Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post provides information about Blues musician, singer, composer Elmore James and showcases a sound file of Elmore James performing his composition "The Sky Is Crying". Information about that song along with its lyrics are also featured in this post.
In addition, this pancocojams post provides information about Blues, Jazz, Gospel singer Etta James (no relations to Elmore James) and also showcases a sound file of Etta James singing "The Sky Is Crying".
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Elmore James for his musical legacy. Thanks also to Etta James for her musical legacy. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these sound files on YouTube.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT ELMORE JAMES
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elmore_James
"Elmore James (January 27, 1918 – May 24, 1963) was an American blues guitarist, singer, songwriter and bandleader.[1] He was known as "King of the Slide Guitar" and was noted for his use of loud amplification and his stirring voice.
James was born Elmore Brooks in Richland, Holmes County, Mississippi, the illegitimate son of 15-year-old Leola Brooks, a field hand. His father was probably Joe Willie "Frost" James, who moved in with Leola, and Elmore took his surname. He began making music at the age of 12, using a simple one-string instrument (diddley bow, or jitterbug) strung on a shack wall. As a teen he performed at dances under the names Cleanhead and Joe Willie James....
James was strongly influenced by Robert Johnson, Kokomo Arnold and Tampa Red. He recorded several of Tampa Red's songs. He also inherited from Tampa Red's band two musicians who joined his own backing band, the Broomdusters, "Little" Johnny Jones (piano) and Odie Payne (drums). There is a dispute about whether Johnson or James wrote James's signature song, "Dust My Broom".[2]
During World War II, James joined the United States Navy, was promoted to coxswain and took part in the invasion of Guam. Upon his discharge, he returned to central Mississippi and settled in the town of Canton with his adopted brother Robert Holston. Working in Holston's electrical shop, he devised his unique electric sound, using parts from the shop and an unusual placement of two DeArmond pickups.[2] Around this time James learned that he had a serious heart condition.
He began recording with Trumpet Records in nearby Jackson in January 1951, first as a sideman for Sonny Boy Williamson II and for their mutual friend Willie Love and possibly others. He made his debut as a session leader in August with "Dust My Broom", which was a surprise R&B hit in 1952.[1] His backing musicians became known as the Broomdusters.[1]
[...]
In 1959, he began recording for Bobby Robinson's Fire Records, which released "The Sky Is Crying", "My Bleeding Heart", "Stranger Blues", "Look on Yonder Wall", "Done Somebody Wrong", and "Shake Your Moneymaker", among others.[1]"...
****
SHOWCASE SOUND FILE : Elmore James - The Sky Is Crying
MyMoppet52, Published on Sep 10, 2014
One of our greatest blues artists and composers, and most of us don't even know his name. Listen to the original "The Sky Is Crying" from the composer. (Elmore James wrote the song). He passed away tragically when he was on the verge of the 60's blues revival. Rock and blues owe him a great debt. Elmore James, King of the Slide Guitar: January 27, 1918 - May 24, 1963. He is missed.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SONG "THE SKY IS CYRING"
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sky_Is_Crying_(song)
"The Sky Is Crying" is a song that has become a blues standard.[2] It was written and recorded by Elmore James[1] in 1959. Called "one of his most durable compositions",[3] "The Sky Is Crying" became a R&B record chart hit and has been interpreted and recorded by numerous artists.[2]
Original song
"The Sky Is Crying" is a slow-tempo twelve-bar blues notated in 12/8 time in the key of C.[4] An impromptu song inspired by a Chicago downpour during the recording session, it features James' slide guitar work and vocals.[3] Accompanying James is his longtime backing band, the Broomdusters: J. T. Brown on saxophone, Johnny Jones on piano, Odie Payne on drums, and Homesick James on bass. James' unique slide guitar sound on the recording has generated some debate; Homesick James attributed it to a recording studio technique, others have suggested a different amplifier or guitar setup, and Ry Cooder felt that it was an altogether different guitar than James' usual Kay acoustic with an attached pickup.[5]
The song, listed as "Elmo James and His Broomdusters", reached number 15 on Billboard magazine's Hot R&B Sides chart in 1960,[6] making it James' last chart showing before his death in 1963. James recorded a variation of the song, "The Sun Is Shining", in April 1960,[7] five months after the recording date of "The Sky Is Crying" (although some places "Sun" as a precursor to "Sky",[8] possibly because the bulk of James' recordings for Fire/Fury/Enjoy took place after the Chess recordings)."...
****
LYRICS: THE SKY IS CRYING
(Elmore James)
The sky is crying, look at the tears roll down the street
The sky is crying, look at the tears roll down the street
I'm waiting in tears looking for my baby, and I wonder where can she be?
I saw my baby one morning, and she was walking on down the street
I saw my baby one morning, yes she walking on down the street
Made me feel so good until my poor heart would skip a beat
I got a bad feeling, my baby, my baby don't love me no more
I got a bad feeling, my baby don't love me no more
Now the sky's been crying, the tears rolling down my door
Source: https://genius.com/Elmore-james-the-sky-is-crying-lyrics
****
INFORMATION ABOUT ETTA JAMES
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etta_James
"Etta James (born Jamesetta Hawkins; January 25, 1938 – January 20, 2012) was an American singer who performed in various genres, including blues, R&B, soul, rock and roll, jazz and gospel. Starting her career in 1954, she gained fame with hits such as "The Wallflower", "At Last", "Tell Mama", "Something's Got a Hold on Me", and "I'd Rather Go Blind". [1] She faced a number of personal problems, including heroin addiction, severe physical abuse, and incarceration, before making a musical comeback in the late 1980s with the album Seven Year Itch.[2]
James' powerful, earthy voice bridged the gap between rhythm and blues and rock and roll. She won six Grammy Awards and 17 Blues Music Awards. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, the Blues Hall of Fame in 2001, and the Grammy Hall of Fame in both 1999 and 2008.[3] Rolling Stone magazine ranked James number 22 on its list of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time and number 62 on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists.[4][5]"
****
SHOWCASE SOUND FILE: Etta James - Blues To The Bone - The Sky Is Crying
Caela Harlot, Uploaded on Oct 29, 2010
Beautiful song by the lovely Etta James (1938 - 2012). Her death is a great loss to the world, hope she's content where ever she is and that people continue to learn from her and become pioneers of blues and jazz (amongst many other genres).
****
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Visitor comments are welcome.
Showing posts with label Etta James. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Etta James. Show all posts
Thursday, May 4, 2017
Friday, November 7, 2014
What "Sugar On The Floor" Means (The American Folk Cultural Meaning & The Kiki Dee composition)
Edited by Azizi Powell
Latest Update: Feb. 22, 2020
This post provides information about the American folk meaning of the phrase "sugar on the floor" and the meaning of that term in the Kee LKee Dee's song "Sugar On The Floor" that was recorded by Elton John, Etta Cox, and others.
The content of this post is presented for folkloric, cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those composers and performers who are noted in this post. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post, and thanks to the publishers of the video and the sound file that are featured in this post.
****
AMERICAN FOLK MEANING OF THE PHRASE "SUGAR ON THE FLOOR"
The folk meaning of "sugar on the floor" is "sprinkling sugar on the floor to enhance social dancing".
"At house parties they used to shake sugar on the floor so it would crunch when stepped on, hence “to shake sugaree” meant to have a good time dancing. Even today, there’s a dance step called the “sugar step” which is an action like grinding sugar on the floor." http://rickmckeon.com/guitarlessons/shakel.pdf “Shake Sugaree”
-snip-
One suggested meaning of the Elizabeth Cotton song "Shake Sugaree". is that it refers to sugar being sprinkled on the floor for dancing. Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/02/eiizabeth-cotton-shake-sugaree-sound.html for a pancocojams post on "Shake Sugaree".
Also, click this link for my new playground rhymes blog cocojams2 to read a version of the playground rhyme "Here We Go Round The Mountain" that is prefaced by the saying "Sugar's on the floor!!": http://cocojams2.blogspot.com/2014/11/african-american-singing-games-movement.html
****
THE SONG "SUGAR ON THE FLOOR" BY JEAN RITCHIE
The song "Sugar On The Floor" was recorded by Jean Ritchie in the 1950s region. "Jean Ritchie (born December 8, 1922) is an American folk music singer, songwriter, and Appalachian dulcimer player." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Ritchie.
If I'm not mistaken, "Sugar On The Floor" is featured in Jean Ritchie's 1956 album Children's Songs & Games from the Southern Mountains (1956). Here's a review of a CD of that album:
http://www.music-tree.com/ritchiedisco.html "Childhood Songs"/Jean Ritchie
"Previously available on cassette only, this collection of songs from Jean’s childhood, and songs she sang to her children is now available on CD. The booklet contains directions for the singing CD".
****
LYRICS: SUGAR OF THE FLOOR
(Jean Ritchie)
"(A) Sugar on the floor (D) sugar on the floor
Eat that up and (A) call for more
Dance my shoes right (D)off-a my feet
With (A)you, my little (E7)sugar on the (A)floor (A,D,E7,A)
verse
Now (A)shake that little foot, sweet Sally Ann
With a hey ho, (E7)sugar on the (A)floor
If (F#m)she can't shake it (E)nobody (D)can
O (E7) watch that sugar on the floor
Do si do and shy all around her,
Hey, ho, sugar on the floor.
Eat that sugar-pie til you founder,
Watch that sugar on the floor.
chorus
Faster, girls, you not a-goin'fast enough,
hey, ho, sugar on the floor;
Slow down boys you a-gettin too rough
Now watch that sugar on the floor.
chorus
Jeremiah Johnson, let me have your daughter,
hey, ho, sugar on the floor;
Bake my bread and carry water and
Throw a little sugar on my floor.
chorus
O swing 'er and hug'er and stand'er in the corner,
Hey, ho, sugar on the floor.
Hain't she a purty thing, 'pon my honor!
Sweetest little sugar on the floor.
chorus
Gimme little sugar and gimme little sweetnin',
Hey, ho, sugar on the floor.
Clap your hands and stamp your feet 'n'
Watch that sugar on the floor.
chorus
1964, 1971 Geordie Music Publishing, all rights reserved."
Source: http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=33509 "Lyr Add: Sugar On The Floor by Jean Ritchie", posted by harpgirl. 22 Apr 01 - 03:10 PM.
This is the only post on that discussion thread.
-snip-
"Sugar On The Floor" is probably Ritchie's version of a Kentucky Mountain folk song. If so, it's somewhat curious that there doesn't appear to be any other lyric versions of that song online. And unfortunately, I've not been able to find the Jean Ritchie song "Sugar On The Floor" on YouTube.
****
In various verses of Jean Ritchie's song, "sugar" can also be interpreted as an affectionate referent for a female.
In American English "sugar" can be a referent for a female or a male. Also, among African Americans, the nickname "Shug" -from the word "sugar"- is a uncommon, but still heard, nickname for a male or a female. [i.e. "Shug Avery", a woman in Alice Walker's novel The Color Purple and "Shug Knight" is an African American male Hip-Hop music entrepreneur.
****
In Jean Ritchie's song "sugar" also refers to a pastry: "Eat that sugar-pie til you founder".
The word "sugar" in Jean Ritchie's song is also used to mean "give me a hug and/or a kiss": "Gimme little sugar and gimme little sweetnin'". ("Give me some sugar" is a relatively common American way of saying "Give me a hug and/or a kiss".)
****
An American traditional folk music singing group which is named after that Jean Ritchie song gives this meaning of that song title and lyric:
"From http://www.sugaronthefloor.com/ ":
"The name of our group is the title of an rollicking old time song about making rough floors more danceable by throwing sugar on them so folks could slide around easily. The song combines snatches of two old dance tunes "The Eighth of January" and "Pigtown Fling."
-snip-
*The reference to "Sugar On The Floor" being a combination of two old dance tunes refers to the music of those fiddle tunes and not any lyrics those tunes might have. Instrumental videos of "The Eighth of January" (also known as "The Battle Of New Orleans) aand "Pigtown Fling" are available on YouTube.
****
"SUGAR ON THE FLOOR" - POP ROCK/BLUES SONG
Judging from the number of Google search hits, the most widely known example and meaning of the phrase "sugar on the floor" is connected to Kee Kee Dee's 1970s composition with that title. "Sugar On The Floor" has been recorded by Pop/Rock star Elton John, Blues star Etta James, and others. In that song "sugar on the floor" means being discarded by the person you love.
UPDATE: 2/22/2020. Hat tip to commenter Charly M who wrote on Feb. 22, 2020 that the Kee Kee Dee song "Sugar On The Floor" is "a confession shes in a relationship, but it's not THE relationship they want...[She's] not the [with] the right person".
Thanks, Charly M. I agree with your interpretation of that song.
Here's the lyrics to the Pop/Blues song "Sugar On The Floor":
SUGAR ON THE FLOOR
(Kee Kee Dee- composer)
You're a stranger to me
Still you give me your life
I toss it to one side
Still you're sweeter to me
When will I be sure
It's warm where you are
But my lips just don't burn
I feel so insecure
When you try to be kind
Could I, could I ask for more?
Feel like sugar on the floor
Sugar on the floor
Sugar on the floor
Looking at you now I know you only want to find me
Still I need a reason to leave the past behind me
There is no easy way
There is no easy way
To learn how to fly
I hope that I could care
When I turn around you're there
Should I, should I ask for more?
I feel like sugar on the floor
I feel like sugar on the floor
Sugar on the floor
Oh, oh, ooh
Ooh, It's warm where you are
But ooh I wish we could be closer
'Cause I'm living in a dream
And I can't show you
Still you're sweeter to me
When would I, when would I be sure?
I feel like I'm sugar on the floor
Feel like sugar on the floor
All I need
All I need is somebody to love
All I need
All I need is somebody to care about me
So I won't be wasted
Oh, wasted on the floor
Oh I, oh I
I feel like I'm sugar on the floor
Source https://genius.com/Etta-james-sugar-on-the-floor-lyrics
****
Here's a video of Elton John performing Sugar On The Floor":
Elton John - Sugar on the Floor (1975) With Lyrics!
RonnieFriend, Uploaded on Feb 25, 2009
Released as the B-side to the "Island Girl" single, this song was written by Elton's friend and singing partner Kiki Dee. Elton had produced and played on Kiki's own original version in 1973 on her "Loving & Free" album. On Elton's version he accompanied himself on piano, with just a little bit of guitar added by Davey Johnstone. It's an unusally stark and dramatic performance from the mid-70s Elton John!
Listen to Kiki's version here:
http://youtu.be/BxJKtCUPayg
-snip-
Click http://www.eltonography.com/songs/sugar_on_the_floor.html for the complete lyrics of that song.
****
Here's a video of Etta James singing "Sugar On The Floor" [added on 2/22/2020 to replace the sound file that is no longer available:
Etta James - Sugar On The Floor - live
permit2001, Dec 30, 2010
Etta James does her version of Kiki Dee's Sugar On The Floor
-snip-
Etta James adds these lyrics to Kiki Dee's song "Sugar On The Floor":
"All I need,
all I need is somebody to love
All I need,
all I need is somebody to care about me
So I won't be wasted
Oh, wasted on the floor
Oh I, oh I
I feel like I'm sugar on the floor"
-snip-
Click http://www.metrolyrics.com/sugar-on-the-floor-lyrics-etta-james.html for the lyrics that Etta James sings for that song.
****
Here are a few selected comments from the discussion thread for the Etta James sound file that was embedded above in the original version of this post.
buren86, Sep 20, 2009
"God Bless Etta James....her voice, her feeling, her expression of this song makes me cry. When we're feeling down, unloved, unwanted...it strikes right at the heart. Yet, there is still some Hope, that things can get better for us. When will I be sure? Feels like, sugar on the floor. All we really need is someone to love us, care about us, so we won't be wasted on the floor. God Bless U Etta.
**
zanderphis, Sep 3, 2010 in reply to buren86
"hi buren86 when i was young my parents thru sugar on the floor so their feet would slid easy while they danced. the sugar was used, but not wasted. love is never wasted."
**
buren86 Sep 4, 2010 in reply to zanderphis
@zanderphis I'm not sure that's quite what the song is talking about, but your point about love never wasted is well-taken : )
**
Den Knee Dec 21, 2011 in reply to JloveLamar
@JloveLamar The original studio version was on Etta's 'Deep In The Night' lp on Warner Brothers Records from 1978. Bullseye Blues/Rounder issued it on cd in 1996. Not sure where this live version is from tho.
“All I need is someone to care for me so I won’t be wasted
like sugar on the floor.”
**
Bill Durling, 2014
"This a cover of a Kiki Dee song, not an Elton John song. First recorded on Kiki Dee's Album "Loving And Free" (1973)."
**
George Whitney, 2014
"Sometimes I feel like I'm wasted like Sugar on the Floor! ETTA!"
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Latest Update: Feb. 22, 2020
This post provides information about the American folk meaning of the phrase "sugar on the floor" and the meaning of that term in the Kee LKee Dee's song "Sugar On The Floor" that was recorded by Elton John, Etta Cox, and others.
The content of this post is presented for folkloric, cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those composers and performers who are noted in this post. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post, and thanks to the publishers of the video and the sound file that are featured in this post.
****
AMERICAN FOLK MEANING OF THE PHRASE "SUGAR ON THE FLOOR"
The folk meaning of "sugar on the floor" is "sprinkling sugar on the floor to enhance social dancing".
"At house parties they used to shake sugar on the floor so it would crunch when stepped on, hence “to shake sugaree” meant to have a good time dancing. Even today, there’s a dance step called the “sugar step” which is an action like grinding sugar on the floor." http://rickmckeon.com/guitarlessons/shakel.pdf “Shake Sugaree”
-snip-
One suggested meaning of the Elizabeth Cotton song "Shake Sugaree". is that it refers to sugar being sprinkled on the floor for dancing. Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/02/eiizabeth-cotton-shake-sugaree-sound.html for a pancocojams post on "Shake Sugaree".
Also, click this link for my new playground rhymes blog cocojams2 to read a version of the playground rhyme "Here We Go Round The Mountain" that is prefaced by the saying "Sugar's on the floor!!": http://cocojams2.blogspot.com/2014/11/african-american-singing-games-movement.html
****
THE SONG "SUGAR ON THE FLOOR" BY JEAN RITCHIE
The song "Sugar On The Floor" was recorded by Jean Ritchie in the 1950s region. "Jean Ritchie (born December 8, 1922) is an American folk music singer, songwriter, and Appalachian dulcimer player." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Ritchie.
If I'm not mistaken, "Sugar On The Floor" is featured in Jean Ritchie's 1956 album Children's Songs & Games from the Southern Mountains (1956). Here's a review of a CD of that album:
http://www.music-tree.com/ritchiedisco.html "Childhood Songs"/Jean Ritchie
"Previously available on cassette only, this collection of songs from Jean’s childhood, and songs she sang to her children is now available on CD. The booklet contains directions for the singing CD".
****
LYRICS: SUGAR OF THE FLOOR
(Jean Ritchie)
"(A) Sugar on the floor (D) sugar on the floor
Eat that up and (A) call for more
Dance my shoes right (D)off-a my feet
With (A)you, my little (E7)sugar on the (A)floor (A,D,E7,A)
verse
Now (A)shake that little foot, sweet Sally Ann
With a hey ho, (E7)sugar on the (A)floor
If (F#m)she can't shake it (E)nobody (D)can
O (E7) watch that sugar on the floor
Do si do and shy all around her,
Hey, ho, sugar on the floor.
Eat that sugar-pie til you founder,
Watch that sugar on the floor.
chorus
Faster, girls, you not a-goin'fast enough,
hey, ho, sugar on the floor;
Slow down boys you a-gettin too rough
Now watch that sugar on the floor.
chorus
Jeremiah Johnson, let me have your daughter,
hey, ho, sugar on the floor;
Bake my bread and carry water and
Throw a little sugar on my floor.
chorus
O swing 'er and hug'er and stand'er in the corner,
Hey, ho, sugar on the floor.
Hain't she a purty thing, 'pon my honor!
Sweetest little sugar on the floor.
chorus
Gimme little sugar and gimme little sweetnin',
Hey, ho, sugar on the floor.
Clap your hands and stamp your feet 'n'
Watch that sugar on the floor.
chorus
1964, 1971 Geordie Music Publishing, all rights reserved."
Source: http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=33509 "Lyr Add: Sugar On The Floor by Jean Ritchie", posted by harpgirl. 22 Apr 01 - 03:10 PM.
This is the only post on that discussion thread.
-snip-
"Sugar On The Floor" is probably Ritchie's version of a Kentucky Mountain folk song. If so, it's somewhat curious that there doesn't appear to be any other lyric versions of that song online. And unfortunately, I've not been able to find the Jean Ritchie song "Sugar On The Floor" on YouTube.
****
In various verses of Jean Ritchie's song, "sugar" can also be interpreted as an affectionate referent for a female.
In American English "sugar" can be a referent for a female or a male. Also, among African Americans, the nickname "Shug" -from the word "sugar"- is a uncommon, but still heard, nickname for a male or a female. [i.e. "Shug Avery", a woman in Alice Walker's novel The Color Purple and "Shug Knight" is an African American male Hip-Hop music entrepreneur.
****
In Jean Ritchie's song "sugar" also refers to a pastry: "Eat that sugar-pie til you founder".
The word "sugar" in Jean Ritchie's song is also used to mean "give me a hug and/or a kiss": "Gimme little sugar and gimme little sweetnin'". ("Give me some sugar" is a relatively common American way of saying "Give me a hug and/or a kiss".)
****
An American traditional folk music singing group which is named after that Jean Ritchie song gives this meaning of that song title and lyric:
"From http://www.sugaronthefloor.com/ ":
"The name of our group is the title of an rollicking old time song about making rough floors more danceable by throwing sugar on them so folks could slide around easily. The song combines snatches of two old dance tunes "The Eighth of January" and "Pigtown Fling."
-snip-
*The reference to "Sugar On The Floor" being a combination of two old dance tunes refers to the music of those fiddle tunes and not any lyrics those tunes might have. Instrumental videos of "The Eighth of January" (also known as "The Battle Of New Orleans) aand "Pigtown Fling" are available on YouTube.
****
"SUGAR ON THE FLOOR" - POP ROCK/BLUES SONG
Judging from the number of Google search hits, the most widely known example and meaning of the phrase "sugar on the floor" is connected to Kee Kee Dee's 1970s composition with that title. "Sugar On The Floor" has been recorded by Pop/Rock star Elton John, Blues star Etta James, and others. In that song "sugar on the floor" means being discarded by the person you love.
UPDATE: 2/22/2020. Hat tip to commenter Charly M who wrote on Feb. 22, 2020 that the Kee Kee Dee song "Sugar On The Floor" is "a confession shes in a relationship, but it's not THE relationship they want...[She's] not the [with] the right person".
Thanks, Charly M. I agree with your interpretation of that song.
Here's the lyrics to the Pop/Blues song "Sugar On The Floor":
SUGAR ON THE FLOOR
(Kee Kee Dee- composer)
You're a stranger to me
Still you give me your life
I toss it to one side
Still you're sweeter to me
When will I be sure
It's warm where you are
But my lips just don't burn
I feel so insecure
When you try to be kind
Could I, could I ask for more?
Feel like sugar on the floor
Sugar on the floor
Sugar on the floor
Looking at you now I know you only want to find me
Still I need a reason to leave the past behind me
There is no easy way
There is no easy way
To learn how to fly
I hope that I could care
When I turn around you're there
Should I, should I ask for more?
I feel like sugar on the floor
I feel like sugar on the floor
Sugar on the floor
Oh, oh, ooh
Ooh, It's warm where you are
But ooh I wish we could be closer
'Cause I'm living in a dream
And I can't show you
Still you're sweeter to me
When would I, when would I be sure?
I feel like I'm sugar on the floor
Feel like sugar on the floor
All I need
All I need is somebody to love
All I need
All I need is somebody to care about me
So I won't be wasted
Oh, wasted on the floor
Oh I, oh I
I feel like I'm sugar on the floor
Source https://genius.com/Etta-james-sugar-on-the-floor-lyrics
****
Here's a video of Elton John performing Sugar On The Floor":
Elton John - Sugar on the Floor (1975) With Lyrics!
RonnieFriend, Uploaded on Feb 25, 2009
Released as the B-side to the "Island Girl" single, this song was written by Elton's friend and singing partner Kiki Dee. Elton had produced and played on Kiki's own original version in 1973 on her "Loving & Free" album. On Elton's version he accompanied himself on piano, with just a little bit of guitar added by Davey Johnstone. It's an unusally stark and dramatic performance from the mid-70s Elton John!
Listen to Kiki's version here:
http://youtu.be/BxJKtCUPayg
-snip-
Click http://www.eltonography.com/songs/sugar_on_the_floor.html for the complete lyrics of that song.
****
Here's a video of Etta James singing "Sugar On The Floor" [added on 2/22/2020 to replace the sound file that is no longer available:
Etta James - Sugar On The Floor - live
permit2001, Dec 30, 2010
Etta James does her version of Kiki Dee's Sugar On The Floor
-snip-
Etta James adds these lyrics to Kiki Dee's song "Sugar On The Floor":
"All I need,
all I need is somebody to love
All I need,
all I need is somebody to care about me
So I won't be wasted
Oh, wasted on the floor
Oh I, oh I
I feel like I'm sugar on the floor"
-snip-
Click http://www.metrolyrics.com/sugar-on-the-floor-lyrics-etta-james.html for the lyrics that Etta James sings for that song.
****
Here are a few selected comments from the discussion thread for the Etta James sound file that was embedded above in the original version of this post.
buren86, Sep 20, 2009
"God Bless Etta James....her voice, her feeling, her expression of this song makes me cry. When we're feeling down, unloved, unwanted...it strikes right at the heart. Yet, there is still some Hope, that things can get better for us. When will I be sure? Feels like, sugar on the floor. All we really need is someone to love us, care about us, so we won't be wasted on the floor. God Bless U Etta.
**
zanderphis, Sep 3, 2010 in reply to buren86
"hi buren86 when i was young my parents thru sugar on the floor so their feet would slid easy while they danced. the sugar was used, but not wasted. love is never wasted."
**
buren86 Sep 4, 2010 in reply to zanderphis
@zanderphis I'm not sure that's quite what the song is talking about, but your point about love never wasted is well-taken : )
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Den Knee Dec 21, 2011 in reply to JloveLamar
@JloveLamar The original studio version was on Etta's 'Deep In The Night' lp on Warner Brothers Records from 1978. Bullseye Blues/Rounder issued it on cd in 1996. Not sure where this live version is from tho.
“All I need is someone to care for me so I won’t be wasted
like sugar on the floor.”
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Bill Durling, 2014
"This a cover of a Kiki Dee song, not an Elton John song. First recorded on Kiki Dee's Album "Loving And Free" (1973)."
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George Whitney, 2014
"Sometimes I feel like I'm wasted like Sugar on the Floor! ETTA!"
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