Joe Tex
Joe Tex was an influential American Southern soul singer known for blending funk, country, gospel, and R&B styles with preacher-like spoken-word delivery. Born Joseph Arrington Jr. on August 8, 1935, in Rogers, Texas, and raised in Baytown, he rose from talent show wins to chart success despite early struggles.
Tex grew up in a musical family, playing baritone saxophone in high school and singing in church choir. In 1953, he won a Houston talent contest that sent him to New York's Apollo Theater, where he triumphed four times, leading to a King Records deal in 1955.
After modest starts with King, Ace, and Dial labels, Tex broke through in 1964 at FAME Studios with "Hold What You've Got," a million-seller topping Pop and R&B charts. Hits like "Skinny Legs and All" (1967) and "I Gotcha" (1972, his biggest #1) followed, pioneering "rap" preaching style.
Tex converted to Islam in 1972, adopting Yusuf Hazziez, and paused music until 1975, returning with "Ain't Gonna Bump No More (With No Big Fat Woman)" in 1977. He died of a heart attack on August 13, 1982, at age 47, earning five Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominations.
Bumps & Bruises
Written-By – B. L. McGinty, B. Killen
6:45
A2 Leaving You Dinner
Written-By – J. Tex
3:21
A3 Be Cool (Willie Is Dancing With A Sissy)
Written-By – J. Tex
5:29
A4 I Mess Up Everything I Get My Hands On
Written-By – J. Tex
3:05
B1 We Held On
Written-By – J. King, J. Tex, L. Johnson
3:24
B2 I Almost Got To Heaven Once
Written-By – B. McGinty
3:54
B3 Hungry For Your Love
Written-By – J. King, J. Tex, L. Johnson
4:02
B4 Jump Bad
Written-By – B. McGinty
3:57
B5 There's Something Wrong
Written-By – B. McGinty
2:44
Label: Epic – PE 34666
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1977
Genre: R&B Funk, Soul
Style: Seventies Funk, Disco
Buying A Book
2:59
A2 Sure Is Good
3:15
A3 That's The Way
3:45
A4 Anything You Wanna Know
3:46
A5 It Ain't Sanitary
3:05
B1 The Only Way
3:18
B2 Grandma Mary
3:35
B3 Get Your Lies Together
2:47
B4 The Same Things You Did To Get Me
2:40
B5 Buying A Book 3:25
Written by Joe Tex
Label: Atlantic – SD 8231
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1969
Genre: R&B Soul
Style: Sixties Soul
Happy Soul
A2 That's Your Baby 2:26
A3 Baby, Be Good 3:01
A4 You Need Me Baby 3:20
A5 Chicken Crazy 3:27
B1 You've Come A Long Way 3:23
B2 Sweet Sweet Woman 3:01
B3 You Can Tell 5:13
B4 Take The Fifth Amendment 2:21
B5 Keep The One You've Got 2:38
Written-By – Joe Tex
Label: Atlantic – SD 8211
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1969
Genre: R&B Soul, Funk
Style: Sixties Soul
Hold What You've Got
A2 Tell Me Right Now 2:44
A3 One Monkey Don't Stop No Show 2:59
A4 Hold What You've Got 3:07
A5 I'm Not Going To Work Today 2:06
A6 Are We Ready 2:28
B1 You Better Get It 3:21
B2 Heep See Few Know 2:34
B3 Fresh Out Of Tears 2:15
B4 You Can Stay 2:25
B5 There Is A Girl 2:26
B6 Together We Stand 2:01
Written-By – Joe Tex
Label: Atlantic – 8106
Series: Dial Records Series
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1965
