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.
Drowning On Dry Land
Albert King Lyrics
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I'm going down, down, baby. My nose is in the sand
A cloud of dust just came over me
and I think I'm drowning on dry land
You know, my father told me, son don't rush to be a man
You know, my father told me, son don't you rush to be a man
But I went ahead on, and now I think I'm drowning on dry land
You know my mother told me the story,
about that lil' dog that couldn't see too well
He was crossing a railroad track one day,
when the train cut off a part of his tail
He turned around but never looked up, just to peep over the rail
And she said he lost his whole head
trying to find a little piece of tail
That's why I'm going down, my nose is in the sand
A could of dust just came over me
And now I think I'm drowning on dry land
The lyrics to Albert King's song "Drowning On Dry Land" are a reflection of a man who is struggling in life. He feels like he's sinking, with his "nose in the sand" and a "cloud of dust" coming over him. The metaphorical drowning on dry land suggests that he is suffocating under the weight of life's challenges, even though he's supposed to be standing on solid ground. The lyrics reflect his frustration and despair, as he struggles to keep his head above water.
The song then shifts to a reflective tone, as the man recalls the advice his parents gave him. His father cautioned him not to rush to be a man, but he ignored the advice and now feels like he's paying the price. The story his mother shares about the little dog is a metaphor for the man's own situation. The dog lost its whole head trying to find a little piece of tail, and similarly, the man has lost himself in the pursuit of something he thought was important, but ultimately proved to be insignificant. The "little piece of tail" could be a metaphor for success, love, or material possessions.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm going down. My nose is in the sand
I am sinking lower and lower into despair. The world seems to be moving without me and I feel trapped, unable to keep afloat. I am metaphorically drowning, feeling like I am being crushed under the weight of my problems.
I'm going down, down, baby. My nose is in the sand
The repetition of 'going down' emphasizes the severity of the situation. The singer feels like he is spiraling out of control and cannot find solid ground. His 'nose in the sand' represents his avoidance of reality and the looming issues he has yet to face.
A cloud of dust just came over me
and I think I'm drowning on dry land
The cloud of dust symbolizes the confusion and chaos of life that can quickly consume someone. Even though the singer is on 'dry land', he feels like he is suffocating and unable to breathe. He is overwhelmed and does not know how to handle his situation.
You know, my father told me, son don't rush to be a man
The artist's father warned him against growing up too quickly, of the dangers of trying to take on too much too soon. However, the artist ignored this advice and now regrets it.
You know, my father told me, son don't you rush to be a man
The repetition of the previous line reinforces the fact that the artist's father tried to warn him against making the same mistakes he did when he was younger. The father wants his son to learn from his experiences and not repeat them.
But I went ahead on, and now I think I'm drowning on dry land
Despite his father's advice, the singer went ahead and made his own mistakes, landing him in his current situation. He feels lost and helpless, like he is drowning even though he is not in water.
You know my mother told me the story,
about that lil' dog that couldn't see too well
The singer's mother shares a cautionary tale with him to teach him an important lesson. The story is about a small dog that was not able to see properly.
He was crossing a railroad track one day,
when the train cut off a part of his tail
The dog becomes a metaphor for the artist, as they both faced tragic circumstances. The train represents the obstacles and challenges in life that can cause trauma and loss.
He turned around but never looked up, just to peep over the rail
And she said he lost his whole head
trying to find a little piece of tail
The dog's fatal mistake was not looking up, focusing solely on a small part of his surroundings. This led to his death. The mother uses this story to warn her son about the dangers of losing sight of the bigger picture, and becoming too focused on one aspect of life.
That's why I'm going down, my nose is in the sand
A could of dust just came over me
And now I think I'm drowning on dry land
The final lines reinforce the artist's feelings of despair and hopelessness. He is unable to pull himself out of his current situation and feels trapped. He is lost, adrift, and alone in his struggles.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALLEN ALVOID JR. JONES, MICKEY GREGORY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind