His hit "It's Too Late (She's Gone)" was covered by many, including Otis Redding, Roy Orbison, Eric Clapton's Derek and the Dominos and the Grateful Dead. In 2005, it was heavily sampled by Kanye West on Late Registration's "Gone."
C.C. Rider
Chuck Willis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Girl, see what you have done
Yes, yes, yes, C.C. Rider
See what you have done
Girl, you made me love you
Now your man has come
Well, I'm going away, baby
And I won't be back 'til fall
Yes, darling, going away, baby
Won't be back until fall
If I find me a good girl
I won't be back at all
C.C. Rider
C.C. Rider
Yeah, baby
C.C. Rider
C.C. Rider
C.C. Rider
C.C. Rider
Well, C.C. Rider
Girl, the moon is shining bright
Lord, Lord, Lord, C.C. Rider
The moon is shining bright
If I could just walk with you
Everything will be all right
C.C. Rider, C. Rider
C.C. Rider, C. Rider
C.C. Rider, C. Rider
Chuck Willis's "C.C. Rider" is a blues standard that has been covered by numerous artists, including Elvis Presley. The song is sung from the perspective of a man who fell in love with a woman named C.C. Rider - also known as "Easy Rider" - but his happiness is marred by the fact that her man has come back. The opening lines "C.C. Rider, see what you have done, girl you made me love you, now your man has come" indicate that Rider has caused the singer to fall in love with her only to have her man come back and take her away. He then states that he is going away and won't be back until fall, and if he finds a good girl, he might not come back at all. The song ends with the singer expressing his admiration for C.C. Rider and wishing he could walk with her under the moon.
The song's lyrics are simple, but its bluesy rhythm is incredibly catchy. Willis's booming voice combined with the refrain "C.C. Rider" add to the song's infectiousness making it a staple of the blues genre. The song has been covered by a plethora of musicians, including Ray Charles, The Rolling Stones, and John Lee Hooker. The name "C.C. Rider" referred to a real person, the African American blues singer and guitarist, Pink Anderson, who played under the nickname C.C. Rider.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah, C.C. Rider
Chuck Willis addresses C.C. Rider, a charismatic musician or possibly a metaphor for his personal struggles.
Girl, see what you have done
Addressing his female partner, Chuck recognizes the pain she has caused him.
Yes, yes, yes, C.C. Rider
See what you have done
Chuck expresses his frustration with C.C. Rider for locking him into an emotional dependency.
Girl, you made me love you
Now your man has come
Chuck reflects on the irony that he has fallen in love with someone who is already taken by another.
Well, I'm going away, baby
And I won't be back 'til fall
Yes, darling, going away, baby
Won't be back until fall
If I find me a good girl
I won't be back at all
Chuck proclaims his intention to leave for some time and possibly for good, in search of a new love.
C.C. Rider
C.C. Rider
Yeah, baby
C.C. Rider
C.C. Rider
C.C. Rider
C.C. Rider
Chuck repeats the motif of C.C. Rider as a way to express his internal conflict, as if reminding himself of the source of his troubles.
Well, C.C. Rider
Girl, the moon is shining bright
Lord, Lord, Lord, C.C. Rider
The moon is shining bright
If I could just walk with you
Everything will be all right
Chuck's desire to rekindle his relationship with C.C. Rider is expressed through his poetic description of the moonlight and his hope for reconciliation.
C.C. Rider, C. Rider
C.C. Rider, C. Rider
C.C. Rider, C. Rider
The repetition of C.C. Rider represents Chuck's fixation on the situation and his inability to move on.
Lyrics © BROADWAY MUSIC CORPORATION
Written by: Chuck Willis
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind