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In the Evening
Memphis Slim Lyrics


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In the ev′nin'
Mama, when the sun goes down
In the ev′nin'
Mama, when the sun goes down
Well, ain't it lonesome, ain′t it lonesome
The one you love she′s not around
When the sun go down

Sun rise in the East
And it goes down in the West
Sun rise in the East
And it goes down in the West
Well, it's hard to tell, hard to tell
Which one will treat you the best
When the sun go down

Last night I lay asleepin′
I was thinkin' on to myself
Last night I lay asleepin′
I was thinkin' on to myself
Well the girl I love mistreated me
She mistreated me for someone else
When the sun go down

Now good bye old sweethearts and pals
Yes, I′m goin' away
But I may be back to see you, girl
Some old rainy day
Well in the ev'nin′, in the ev′nin',
Mama when the sun go down

Overall Meaning

The song "In the Evening" by Memphis Slim is a classic blues song that speaks to the loneliness of being without the ones we love. The singer reminisces about the past, the times they have spent with their loved one, and how it feels now that they are gone. The lyrics are melancholic, and they emphasize the pain of losing someone we love. The beginning of the song sets the scene by stating that the sun is going down—it's the evening. The author then emphasizes the loneliness of this time of day: "Well, ain't it lonesome, ain′t it lonesome/The one you love she′s not around/When the sun go down."


The second stanza of the song speaks to the unpredictability of relationships. The sun may rise in the East and set in the West, but it's hard to tell which person will treat you the best. This stanza is a commentary on how we cannot know what our relationships will look like in the future. We can only hope for the best and be prepared for the worst.


The third stanza is a reflection on the singer's heartbreak. They cannot sleep and are left alone with their thoughts. They remember the girl they loved, who mistreated them for someone else. The pain of this heartbreak is clear in every line of the song.


Finally, the last stanza of the song is a goodbye to old sweethearts and pals. The singer is going away and may not return for a long time, but they promise to come back to see the girl they love. This stanza suggests a sense of hope, a belief that things may turn out all right in the end.


Overall, "In the Evening" is a classic blues song that speaks to the pain of heartbreak and loss. It's a poignant reflection on life and love and all of the things that can go wrong in our relationships.


Line by Line Meaning

In the ev'nin'
As the night approaches


Mama, when the sun goes down
When the sun sets, bringing darkness to the world


Well, ain't it lonesome, ain't it lonesome
Feeling lonely without the one you love


The one you love she's not around
The person you love is absent from your life


Sun rise in the East
The sun appears on the horizon in the East


And it goes down in the West
The sun sets on the horizon in the West


Well, it's hard to tell, hard to tell
It's difficult to predict


Which one will treat you the best
Which people or things will treat you the best is unknown


Last night I lay asleepin'
The singer was sleeping at night


I was thinkin' on to myself
The singer was reflecting on personal thoughts


Well the girl I love mistreated me
The person the singer loves mistreated them poorly


She mistreated me for someone else
The person the singer loves left them for another


Now good bye old sweethearts and pals
Farewell to past loves and friends


Yes, I'm goin' away
The singer is leaving the current place or situation


But I may be back to see you, girl
The singer may return to reconnect with someone they care about


Some old rainy day
A random time in the future


Well in the ev'nin', in the ev'nin'
Referencing the night again


Mama when the sun go down
When the sun sets once more




Writer(s): Don Raye, Leroy Authur Carr

Contributed by Jayden E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

@christianvigue3236

I had discovered and love the Blues by this song in 1969 I Was love that immediatly and left the beatles and others for listening the Blues ...In this time, I Was a young classic guitarist and Worked hard to re-learned guitar hand positions and all of my life I played the Blues with many friends that I had converted !!!
Now , I m an old white man and I play always Blues, my end is near (cancer) but I don't care , my life whas fantastic by all things I'had do for the Blues It whas really a biggest part of my life.
Thank yu for the Bluesmans present of that record I had listen in 1969 , that whas a compilation with Menphis Slim, Champion, Jack Dupree, Sonny Boy Wiliamson and many others ....
You had make my soul , my spirit, and my joy... Love yu all for ever and see you soon !!!

@mamsgeekette7341

one among his beautiful songs

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