Although John Lee Williamson was a major blues star who had already released dozens of successful and widely influential records under the name Sonny Boy Williamson from 1937 onward, Aleck Miller would later claim to have been the first to use the name, and some blues scholars believe that Miller's assertion he was born in 1899 was a ruse to convince audiences he was old enough to have used the name before John Lee Williamson, who was born in 1914. Whatever the methodology, Miller became known as Sonny Boy Williamson.
Williamson had begun developing a following in Chicago beginning in 1953, when he appeared there as a member of Elmore James's band. In the 1960's he toured Europe during the height of the British blues craze, recording with The Yardbirds and The Animals. Accoring to the Led Zeppelin biography "Hammer of the Gods", while in England Sonny Boy set his hotel room on fire while trying to cook a rabbit in a coffee percolator.
Some of his hit songs include "Fattenin' Frogs for Snakes", "Don't Start Me To Talking" ,"Keep It To Yourself", "Your Funeral & My Trial", "Bye Bye Bird", "Nine Below Zero", "Help Me", and the infamous "Little Village", with dialogue deemed 'unsuitable for airplay' by Leonard Chess. His song "Eyesight To the Blind" was performed by The Who as a key song in their rock opera Tommy (the only song in that opus not written by a band member) and it was later covered on the Aerosmith album Honkin' on Bobo. His recording og "One Way Out" was reworked from the Elmore James original and became popularized by The Allman Brothers Band in the early 1970s.
Sonny Boy Williamson II has had a big influence on modern day blues and blues rock artists and other legendary artists, as is shown by the number of his songs that are still covered. In interviews given in the concert documentary film The Last Waltz, members of the rock & roll group The Band recount jamming with Miller prior to their initial fame as Bob Dylan's electric backing band, and making plans to hook up with Williamson as his backing band. Unfortunately, Williamson's death prevented any such plans from ever being fulfilled.
Help Me
Sonny Boy Williamson II Lyrics
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I can't do it all by myself
You got to help me, baby
I can't do it all by myself
You know if you don't help me darling
I'll have to find myself, somebody else
I may have to wash, I may have to sew
I may have to cook, I might mop the floor
But you help me baby
You know if you don't help me darling
I'll find myself somebody else
When I walk, you walk with me
When I talk, you talk to me
Oh baby, I can't do it all by myself
You know if you don't help me darling
I'll have to find myself, somebody else
Help me, help me darlin'
Bring my nightshirt
Put on your morning gown
Oh, bring my nightshirt
Put on your morning gown
Darlin' I know we sleep bare
But I just don't feel like lyin' down, oh yeah keep
The lyrics to Sonny Boy Williamson's song "Help Me" are a plea to a lover to provide support and assistance in various aspects of life. The singer acknowledges that they cannot do everything on their own and need help to get by. Without the help of their lover, they may have to find someone else to support them. The lyrics suggest that the singer may have to take on traditionally feminine chores such as washing, sewing, and cooking, but as long as they have their lover's assistance, they can make it work.
Line by Line Meaning
You got to help me
I need your assistance
I can't do it all by myself
I am incapable of handling everything alone
You know if you don't help me darling
If you refuse to help me
I'll have to find myself, somebody else
I'll be forced to seek help elsewhere
I may have to wash, I may have to sew
I might need to perform household chores on my own
I may have to cook, I might mop the floor
I am willing to do any task necessary to keep things going
But you help me baby
If you assist me
When I walk, you walk with me
We need to stick together in this
When I talk, you talk to me
I need you to listen and communicate with me
Oh baby, I can't do it all by myself
I need your support and cooperation
Bring my nightshirt
Fetch my nightwear
Put on your morning gown
Wear your daytime clothes
Darlin' I know we sleep bare
I am aware that we usually sleep without clothing
But I just don't feel like lyin' down
I am too worried and anxious to rest
Help me, help me darlin'
I desperately need your assistance and support
Lyrics © Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
Written by: Joni Mitchell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind