"Gangster of Love" is a blues song recorded by Johnny "Guitar" Watson in 1957. When he re-recorded the song in 1978, it became a hit. It is perhaps Watson's best known song and several artists have recorded interpretations.

Original song

Johnny "Guitar" Watson first recorded a demo version of "Gangster of Love" while he was with RPM Records in the mid-1950s. In 1957, he recorded a version of the song, a mid-tempo blues shuffle featuring a stop-time arrangement, which was released by

Keen Records Keen Records was an American independent record label, founded by John and Alex Siamas in 1957 in Los Angeles. John Siamas was a successful businessman in the aerospace industry, and, as a music aficionado, started Keen as a side business. They ...

. The single did not appear in the record charts. However, with Johnny Otis producing, Watson re-recorded the song in 1963 for King Records. The newer recording gained wider exposure, but again did not reach the charts.

1970s version

In 1978, during his "flamboyant funkster" phase, Watson's recorded an updated "Gangster of Love" for

DJM Records DJM Records (also known as Dick James Music) was the British independent record label, set up in the late 1960s by British music publisher Dick James. It was distributed by Pye Records in the UK, and various other companies around the world, ...

. It became a hit, reaching number 32 during a stay of thirteen weeks on ''Billboard's''

Hot Soul Singles The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by ''Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 p ...

chart. The song was a feature of his live shows, with some performances playing up the gangster theme with a simulated siren and a mock police bulletin. Most versions open with:

Legacy

Author

David Ritz David Ritz (born December 2, 1943 in New York City) is an American author. He has written novels, biographies, magazine articles, and over a hundred liner notes for artists such as Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, and Nat King Cole. He has coauthore ...

has identified "Gangster of Love" as Watson's "most famous song" and the different recordings have been released on numerous compilations of Watson's music. Additionally, the song has been adapted by a variety of artists. The

Steve Miller Band The Steve Miller Band is an American rock band formed in 1966 in San Francisco, California. The band is led by Steve Miller on guitar and lead vocals. The group had a string of mid- to late-1970s hit singles that are staples of classic rock, as ...

recorded it for their album ''Sailor'' (1968). In an album review for

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...

, Amy Hanson commented: In 1973, "The Joker", written by Miller, was his first number one hit and included the line "some call me the gangster of love".

References

{{authority control 1957 songs Blues songs 1957 singles 1963 singles 1978 singles Keen Records singles Steve Miller Band songs