‘I Gotcha ‘ revisiting the hit song by Joe Tex

Joe Tex had hit records by being sexist only I did not know it at the time. I didn’t give much thought to “ Skinny Legs and All” (1967) even though I myself was teased for having thin legs. I laughed at his hit “Ain’t Gonna Dance No More With No Big Fat Woman”(1977). I never considering that some heavy set women might have been offended or ridiculed by others because of the lyrics. Along with many others in 1972, I thought “ I Gotcha” was cute.

My long term memory recalls being 13 and in the 8th grade when this tune was climbing the charts. I remember listening to the Top 40 Coundown waiting to see how high the Joe Tex song and Rockin Robin by the Jackson 5 we’re going to place. My cousins and I sang out loud and danced to “ I Gotch” because we did not process the full scope of what the song implied. We understood the meaning but did not dwell in it because we were young, innocent teens. It was a hit tune and was being played on all the radio stations and we loved it.

Joe Tex appears on Soul Train and American Bandstand and his song became a classic. Americans as a whole obviously found nothing offensive about the music that Joe Tex brought to the world because his music was always at the top which meant people were buying it. The mindsets in the 2960s and 70s was different than today and much was tolerated that would never be allowed in our modern world.

Today’s culture is different regarding the issues between men and women. Things have even escalated to the point of some wanting to ban the Christmas classic “ Baby Its Cold Outside” because they believe it’s about date rape. When the song was written it was considered playful but not anymore. This is why I revisited “ I Gotcha”, after recently hearing it on a television show. I thought of all the famous men who have been accused or convicted of sexual assault during the Me Too movement and wondered what Joe Tex was really like. Could he have been a lecherous old man who was molesting women on the sly?

There is no record of Joe Tex sexually harassing women or being an abuser. I found out he began his career by singing gospel music then later in 1966, he changed his name to Yusuf Hazziez after converting to Islam. He had four sons and two daughters. One son was named Yusuf Hazzier Jr. but there is no mention of a wife. Joe Tex was found at the bottom of his swimming pool in August 1982 and was taken to the hospital. He returned home and shortly after died of a heart attack at age 47.

The lyrics to “ I Gotcha” are as follows and you can decide their meaning for yourself.

I gotcha, uh-huh-huh

You thought you got away from me didn't you, uh-huh-huh

You thought I didn't see you now didn't you, uh-huh

You tried to sneak by me now didn't you, u-huh

You thought you was being slick now didn't you, uh-huh-huh

Now give me what you promised me, give it here, yea

You promised me the day that you quit your boyfriend

I'd be the next one to ease on in

You promised me it would be just us two, yea

And I'd be the only man kissing on you, yea

Now kiss me, yea, hold it a long time

Hold it, don't turn it loose now

Hold it a little bit longer now

Hold it, come on hold it, hold it, hold it, hold it

Ease up on me now get back...(good God the girl's alright now y'all)

You made me a promise and you're gonna stick to it

You shouldn't have promised if you wasn't gonna do it

You saw me and ran in another direction

I'll teach you to play with my affection

Now give it here, you never should have promised it to me

Now give it here, don't hold back now.....

On March 18, 1972 “ I Gotcha” went to number one on the Billboard charts but young people today won’t get the allure of the tune for the nation in 1972. It was considered a fun song and somewhat suggestive, but in 2021, however, the mindset would be that this tune never should have been recorded and that a woman had the right to change her mind and say no.

Joe Tex was nominated 6 times for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He was in his time considered a music legend of Southrrn soul. Today, however, he would probably be viewed as a dirty old man although he died at s relatively young age. He made fun of skinny legs, being overweight and had the nerve to think he could force a woman to give him what she had promised. The type of songs that Tex produced would more than likely be rejected by music labels today. His lyrics were tame though when compared with some of the X rated lyrics that many Hip Hop and Rap artists have given us in recent years.