Genre: R&B Funk, Soul
Style: Sixties Soul, Funk
I've Got To Do A Little Bit Better
I ve Got To Do A Little Bit Better Ive Got To Do A Little Bit Better
A1 Papa Was, Too
2:47
A2 What Me And My Baby Ain't Got
2:27
A3 A Woman Sees A Hard Time (When Her Man Is Gone)
3:01
A4 Watch The One (That Brings The Bad News)
3:14
A5 Taking Care Of A Woman (Is A Full Time Job)
2:58
A6 Lying's Just A Habit John
2:45
B1 I've Got To Do A Little Bit Better
2:58
B2 The Truest Woman In The World
2:55
B3 I Believe I'm Gonna Make It
3:00
B4 Got You On My Mind
2:15
B5 Half A Mind
2:12
B6 S.Y.S.L.J.F.M. (The Letter Song)
2:45
Written-By – Howard Biggs (tracks: B4), Joe Tex (tracks: A1 to B3, B6), Joe Thomas (6) (tracks: B4), Roger Miller (tracks: B5)
Label: Atlantic – 8133
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1966
Genre: R&B Soul
Style: Sixties Soul
Live And Lively
Written-By – Joe Tex
3:07
A2 Do Right Woman - Do Right Man
Written-By – Chips Moman, Dan Penn
2:54
A3 Get Out Of My Life, Woman
Written-By – Allen Toussaint
2:57
A4 Wooden Spoon
Written-By – Joe Tex
2:58
A5 That's Life
Written-By – Dean Kay, Kelly Gordon
3:50
B1 Love Is A Hurtin' Thing
Written-By – Ben Raleigh, Dave Linden
2:22
B2 Don't Give Up
Written-By – Joe Tex
3:07
B3 A Woman's Hands
Written-By – Joe Tex
3:28
B4 You're Gonna Thank Me, Woman
Written-By – Joe Tex
2:00
B5 Papa Was, Too
Written-By – Joe Tex
2:54
B6 Skinny Legs And All
Written-By – Joe Tex
3:10
Label: Atlantic – SD 8156
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1968
Genre: R&B Funk, Soul
Style: Sixties Soul, Funk
Rub Down
Written-By – J. Tex, L. Hadley
3:59
A2 You Can Be My Star
Written-By – B. L. McGinty, J. Tex
3:57
A3 Get It (And Get On Home)
Written-By – B. L. McGinty, J. Tex
2:48
A4 Get Back, Leroy
Written-By – B. L. McGinty, J. Tex
4:01
A5 Be Kind To Old People
Written-By – G. Thompson, J. Tex
3:52
B1 You Might Be Digging The Garden (But Somebody's Picking Your Plums)
Written-By – J. Tex, J. Thomas, L. Johnson
3:21
B2 Don't Cry Over Spilled Milk
Written-By – B. L. McGinty, J. Tex
2:54
B3 I Gotcha
Written-By – J. Tex
5:25
B4 I Know How You Like Your Loving
Written-By – B. L. McGinty, J. Tex
3:29
B5 Congratulations (Where You Been, Girls)
Written-By – B. L. McGinty, J. Tex
3:36
Label: Epic – JE 35079
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1978
Genre: R&B Funk, Soul
Style: Seventies Funk, Disco
Soul Country
Written-By – Joe Tex
3:03
A2 Ode To Billie Joe
Written-By – Bobbie Gentry
4:35
A3 The Dark End Of The Street
Written-By – Chips Moman, Dan Penn
2:27
A4 Funny How Time Slips Away
Written-By – Willie Nelson
3:12
A5 Engine Engine Number Nine
Written-By – Roger Miller
2:34
B1 Skip A Rope
Written-By – Glenn D. Tubb, Jack Moran
2:41
B2 Green Green Grass Of Home
Written-By – Curly Putman
3:13
B3 Set Me Free
Written-By – Curly Putman
2:51
B4 By The Time I Get To Phoenix
Written-By – Jim Webb
3:15
B5 Honey
Written-By – Bobby Russell
3:29
Label: Atlantic – SD 8187
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1968
Genre: R&B Funk, Soul, Folk
Style: Southern Soul