One of the "Three Kings of the Blues Guitar" (along with B.B. King and Freddie King), Albert King stood 6' 4", weighed 250 lbs and was known as "The Velvet Bulldozer". He was born Albert Nelson on a cotton plantation in Indianola, Mississippi. During his childhood he would sing at a family gospel group at a church. One of 13 children, King grew up picking cotton on plantations near Forrest City, Arkansas where the family moved when he was eight years old. He began his professional work as a musician with a group called In The Groove Boys in Osceola, Arkansas. He had also briefly played drums for Jimmy Reed's band and on several early Reed recordings. Influenced by blues musicians Blind Lemon Jefferson and Lonnie Johnson, but also interestingly Hawaiian music, the electric guitar became his signature instrument, his preference being the Gibson Flying V, which he named "Lucy".
King was a left-handed "upside-down/backwards" guitarist. He was left-handed, but usually played right-handed guitars flipped over upside-down so the low E string was on the bottom. In later years he played a custom-made guitar that was basically left-handed, but had the strings reversed (as he was used to playing). He also used very unorthodox tunings (i.e., tuning as low as C to allow him to make sweeping string bends). Some believe that he was using open E minor tuning (C-B-E-G-B-E) or open F tuning (C-F-C-F-A-D). A "less is more" type blues player, he was known for his expressive "bending" of notes, a technique characteristic of blues guitarists.
He recorded his first record in 1953 for Parrot Records in Chicago, but it had no impact. His first minor hit came in 1959 with Lonely Man written by Bobbin Records A&R man and fellow guitar hero Little Milton, responsible for King's signing with the label. However, it was not until his 1961 release Don't Throw Your Love on Me So Strong that he had a major hit, reaching number fourteen on the U.S. Billboard R&B chart. In 1966 he signed with the Stax record label. Produced by Al Jackson, Jr., King with Booker T. & the MG's recorded dozens of influential sides, such as Crosscut Saw and As The Years Go Passing By, and in 1967 Stax released the album, Born Under a Bad Sign. The title track of that album (written by Booker T. Jones and William Bell) became King's best known songs and has been covered by many other artists.
Another landmark album followed in Live Wire/Blues Power from one of many dates King played at promoter Bill Graham's Fillmore venues. It had a wide and long-term influence on Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Robbie Robertson, and later Gary Moore and Stevie Ray Vaughan (Criminal World, on David Bowie's 1983 release Let's Dance, features a guitar solo copied note-for-note from his hero Albert King by young session musician Stevie Ray Vaughan).
In the 1970s, King was teamed with members of The Bar-Kays and The Movement (Isaac Hayes's backing group), including bassist James Alexander and drummer Willie Hall adding strong funk elements to his music. Adding strings and multiple rhythm guitarists, producers Allen Jones and Henry Bush created a wall of sound that contrasted the sparse, punchy records King made with Booker T. & the MG's. Among these was another of King's signature tunes with I'll Play the Blues For You in 1972.
Recorded in December 1983, In Session captures an in-concert jam between Albert King and Stevie Ray Vaughan
As he hit his mid-sixties King began to muse about retirement, not unreasonable given that he had health problems. Nevertheless, when near to death, he was planning yet another overseas tour.
King died on December 21, 1992 from a heart attack in Memphis, Tennessee.
All The Way Down
Albert King Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You know I feel so bad
Because I just lost, I just lost
The best woman I ever had
I'm gonna buy me a ticket
Just as long as I am told
Oh, I'm gonna buy me a ticket, buddy
I'm going to the train station
And I'm gonna catch that old cannonball
The lyrics of Albert King's song "All The Way Down" depict the heartache of losing someone special. The artist expresses a deep sense of sadness and remorse for losing the best woman he ever had. The pain he feels is palpable, and he wishes he could turn back time to fix things. The repetition of the lines "You know I feel so bad" communicates the depth of his emotions, as if he is desperately trying to make sense of what happened.
The song then takes a turn as the artist decides to buy a ticket to the train station, ready to catch the old cannonball. It's unclear where he is headed or why, but the act of leaving behind his troubles and starting fresh might be the best way for him to cope. The use of the term "cannonball" suggests that he might be taking a risk or embarking on a dangerous journey, but he is determined to move forward.
"All The Way Down" is an emotional and poignant song that captures the feeling of heartbreak and the struggle to move on. It's a timeless classic that continues to resonate with audiences today.
Line by Line Meaning
You know I feel so bad
I am extremely upset and distressed
You know I feel so bad
My sadness is overwhelming and unmistakable
Because I just lost, I just lost
The best woman I ever had
The reason for my intense emotions is that I have recently ended a relationship with the person who was most important to me
I'm gonna buy me a ticket
Just as long as I am told
To try and find some relief, I am planning to embark on a journey, provided I am given clear directions
Oh, I'm gonna buy me a ticket, buddy
Just as long as I am told
I am determined to leave my current situation behind and start anew, but will need guidance along the way
I'm going to the train station
And I'm gonna catch that old cannonball
My plan is to take a train, specifically the old cannonball, to escape my troubles and move forward with my life
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Albert King, John Mayall
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind