J Geils Band – Give It To Me

I would put Peter Wolf up with the best live front men in rock.

The J Geils Band sounded a bit different in the seventies. They had their biggest hits in the ’80s with “Freeze-Frame” and “Centerfold,” but that was the culmination of a long career that included lots of blues-based boogie music like this track.

This song peaked at #30 in the Billboard 100 and #39 in Canada in 1973. The song was on the album Bloodshot and peaked at #10 in the Billboard Album Charts and #17 in Canada. 

Peter Wolf wrote the song with the group’s keyboard player Seth Justman.

While the band was experiencing the greatest commercial success of its career and preparing a follow-up to Freeze Frame…the two main songwriters Wolf and Justman were not getting along. The band refused to record material Wolf had written with other writing partners…so Wolf left in 1983.

The band wanted to go in a more pop direction while Wolf wanted to continue the more blues/rock path they were going . 

From Songfacts

One of the most popular J. Geils Band songs from the group’s early years, this one is unusually carnal, with Peter Wolf making it very clear in his vocal delivery what he’s asking for in “Give It To Me.”

“Give It To Me” was cut down to 3:07 for radio play, but the full version runs a healthy 6:32, with showcase spots for many of the band members. Seth Justman gets a long solo on organ, which is followed by a guitar spot by J. Geils (the group’s guitarist was the band’s namesake) and an extended harmonica solo by Magic Dick. The song became a concert favorite, and one that established the J. Geils Band as a great live act. The live version from their album Blow Your Face Out is the one many radio stations play, as it captures the energy of their shows.

Heineken beer used this in commercials in 2002.

Bill Szymczyk produced the Bloodshot album, which was recorded at the Hit Factory in New York City. Szymczyk would later produce the Eagles, including their albums On the Border and Hotel California.

Give It To Me

You’ve got to give it to me
You’ve got to give it to me
You’ve got to give it to me
You’ve got to give it to me

You’re so slick now, know every trick now
You know I want it, I want it so bad
You know I need it, I can’t believe it
So come on baby, Please relieve it

Now you’ve been bugging me, Every night now
You say you want it, You want it right now
I can’t get to it, I can’t get through it
So come on baby, Please

You’ve got to get it up (give it up)
You’ve got to get it up (give it up)
You’ve got to get it up (give it up)
You’ve got to get it up (give it up)

Why keep me cold
When it’s so warm inside
Come on baby
Your love is too good to hide

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Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball fan, old movie and tv show fan... and a songwriter, bass and guitar player.

31 thoughts on “J Geils Band – Give It To Me”

  2. I like their 80s records better, but I would guess they might have been a more entertaining band to see live in the ’70s. Listen to, or watch videos of, them back in that era and you can start to see why some called them ‘America’s Rolling Stones.’

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  6. Really dig the J. Geils Band. I got to see them once 5 years ago or so (sans J. Geils but with Peter Wolf). They were a fantastic live band. I love their 1972 live album Live Full House.

    I also saw Peter Wolf solo at a Lynyrd Skynyrd farewell show in 2018. He still is a great showman!

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    1. I would love to see them with Wolf… I like that live album as well.
      Yea he is up there with the top frontmen to me. He keeps you entertained.

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  9. These guys were great. Talk about a hard working band. This guys busted their ass to get where they were. The radio stuff was great, but their earlier work was even better I think. Good stuff.

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      1. The early stuff is where i live. Still. Yeah, Live they were one of the best I’d seen. I think old Seth probably should have thought that one out a bit. These guys were a bar band that could have kept merging the two and kept them happy.

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      2. Yea just a little compromise…but yea I prefer the early also…Centerfold I couldn’t help but like…the way Wolf sings it.

        Liked by 1 person

      4. Yea I with ya. I’m glad they hit that gold…they had a long road for major success…only to fall off right after they made it. Like you said…just mix the two up and go on.

        Liked by 1 person

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