Samuel John "Lightnin'" Hopkins (March 15, 1912 – January 30, 1982) was an … Read Full Bio ↴Samuel John "Lightnin'" Hopkins (March 15, 1912 – January 30, 1982) was an American country blues singer, songwriter, guitarist and occasional pianist, from Centerville, Texas. Rolling Stone magazine ranked him number 71 on its list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time.
The musicologist Robert "Mack" McCormick opined that Hopkins is "the embodiment of the jazz-and-poetry spirit, representing its ancient form in the single creator whose words and music are one act".
Hopkins was born in Centerville, Texas, and as a child was immersed in the sounds of the blues. He developed a deep appreciation for this music at the age of 8, when he met Blind Lemon Jefferson at a church picnic in Buffalo, Texas. That day, Hopkins felt the blues was "in him".[citation needed] He went on to learn from his older (distant) cousin, the country blues singer Alger "Texas" Alexander. (Hopkins had another cousin, the Texas electric blues guitarist Frankie Lee Sims, with whom he later recorded.) Hopkins began accompanying Jefferson on guitar at informal church gatherings. Jefferson reputedly never let anyone play with him except young Hopkins, and Hopkins learned much from Jefferson at these gatherings.
Hopkins's style was born from spending many hours playing informally without a backing band. His distinctive fingerstyle technique often included playing, in effect, bass, rhythm, lead, and percussion at the same time. He played both "alternating" and "monotonic" bass styles incorporating imaginative, often chromatic turnarounds and single-note lead lines. Tapping or slapping the body of his guitar added rhythmic accompaniment.
Much of Hopkins's music follows the standard 12-bar blues template, but his phrasing was free and loose. Many of his songs were in the talking blues style, but he was a powerful and confident singer.[citation needed] Lyrically, his songs expressed the problems of life in the segregated South, bad luck in love and other subjects common in the blues idiom. He dealt with these subjects with humor and good nature. Many of his songs are filled with double entendres, and he was known for his humorous introductions to songs.
Hopkins died of esophageal cancer in Houston on January 30, 1982, at the age of 69. His obituary in the New York Times described him as "one of the great country blues singers and perhaps the greatest single influence on rock guitar players.".
The musicologist Robert "Mack" McCormick opined that Hopkins is "the embodiment of the jazz-and-poetry spirit, representing its ancient form in the single creator whose words and music are one act".
Hopkins was born in Centerville, Texas, and as a child was immersed in the sounds of the blues. He developed a deep appreciation for this music at the age of 8, when he met Blind Lemon Jefferson at a church picnic in Buffalo, Texas. That day, Hopkins felt the blues was "in him".[citation needed] He went on to learn from his older (distant) cousin, the country blues singer Alger "Texas" Alexander. (Hopkins had another cousin, the Texas electric blues guitarist Frankie Lee Sims, with whom he later recorded.) Hopkins began accompanying Jefferson on guitar at informal church gatherings. Jefferson reputedly never let anyone play with him except young Hopkins, and Hopkins learned much from Jefferson at these gatherings.
Hopkins's style was born from spending many hours playing informally without a backing band. His distinctive fingerstyle technique often included playing, in effect, bass, rhythm, lead, and percussion at the same time. He played both "alternating" and "monotonic" bass styles incorporating imaginative, often chromatic turnarounds and single-note lead lines. Tapping or slapping the body of his guitar added rhythmic accompaniment.
Much of Hopkins's music follows the standard 12-bar blues template, but his phrasing was free and loose. Many of his songs were in the talking blues style, but he was a powerful and confident singer.[citation needed] Lyrically, his songs expressed the problems of life in the segregated South, bad luck in love and other subjects common in the blues idiom. He dealt with these subjects with humor and good nature. Many of his songs are filled with double entendres, and he was known for his humorous introductions to songs.
Hopkins died of esophageal cancer in Houston on January 30, 1982, at the age of 69. His obituary in the New York Times described him as "one of the great country blues singers and perhaps the greatest single influence on rock guitar players.".
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The Complete Prestige/Bluesville Recordings
Lightnin' Hopkins Lyrics
Automobile Blues I saw you ridin' 'round You ridin' in your brand new…
Baby Don't You Tear My Clothes Baby, don't you tear my clothes Baby, don't you tear my…
Baby Please Don't Go Baby, please don't go Baby, please don't go Baby, please don…
Back to New Orleans Now baby please don't go Now baby please don't go Now baby…
Black Cadillac Whooah, Baby, Please come on back, For you've got smething…
Black Gal Well, you're one black cat, one day you'll find your…
Black Ghost Blues Black ghost, black ghost Please stay away from my door Black…
Blues In The Bottle Blues in the bottle, blues in the bottle is toppling…
Catfish Blues You know I wished I was a catfish Swimmin' in that…
Coffee Blues This is the 'Coffee Blues', I likes a certain brand Maxwell'…
Come Back Baby Oh come back, baby Oh mama please dont go, yeah Cause the…
Conversation Blues Alright now, Junior I got this one Hey, I want to…
Death Bells Sound like I'm hearing moaning, death bell ringing all in…
Down There Baby Sound like I'm hearing moaning Death bell ringing all in my…
Goin' to Dallas to See My Pony Run I'm goin' to Dallas, see my pony run Goin' to Dallas,…
Happy Blues for John Glenn People, I was sittin' this mornin' with this on my…
Hard to Love a Woman Yeah, you know I worked on the railroad I even worked…
Have You Ever Been Mistreated Have you ever been mistreated? You know just what I'm…
I Asked The Bossman We were down in Louisiana Asked that Bossman to let my…
I Mean Goodbye Yes goodbye I mean goodbye Goodbye darling I said farewell G…
I Work Down On The Chain Gang Yeah, you know I worked on the railroad I even worked…
I'm A Crawling Black Snake LYRICWIKI LYRICWIKI Lightnin' Hopkins:I'm A Crawlin' Black…
I'm Going To Build Me A Heaven Of My Own This is dedicated to the whole world, the women, especially.…
Jailhouse Blues Well I wouldn't mind staying in jail, but I've gotta…
Katie Mae Yeah, you know Katie Mae is a good girl, folks,…
Last Night Blues You know I went home last night Sat down on my…
Lonesome Graveyard Sleep on, sleep on, sleep on Little girl, sleep on, just…
Mama Blues Look a here, Bill, I'd come to you one day I…
Mean Old Frisco Well, that mean old, mean old Frisco, and that low down…
Mojo Hand I'm goin' to Louisiana And get me a mojo hand I'm goin'…
My Babe My baby, don't stand no cheatin', my babe Oh yeah, she…
My Black Name (Sam Hopkins) I can hear my black name ringing Oh, hurryin' …
My Grandpa Is Old Too! I want all you young people to know what to…
My Thoughts On The Blues I'm gonna get up in the morning, I believe I'll…
Pneumonia Blues Whoa, you know I'm achin' all over You know I believe…
Prison Farm Blues I'm wonderin' if my folks are gonna be there when…
Rocky Mountain Blues The rocky mountain Darling there way out in the west That's …
Sail On, Little Girl, Sail On Sail on, sail on, little girl, sail on Sail on, sail…
Sinner's Prayer Yeah, my baby told me She was happy she could be Said,…
Smokes Like Lightning (Sam Hopkins) Whoa, it smoke like lightnin' Yeah, but shine …
Stranger Here I'm a stranger, just blowed in your town So I want…
The Howling Wolf Yeah I'm the wolf and everybody in the world, Trying to…
Too Many Drivers Baby you got too many drivers Lord when you ain't got…
Worried Life Blues Oh lordy lord, oh lordy lord It hurts me so bad…
You Better Watch Yourself you better watch yourself sonny boy everybody laughing at yo…
You Is One Black Rat My little Gloria, she had a new boyfriend and all I…
You Never Miss Your Water Never miss your water till your well run dry Never…