Cummings learnt the requisite three chords on the guitar from his father, but then switched to playing banjo at age 12 and became a fan of bluegrass music. He went to festivals and won several picking contests in high school. Before graduating, he heard the early recordings of Stevie Ray Vaughan and, while in college in 1987, saw Vaughan perform. Not until he was 27, did Cummings finally decide to go for a career in music.
An intense period of rehearsal (aka wood shedding) resulted Cummings sharing a bill with Double Trouble, the late Stevie Ray Vaughan’s rhythm section. So taken with Cummings’s playing were bassist Tommy Shannon and drummer Chris Layton that they volunteered to play on and produce his debut recording. In 2003 the aptly-titled From the Heart (Under the Radar) was released. B.B. King, who Cummings acknowledged with a funky version of ‘Rock Me, Baby,’ dubbed Cummings ‘a great guitarist.’
A year later Double Trouble joined Cummings again as he signed with Blind Pig Records to create True to Yourself. This time they brought in legendary producer Jim Gaines to control the sessions. The all-original release further showcased Albert’s rapidly developing songwriting chops and deeply emotional vocals as well as stunning guitar pyrotechnics that put the metallurgical properties of his strings to the test. Tours and shows with blues legends B.B. King, Johnny Winter, Buddy Guy and others brought his music to an audience grateful for the opportunity to be rocked hard by a man possessed to play every song like his life depended on it.
Working Man (Blind Pig), Cummings’s summer of 2006 blockbuster release, is the culmination to date of a guitar hero’s career just taking off. A punchy, stomping cover of Merle Haggard’s blue collar standard ‘Working Man Blues’ brings it all home for the master builder and musician. The swinging Texas blues of ‘Please,’ the instant barroom boogie classic ‘Party Right Here,’ the snaky slow drag ‘Rumors’ and the rousing rocker ‘Feeling End’ show variety well beyond the typical slow blues and shuffles of so much contemporary music. The deeply emotive ballad ‘Last Dance’ that closes the disc.
In July 2015, Cummings released Someone Like You, a 12-track Blind Pig album produced by David Z.
In February 2020, Cummings released his 11-track Provogue Records debut titled Believe, produced by Grammy Award-winning producer Jim Gaines.
Official Website: Albert Cummings
Work It Out
Albert Cummings Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Babe I know there's got to be a way
I think that we can work it out
Babe I know there's got to be a way
Why don't you just sit down and listen babe
Ooo, to what I've got to say.
You've been acting awful strange
You've been acting awful strange
Baby maybe so have I
Why don't just come out and tell me
Aw, what's on your troubled mind.
(guitar solo)
We've gotta talk about this soon
I don't see any other way
We've gotta talk about this soon
I can't see any other way
We've got to get it in the open
Oh, I can't wait another day.
And then we can work it out.
I know there's got to be a way
I figure we can work it out, yeah
Babe I know there's got to be a way
Why don't you just sit down and listen baby,
Ooo, to what I've got to say.
(guitar solo)
The lyrics of Albert Cumming's song "Work It Out" express the belief that a relationship issue can be solved through communication and understanding. The singer attempts to reassure their partner that they can overcome their troubles with a bit of conversation. The repetition of the phrase "there's got to be a way" highlights their determination to find a resolution. The singer acknowledges that they not only have noticed their partner's strange behaviour, but also that they might be part of the problem as well. They encourage their partner to speak their mind, emphasizing the importance of having an honest discussion. The guitar solo provides a musical interlude, adding depth to the song's emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm thinkin' we can work it out
The singer believes there is a solution to their problems
Babe I know there's got to be a way
The singer is confident that they can find a way to solve their issues
I think that we can work it out
The singer has optimism that their problems can be resolved
Babe I know there's got to be a way
The singer is sure that they can overcome the obstacles they are facing
Why don't you just sit down and listen babe
The singer requests their partner to listen attentively to what they have to say
Ooo, to what I've got to say.
The singer wants their partner to hear and understand their perspective
You've been acting awful strange
The singer has noticed that their partner's behavior has been unusual
Baby maybe so have I
The singer admits that they too have been acting differently
You've been acting awful strange
The singer repeats their observation that their partner's behavior has been odd
Baby maybe so have I
The singer reiterates that they are not faultless in their behavior either
Why don't just come out and tell me
The singer implores their partner to communicate openly with them
Aw, what's on your troubled mind.
The singer wants to know what is troubling their partner
We've gotta talk about this soon
The singer believes that discussing their issues is necessary
I don't see any other way
The singer thinks that this is the only solution that can work
We've gotta talk about this soon
The singer reiterates that they need to communicate soon
I can't see any other way
The singer adds that there are no other viable options
We've got to get it in the open
The singer wants their problems to be addressed openly
Oh, I can't wait another day.
The singer emphasizes the urgency of discussing their issues soon
And then we can work it out.
The singer believes that once their issues are addressed, they can find a workable solution
I know there's got to be a way
The singer is still hopeful that there is a solution
I figure we can work it out, yeah
The singer is optimistic that they can achieve a positive outcome
Babe I know there's got to be a way
The singer reassures their partner that they can overcome their obstacles
Why don't you just sit down and listen baby,
The singer urges their partner to take some time to listen to their perspective
Ooo, to what I've got to say.
The singer emphasizes the importance of their partner understanding what they have to convey
Contributed by Andrew P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.