In 1957, Buchanan made his recording debut, playing the solo on Dale Hawkins' "My Babe" for Chicago's Chess Records. Three years later, Buchanan headed north to Canada, where he took charge of the guitar role in Ronnie Hawkins' band (a group later to gain fame as The Band). The group's guitar player, Robbie Robertson, studied guitar under Buchanan, and took over the lead guitar spot when Buchanan left the group.
The early 60's found Buchanan performing numerous gigs as a sideman with multiple rock bands, and cutting a number of sessions as guitarist with musicians such as Freddy Cannon and Merle Kilgore.
Buchanan's 1962 recording with drummer Bobby Gregg, "Potato Peeler", first introduced the trademark Buchanan pinch harmonics. An effort to cash in on the British Invasion caught Buchanan with The British Walkers. In the mid-'60's, Buchanan settled down in the Washington, DC area, playing as a sideman before starting his own groups. One of these groups was called The Snakestretchers, an allusion to Buchanan's disdain for the vagaries of the band experience. The Snakestretchers became a semi-permanent combo for Buchanan starting in this period, with whom he made his first acclaimed recording as a front man, Roy Buchanan & the Snakestretchers. Danny Gatton was another respected Telecaster master who lived in Washington, D.C. at that time. Both musicians gained reputations as under-appreciated guitarists.
In 1971, riding on word-of-mouth reputation that included praise from John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Merle Haggard, and an alleged invitation to join the Rolling Stones, Buchanan gained national notoriety as the result of an hour-long Public broadcasting television documentary. Entitled "The Best Unknown Guitarist In The World", the show rejuvenated a contract with Polydor and began a decade of national and international touring. He recorded five albums for Polydor (one went gold) and three for Atlantic Records (one gold), while playing most major rock concert halls and festivals. Finally, Buchanan quit recording in 1981, vowing never to enter a studio again unless he could record his own music his own way.
Four years later, Buchanan was coaxed back into the studio by Alligator Records. His first album for Alligator, When a Guitar Plays The Blues, was released in the spring of 1985. It was the first time he was given total artistic freedom in the studio. It was also his first true blues album. Fans quickly responded, and the album entered Billboard's pop charts and remained on the charts for 13 weeks. Music critics, as well as fans, applauded Roy's efforts with favorable reviews.
His second Alligator LP, Dancing on the Edge, was released in the fall of 1986. The album, featuring three songs with special guest, rock'n'soul vocalist Delbert McClinton, won the College Media Journal Award for Best Blues Album of 1986.
He released the twelfth LP of his career and his third for Alligator, Hot Wires, in 1987. In addition to Donald Kinsey (formerly with Albert King and Bob Marley), keyboardist Stan Szelest, and Larry Exum (bass) and Morris Jennings (drums), this album includes guest vocals by veteran soul singer Johnny Sayles and blues singer Kanika Kress.
Buchanan died August 14, 1988 in the Fairfax County, Virginia jail while being held after an arrest for public drunkeness. His death was ruled a suicide, although that finding has been disputed by friends and family.
My Baby Says She's Gonna Leave Me
Roy Buchanan Lyrics
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My Baby Says She's Gonna Leave Me
Well she took my clothes
And threw 'em out the door
Told me she don't want me no more
How in the world can I get by alone(???)
I tried...tried to make her love me
I begged…begged her not to leave me
But she walks through the streets late at night
Sure does give me an awful fright
However in the world did I get by alone(???)
My Baby Says She's Gonna Leave Me
My Baby Says She's Gonna Leave Me
She gives me a feeling that I cant explain
Think I might go insane
How in the world can I get by alone (???)
I said… However in the world did I get by alone(???)
The lyrics of Roy Buchanan's "My Baby Says She's Gonna Leave Me" express the pain and desperation of a man whose girlfriend has decided to end their relationship. The first two lines set the stage for what's to come - the woman has thrown his clothes out the door, a universal symbol of getting kicked out. This abrupt action is followed by the declaration that she doesn't want him anymore, which leaves the singer reeling and struggling to come to terms with what's happening.
In the next lines, the singer reflects on how he tried to save the relationship by making efforts to show his love and begging her not to leave him. In spite of this, she walks through the streets late at night, which frightens him and highlights the desperation of his situation. The repetition of "How in the world can I get by alone" serves to emphasize his sense of helplessness and despair, as he is unable to imagine a future where he's not with her.
The lines "She gives me a feeling that I can't explain/Think I might go insane" underscore the depth of his love for her and his inability to imagine life without her. The final repetition of "However in the world did I get by alone" highlights the fact that, without her, he cannot see a way forward.
Overall, the lyrics of "My Baby Says She's Gonna Leave Me" tap into the universal emotions of heartbreak, loss, and the fear of being alone. The rawness of the emotions expressed in the song is typical of the blues genre, which often deals with themes of sadness, hardship, and loss.
Line by Line Meaning
Well she took my clothes
And threw 'em out the door
Told me she don't want me no more
How in the world can I get by alone(???)
My lover has kicked me out of the house after telling me she doesn't have any interest in me anymore, and I'm left quite perplexed about how I'm going to survive on my own.
I tried...tried to make her love me
I begged…begged her not to leave me
But she walks through the streets late at night
Sure does give me an awful fright
However in the world did I get by alone(???)
Even though I put in considerable effort into the relationship and pleaded with my partner to stay with me, she's still wandering around the dark streets of the city at night, making me worry about how I will cope with living alone.
She gives me a feeling that I cant explain
Think I might go insane
How in the world can I get by alone (???)
The quality of my lover's presence is a total enigma, making me experience an inexplicable sensation, and it's getting so unusual that it's causing me to lose my sanity. I'm increasingly wondering if I can survive in the world without her.
I said… However in the world did I get by alone(???)
I'm overrun with anxiety and turmoil because of my current predicament, and it's making me wonder how I managed to function without my partner in the past.
Contributed by John H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.