Ooh... ooh... ooh... ooh... ooh.
F  Am      Bb     Dm     C7     F
    Ooh... ooh... ooh... ooh... ooh,
F  Am      Bb     Dm     C7     F
    Ooh... ooh... ooh... ooh... ooh.

Break:

Am  G  F  G (x2)

Outro:

Em  F

(Repeat to Fade)

Strawberry Letter 23

Freedom Flight

LA RE
Jo et duré a casa si fa mal temps
MI FA#m
Jo t’empararé si un cas tens por
SIm MI
Jo te cuidaré si estàs malalta
RE LA
De tot cor, de tot cor
RE REm LA
De tot cor

MI RE DO#m-SIm-LA

FA#m DO#m
Estic a punt d’anar-me’n
RE LA RE
Mes abans de partir et diré
REm LA
Que et duc dins es pensament

FA#m DO#m
No deix de recordar-te
RE LA RE
I alen els teus alens tot calents
REm SIm MI
De lluny i de prop me tens


Jo et duré...

FA#m DO#m
I a dalt de s’escenari
RE LA RE
Quan estic concentrat cantant
REm MI
Jo sempre te tenc present

FA#m DO#m
Perquè m’ets necessari
RE LA
Com s’aire que respir
RE REm SIm MI
Necessit estar amb tu en tot moment


Jo et duré... ( bis )

De tot cor

[intro]
F Am Dm Am A# Dm Gm C

[Verse 1]
             F 
Baby really hurt me
                Am 
crying in the taxi
                Dm
He dont wanna know me
                         Am                     A#     Dm
says you make the big mistake of dancing in my store 
Gm                  C
   Says it was poison
                 F
So I guess I go home 
          Am                     Dm
into the arms of the girl that I love
                Am 
the only love I havent screwed up
A#                  Dm
   She's so hard to please
             Gm      C  
but shes a forest fire
        F               
I do my best to meet her demands
Am
play it romance
         Dm
we slow dance in the living room
    Am                      A#
but all that a stranger would see
        Dm           Gm               C     
is one girl swaying alone stroking her cheek

[Chorus]

      F         Am            Dm 
They say, "you're a little much for me
         Am     A# 
You're a liability
          Dm         Gm    C
You're a little much for me"
               F              Am 
So they pull back make other plans
       Dm 
I understand
     Am     A# 
I'm a liability
        Dm         Gm    
Get you wild, make you leave
       C            Dm            F    A#       
I'm a little much for eh oh-na-na-na everyone

[Verse 2]
            F 
The truth is, I am toy
                Dm
that people enjoy
                Am               A#
till all of the tricks dont work anymore
Dm              Gm       C
And then they are bored of me
             
                    F
I know that its exciting
                     Am
running through the night but
              Dm                Am
every perfect summer's eating me alive
            A#    Dm
unitl youre gone
Gm          C
Better on my own

[Chorus]

      F         Am            Dm 
They say, "you're a little much for me
         Am     A# 
You're a liability
          Dm         Gm    C
You're a little much for me"
               F              Am 
So they pull back make other plans
       Dm 
I understand
     Am     A# 
I'm a liability
        Dm         Gm    
Get you wild, make you leave
       C            Dm            F    A#       
I'm a little much for eh oh-na-na-na everyone

[Outro]
             Dm           F           A#
They're gonna watch me disappear into the sun
                 Dm        F           A#
You're all gonna watch me disappear into the sun

Liability

A                                     E 
Roll into your town and I'm walking around
                                                Fm                        
Got some extra time think I'll throw some money down
                                                     D
And you follow me around, and you're asking for the time

Your asking what I found 
                         A
think I'm gonna rob you blind

maybe it's the tattoo on my arm
        E
that I drew while I was bored waiting tables in new york
Fm                                            D
 a  heart and two flowers intertwined with a vine

Up Here

INTRO:

A |---------------------|
E |--7--7--7----------- -|
C |---------------------|
G |---------------------|

VERSE 1:   

C#m          E       B      A                     C#m   E    B   A 
I’m going away to be alone I’m coming back with answers
C#m           E            B    A            C#m   E   B   A
Don’t try to call my telephone it’s disconnected
C#m           E          B       A               C#m   E   B   A
And I don’t know where I’m going but can you guide me
C#m              E        B        A              C#m   E   B   A
But if I find love where I’m going will it survive me


PRE-CHORUS 1:

C#m            B   A                         C#m         A   B
‘Cause in your own space you’re disconnected and in your own mind you’re not affected
C#m         B   A                           C#m         A   B
And in your own time you’re still attracted but in your own life


CHORUS:

A                                 C#m            B
This heart attack I’ve gotta get away not coming back
A                                 C#m                     B
I want some downtime so call me when you can and I’ll be fine


VERSE 2: [same chords as VERSE1]
I’ve found the time to be alone I don’t know what you’re asking
I’m waiting by the telephone and you’re still barking
My heart stops it isn’t… going could you revive me
I think I’m lost without knowing so come and find me


PRE-CHORUS 2:  [same chords as PRE-CHORUS1]
‘Cause in the same space we’re disconnected and in your own mind you’re not attracted
But in your own life over reacted and in your own time


{CHORUS x2}


Sometimes if we don’t go sometimes you don’t know
You don’t go I don’t go I don’t go you don’t go

C#5  B5  A5                      C#5  A5  B5
            I’ve got your back              but you don’t got mine
C#5  E5  A5                    C#5  A5  B5
            This heart attack              then I’m feeling fine


CHORUS x2

C#m          E       B    A 
I’m going away to be alone
C#m          E       B    A 
I'm going away to be alone ...............

This Heart Attack

Intro:

Bb - F - A

F                 C
I've been feeling lonesome
F                            C
I'm down, don't know what to do
D
I let you lie to me
F
plant seeds inside
            E
to see them grow
                      F
only to leave them to die

  C
I learned my lesson
       E
I won't be forgetting
       F
I won't give my heart out
    A
with-out suspecting

Bb  F
why cry
Dm G
why cry
Bb  F
why cry
    A
for you

F                  C
I've been lost and finding
F                           C
out that I've been such a fool
D           
you thought you'd stick around
F
until the day you found
    E                    F
someone to make me obsolete

  C
I learned my lesson
       E
I won't be forgetting
       F
I won't give my heart out
    A
with-out suspecting

Bb  F
why cry
Dm G
why cry
Bb  F
why cry
Dm F
why cry
    Bb
for you... 


Guitar Solo:

Bb - F - A (2x)

  C     
I learned my lesson
       E
I won't be forgetting
       F
I won't give my heart out
    A
with-out suspecting

Bb  F
why cry
Dm G
why cry
Bb  F
why cry
Dm G
why cry
Bb  F
why cry
Dm G
why cry
Bb  F
why cry
Dm G
why cry
    A
for you

Why Cry

[Verse 1]
 G                              D
You like New York City in the daytime
 Bm                   A
I like New York City in the nighttime
 G                          D
You say you like sleeping with the air off
Bm                  A
I don't, I need it on
G                  D
You like the light coming through the windows
 Bm                      A
I sleep late, so I just keep 'em all closed
G                  D
You ignore the music on the radio
Bm                 A
I don't, I sing-a-long


[Pre-Chorus]
G               D        Bm             A
I don't ask for you to change, baby no no no
    G              D          Bm    A
And you don't ask for me to change


[Chorus]
N.C.                     D
Tell me how we're not alike
       Bm               A
But we work so well and we don't even know why
G              D
Funny how the stars crossed right
       Bm                   A
'Cause we work so well and we don't even know why
 G              D
You can call it fire and ice
    Bm                  A
But we work so well and we don't even know why
G              D
We don't even know why, no no
Bm                          A
We don't even know why, no no no


[Post-Chorus]
N.C.
No no no no
D
We like it in the daytime
Bm                 A
We like it in the end of time
N.C.
No no no no
D
We like it in the daytime
Bm                 A
We like it in the end of time


[Verse 2]
G                        D
Cold outside and you're just in a T-shirt
Bm                   A
I have cold blood even in a sweater
G                         D
You start your night sippin' by the Kilo
Bm                   A
I don't, I know you know


[Pre-Chorus]
G               D        Bm             A
I don't ask for you to change, baby no no no
    G              D          Bm    A
And you don't ask for me to change



[Chorus]
N.C.                     D
Tell me how we're not alike
       Bm               A
But we work so well and we don't even know why
G              D
Funny how the stars crossed right
       Bm                   A
'Cause we work so well and we don't even know why
 G              D
You can call it fire and ice
    Bm                  A
But we work so well and we don't even know why
G              D
We don't even know why, no no
Bm                          A
We don't even know why, no no no


[Post-Chorus]
N.C.
No no no no
D
We like it in the daytime (we don't even know)
Bm                 A
We like it in the end of time (we don't even know)
N.C.
No no no no
D
We like it in the daytime
Bm                   A
(We don't even know, know, know, know, know)




[Bridge]
G                          D
Somehow we end up on the same side
Bm                          A
And you wouldn't think that we'd be alright
G                      D            Bm             A
Even our eyes are different colors, but we see fine
G                         D
Somehow we end up on the same side (up on the same side)
Bm                            A
And you wouldn't think that we'd be alright

(Think that we'd be alright)

G                      D            Bm             A
Even our eyes are different colors, but we see fine


[Chorus]

 N.C.                     D
(Oh)Tell me how we're not alike
       Bm               A
But we work so well and we don't even know why

('Cause we work so well and we don't even know why, why)
G              D
Funny how the stars crossed right
       Bm                  A
'Cause we work so well and we don't even know why

(But we don't even know why)
G                D
You can call it fire and ice
    Bm                  A
But we work so well and we don't even know why

('Cause we work so well and we don't even know why, why)

G              D
We don't even know why, no no
Bm                          A
We don't even know why, no no no


[Post-Chorus]

N.C.
No no no no
D
We like it in the daytime (we don't even know)
Bm                 A
We like it in the end of time (we don't even know)
N.C.
No no no no
D
We like it in the daytime
Bm             A
We like it in the nighttime

F Am Dm C

    F              Am            Bb          C
The skirts go up, before the wall  among the madding crowds, 
    
     F                      Am                    Dm     C
They ruin, Like the rest of ruin, the rest of us ruin
          F                      Am           Bb           C
You are a living doll riding the circle tracks  behind the walls of clocks, 
        F                      Am                   Dm     C
In your ruin, Like the rest of ruin, the rest of us ruin     

 Bb                        F         C
Traffic will slow for the crash years
 Bb                             F         C      Dm     C
There's no other show like it 'round here, as a ru-u-ule
 Bb                        F            C
Windows will roll for the crash years 
        Bb                       F         C      Dm    C
There's no other show like it 'round here, as a ru-u-ule

F Ab F Ab
# (Whistlng part)

F Am Dm C

        F                     Am               Bb            C     
Now the candle's end, you are a light turned low  and like the rest of us,
                 F            Am               Dm     C
You've got those old, eternity blues, eternity blues
      F                              Am         Bb                C
Your fingers raised, you're looking for the word, what you want is accident
            F                 Am                 Dm    C
And not the drag, spectacular view, what you can lose

 Bb                         F         C
Traffic will slow for the crash years
 Bb                            F         C      Dm     C
There's no other show like it 'round here, as a ruuuule
 Bb                         F         C
Windows will close in the crash years 

Bb                          F        C      Dm     C
    Honey child, you're not safe here, as a ru-u-ule

F Ab F Ab
# (whistling part)

Bb 

F Am Dm C

 Bb                        F         C
Traffic will slow for the crash years
 Bb                             F         C      Dm     C
There's no other show like it 'round here, as a ru-u-ule
 Bb                        F            C
Windows will roll for the crash years 
        Bb                       F         C      Dm    C
There's no other show like it 'round here, as a ru-u-ule

F Ab F Ab
# (Whistling part)

        F                   Am            Dm                  C
And the ruins the wild, the ruins the wild, tonight will be an open mic.

# (Repeat six times and end on an F)

Crash Years

Intro  D     Bm7   G     A     x2


Verse 1
    D                              Bm7
We never spoke a word, but every thought she had 
                         G     A Asus A
I heard from across the room 
             D                               Bm7
If we were standin' face to face I couldn't find the words 
               G               A Asus A
To say give me one more move 
        G              A             G                   A
I don't even know her name, I guess foolish pride's to blame


Chorus 
          D                        D7
Now, I'm fallin' in love as she's walkin' away
        Bm7                 F#              G                    A
And my heart won't tell my mind to tell my mouth what it should say
 D                                  D7
May have lost this battle, live to fight another day
        Bm7 A   G                              Gm
Now I'm fallin' in love as she's walkin' away


Interlude   D     Bm7   G     A     x2


Verse 2
          D                           Bm7
Wise man next to me did say 'bout the one that got away
        G                    A
Son, I missed my chance 
           D                            Bm7
Don't you let regret take place of the dreams you have to chase
     G               A
Ask her to dance, go on, son
           G                 A              G                  A
You might fall down on your face, roll the dice and have some faith


Chorus
          D                        D7
Don't be fallin' in love as she's walkin' away
           Bm7                   F#                G                    A
When your heart won't tell your mind to tell your mouth what it should say
 D                                  D7
May have lost this battle, live to fight another day
         Bm7 A   G                               Gm
Don't be fallin' in love as she's walkin' away 


Solo   D    Bm7  Bm  F#  G   A  D    D7    Bm  F# |A   D 


           G                 A              G                  A
You might fall down on your face, roll the dice and have some faith
 
          D                        D7
Don't be fallin' in love as she's walkin' away
           Bm7                   F#                G                    A
When your heart won't tell your mind to tell your mouth what it should say
 D                                  D7
May have lost this battle, live to fight another day
         Bm7 A    Bm7 A       Bm7 A       G                      G   
Don't be fallin', fallin' in, fallin' in love as she's walkin' away


Outro  (G)   Gm  Bm7  E G  Gm  D

As She's Walking Away

Am                              E
There are children standing here,
                              G
Arms outstretched into the sky,
                          D
Tears drying on their face.
              Am
He has been here.
                          E
Brothers lie in shallow graves.
                           G
Fathers lost without a trace.
                           D
A nation blind to their disgrace,
                        Am
Since he's been here.
                    E
And I see no bravery,
 G                  D
No bravery in your eyes anymore.

Only sadness.

(Continue the same chord progression)

Houses burnt beyond repair.
The smell of death is in the air.
A woman weeping in despair says,
He has been here.
Tracer lighting up the sky.
It's another families' turn to die.
A child afraid to even cry out says,
He has been here.

And I see no bravery,
No bravery in your eyes anymore.
Only sadness.

There are children standing here,
Arms outstretched into the sky,
But no one asks the question why,
He has been here.
Old men kneel to accept their fate.
Wives and daughters cut and raped.
A generation drenched in hate.
Says, he has been here.

And I see no bravery,
No bravery in your eyes anymore.
Only sadness.

No Bravery

Intro:  D A E A D
        D A E A D  E

      A
I was goin? where I shouldn?t go
D
Seein? who I shouldn?t see
E
Doin? what I shouldn?t do
    A
And bein? who I shouldn?t be


A little voice told me it?s all wrong
        D
Another voice told me it?s alright
  E
I used to think I was strong
    A
But lately I just lost the fight

Chorus:
D         A       E          A
Funny how fallin? feels like flyin?
D          
 For a little while
D         A       E          A
Funny how fallin? feels like flyin?
D                    E
 For a little while

      A
I got tired of bein? good
        D
Started missing that old feeling free
     E
Stop actin? like I thought I should
    A
And went on back to bein? me

  
I never meant to hurt no one
  D
I just had to have my way
           E
If there's such a thing as too much fun
A
This must be the price you pay

Chorus:
D         A       E          A
Funny how fallin? feels like flyin?
D          
 For a little while
D         A       E          A
Funny how fallin? feels like flyin?
D
 For a little while
E                 A                D
 You never see it comin? till it?s gone
E                     A           D
 It all happens for a reason even when it?s wrong
  E
Especially when it?s wrong


Solo: A D E A x2


Chorus:
D         A       E          A
Funny how fallin? feels like flyin?
D          
 For a little while
D         A       E          A
Funny how fallin? feels like flyin?
D                    E
 For a little while

      A
I was goin? where I shouldn?t go
D
Seein? who I shouldn?t see
E
Doin? what I shouldn?t do
    A
And bein? who I shouldn?t be

Freedom Flight

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