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.
I'm Ready
Albert King Lyrics
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I'm ready, ready as anybody can be
Now I'm ready for you, I hope you're ready for me
I got an axe handle pistol built on a graveyard frame
Shootin' tombstone bullets, wearin' ball and chain
I'm drinkin' TNT, smokin' dynamite, I hope some screwball start a fight
Now I'm ready for you, I hope you're ready for me
All you pretty little chicks with your pretty little hair,
I know you think that I ain't nowhere
But stop what your doin' an' look over here,
I'll prove to ya, baby, that I ain't no square
I'm ready, ready as anybody can be
Now I'm ready for you, I hope you're ready for me
I been drinkin' gin like never before
I feel so good, babe, I want you to know
One more drink, and I wish you would
I takes a whole lotta lovin' to make me feel good, 'cause
I'm ready, ready as anybody can be
Now I'm ready for you, I hope you're ready for me
"I'm Ready" by Albert King is a classic blues anthem of lust and swagger, where the singer declares his readiness to take on whatever comes his way, be it a fight or a romantic encounter. In the first stanza, King boldly proclaims his readiness, saying that he is ready "as anybody can be." He then goes on to describe himself as wielding an "axe handle pistol" and "shootin' tombstone bullets," indicating that he's not to be trifled with. He then goes on to mention his love for volatile substances like TNT and dynamite, hoping that someone will start a fight with him.
In the second stanza, King addresses the women in the audience, telling them not to judge him by his appearance. He then goes on to declare his readiness once again and emphasizes his love for gin. He finishes off the song by saying he needs a lot of love to feel good, ultimately expressing his desire for a woman to come and make him feel good.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm ready, ready as anybody can be
I am fully prepared and eager for any challenge or situation.
I'm ready, ready as anybody can be
I am confident in my abilities and ready to take on anything or anyone.
Now I'm ready for you, I hope you're ready for me
I am looking forward to facing you, and I hope you are prepared to face me as well.
I got an axe handle pistol built on a graveyard frame
I have a powerful and deadly weapon that is made from the remnants of the deceased.
Shootin' tombstone bullets, wearin' ball and chain
I am firing ammunition that is capable of breaking through solid rock, and I am also shackled by the weight of my own mistakes.
I'm drinkin' TNT, smokin' dynamite, I hope some screwball start a fight
I am consuming highly explosive and dangerous substances and am hoping that someone instigates a confrontation with me.
All you pretty little chicks with your pretty little hair,
Referring to women who may have underestimated him due to his appearance or reputation as a troublemaker.
I know you think that I ain't nowhere
I am aware that you believe I am not worthy of your attention or affection.
But stop what your doin' an' look over here,
I am asking them to take a moment and see that I am worth their time and attention.
I'll prove to ya, baby, that I ain't no square
I will show them that I am not a boring or uninteresting person.
I been drinkin' gin like never before
I have been heavily indulging in alcohol more than ever.
I feel so good, babe, I want you to know
I am feeling great and want to share that feeling with someone else.
One more drink, and I wish you would
I am suggesting that if they also indulge in alcohol, they may be more likely to reciprocate my feelings or actions.
I takes a whole lotta lovin' to make me feel good, 'cause
I require a lot of affection or attention in order to feel satisfied.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Willie Dixon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind