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.
Breaking Up Somebody's Home
Albert King Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On a rainy night like this
Starving for your love
Hungry for just one kiss
Heavy rains up ahead
On my window pane
Beats so loud and clear
I got nowhere to turn to
Tired of being alone
I feel like breaking up
Somebody's home
I know it's useless
Hanging on when
You belong to someone else
Can't control the feeling
Cause after all
I didn't make myself, yeah
Last night, I cried so hard
I believe I caught a chill
Can't control the vibration
My heart just won't stand still
I got nowhere to turn to
Tired of being alone
I feel like breaking up
Somebody's home, yeah, yeah
I know you hear me talking
I'm getting awful lonesome here
I know it's useless
Hanging on when you
Belong to someone else
Can't control the vibration
Cause after all
I didn't make myself
Got nowhere to turn to
Tired of being alone
Feel like breaking up
Somebody's home, yeah
The song "Breaking Up Somebody's Home" by Albert King is about a man who is home alone on a rainy night, yearning for the love of someone who belongs to another. The heavy rain on his window pane serves as a reminder of his desire for the person, and he can't control his feelings. He knows that it's useless to hang on to someone who belongs to another, but he can't help breaking up somebody's home to find love.
As the song progresses, the man continues to express his loneliness and desire for this person. He can't control the vibrations in his heart, and he feels like he's catching a chill from crying so hard. The repetition of the statement "I got nowhere to turn to, tired of being alone" sums up the man's feelings of hopelessness and desperation.
The lyrics in this song are relatable to anyone who has experienced unrequited love or has had their heart broken. The bluesy melody and soulful vocals of Albert King add to the emotional depth of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Laying round home alone
Sitting alone at home
On a rainy night like this
On a rainy night
Starving for your love
Craving for love
Hungry for just one kiss
Desiring a kiss
Heavy rains up ahead
Heavy rain coming
On my window pane
On the window
Beats so loud and clear
Loud and clear
Words just spelled your name
Words remind me of you
I got nowhere to turn to
Have nowhere to go
Tired of being alone
Sick of being alone
I feel like breaking up
I want to mess up
Somebody's home
A relationship between two people
I know it's useless
It's pointless
Hanging on when
Holding on to
You belong to someone else
You are already in a relationship
Can't control the feeling
Can't suppress the feeling
Cause after all
Because ultimately
I didn't make myself, yeah
I am who I am
Last night, I cried so hard
Cried a lot last night
I believe I caught a chill
I think I caught a cold
Can't control the vibration
Can't stop the emotions
My heart just won't stand still
My heart is pounding
I know you hear me talking
I know you can hear me
I'm getting awful lonesome here
Feeling very lonely
Got nowhere to turn to
No place to go
Feel like breaking up
Wish to ruin
Somebody's home, yeah
Someone else's relationship
Contributed by London N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@diegopignanessi2913
Laying around home alone
On a rainy night like this
Starving for your love
Hungry for just one kiss
Every raindrop I hear
On my window pane yeah
Beats so loud and clear
Why does it tell your name?
I got nowhere to turn to
Tired of being alone
I feel like breaking up somebody's home
I know it's useless
Hanging on to you
When you belong to someone else
Can't control the feelin'
Cause after all I didn't make it myself
Last night I cried so hard
I believe I caught a chill
Can't control the vibration
My heart just won't stand still
Got nowhere to turn to
I'm tired of being alone
I feel like breaking up somebody's home
I know you hear me talkin'
I know it's useless
Hanging on to you
When you belong to someone else
Can't control the vibration
Cause after all I didn't make it myself
Got nowhere to turn to
I'm tired of being alone
I feel like breaking up somebody's home
@petec9686
There may be more talented guitarists, but NOBODY can make a guitar sing like Albert. Every note he plays is a masterpiece.
@nippahut
amen to that !!
@sebasdebordeaux8347
yeeeees!!
@e.jonson8351
Also, he was a real nice man.
@marysanders3380
I remember him in 1974 in Harvey, IL playing in our backyard with his amplifier.. Bluesmen didn't carry large group of people like they do today.
😒
@odeiasanders8950
Not tru listen Johnny Guitar Watson...
@diegopignanessi2913
Laying around home alone
On a rainy night like this
Starving for your love
Hungry for just one kiss
Every raindrop I hear
On my window pane yeah
Beats so loud and clear
Why does it tell your name?
I got nowhere to turn to
Tired of being alone
I feel like breaking up somebody's home
I know it's useless
Hanging on to you
When you belong to someone else
Can't control the feelin'
Cause after all I didn't make it myself
Last night I cried so hard
I believe I caught a chill
Can't control the vibration
My heart just won't stand still
Got nowhere to turn to
I'm tired of being alone
I feel like breaking up somebody's home
I know you hear me talkin'
I know it's useless
Hanging on to you
When you belong to someone else
Can't control the vibration
Cause after all I didn't make it myself
Got nowhere to turn to
I'm tired of being alone
I feel like breaking up somebody's home
@johnmcgloson6570
Lord have mercy I remember my mom singing this back when I was little rip momma ❤️❤️❤️
@cuzinp7721
All I can say is I grew up on this it still sounds good today
@mariesims6508
My Daddy Play This Song EveryDay