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.
Stormy Monday Blues
Albert King Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yeah, they call it stormy Monday but Tuesday, Tuesday is as just as bad
You know Wednesday is worst, and Thursday, oh so sad
The eagle flies on Friday and Saturday I'll go out to play
Oh, the eagle flies on Friday and Saturday I'll go out to play
The seventh day I'll rest and I'll kneel down to pray
Well, I'll call, "Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy on me"
Well, you know I'm trying to find my baby
Won't you please send her back to me
The eagle flies on Friday and Saturday I'll go out to play
Woah, the eagle flies on Friday and Saturday I'll go out to play
Sunday I'll go to church and I'll kneel down to pray
I'll call, "Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy on me"
Well, I'll call, "Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy on me"
Yeah, you know I'm trying to find my baby
Won't you please send her back to me
Albert King's blues classic "Call It Stormy Monday" is a soulfull song that speaks about the struggles and hardships of everyday life, where you may very well feel defeated or lost. The title of the song refers to the dread associated with Mondays, and the snappy jumping melody starts the tune off on a classic blues note. However, the lyrics connote that Tuesdays could be just as bad, while Wednesday and Thursday can even be worse. The tone and mood of the song are conveyed through King's mournful voice, and the lyrics are a representation of the gloom and despair that one might feel during tough times.
The lyrics then shift with the next verse as the mood lightens, where King notes that on Friday, the eagle flies, and on Saturday, he goes out and plays. This could be interpreted as the notion that the weekend is the time to put worries aside and release some tension. On the seventh day (Sunday), King rest and will kneel down to pray. The final call for mercy could be seen as pleading for a positive outlook or solution. King hopes that someone can help him in his times of need and return his lover to him.
Line by Line Meaning
They call it stormy Monday, but Tuesday is as just as bad
Monday is known for being a hard day, but Tuesday is just as bad
Yeah, they call it stormy Monday but Tuesday, Tuesday is as just as bad
Monday is known for being a hard day, but Tuesday is just as bad
You know Wednesday is worst, and Thursday, oh so sad
Wednesday is even worse than Monday and Tuesday, and Thursday is very sad
The eagle flies on Friday and Saturday I'll go out to play
I'll enjoy myself on Friday and Saturday, like an eagle flying high
Oh, the eagle flies on Friday and Saturday I'll go out to play
I'll enjoy myself on Friday and Saturday, like an eagle flying high
The seventh day I'll rest and I'll kneel down to pray
On the seventh day, I'll rest and pray to the Lord
I'll call, "Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy on me"
I will ask for the Lord's mercy
Well, I'll call, "Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy on me"
I will ask for the Lord's mercy
Well, you know I'm trying to find my baby
Won't you please send her back to me
I am searching for my lost love and asking for divine help to bring her back to me
Woah, the eagle flies on Friday and Saturday I'll go out to play
I'll enjoy myself on Friday and Saturday, like an eagle flying high
Sunday I'll go to church and I'll kneel down to pray
On Sunday, I will go to church and pray to the Lord
Yeah, you know I'm trying to find my baby
Won't you please send her back to me
I am searching for my lost love and asking for divine help to bring her back to me
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Aaron T-Bone Walker
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@chrisbutlersmith9970
I met Gary a few times , I lived about half a mile from him and used to bump into him in the local shop and fuel station and what a fantastic man , he was always socialble and gave you time to chat . RIP Gary not just a great guitarist but also a great man with a kind soul .
@Angel-fz8dr
I cannot begin to imagine how cool it is to be neighbor with one of the all time great guitarists that ever walked the face of this earth!
@chrisbutlersmith9970
Hi Angel thanks for comment and it was cool . Just up the road was a village with a pub who had live bands with a permanent stage set up in the garden . One evening which I missed George Harrison was there and Gary Moore arrived with his guitar and amp and they got on the stage and did a one off Jam . A part of history I missed . Take care and 2 legends missed forever .
@Angel-fz8dr
@@chrisbutlersmith9970 Thanks for the reply, Chris. Hate to say it, but you definitely missed a historic gig that evening. And you are probably still kicking yourself to this day about that. Those legends are long gone, but their music will live forever. Cheers!
@chrisbutlersmith9970
Most definitely do hun and you must like the blues . If you can check out Larry Miller, he used to play with Gary Moore and has gone down the solo route . He has videos on here but not good quality. He is often touring England 🇬🇧. Check out the dates. Love Chris
@tomasaguirre1764
Then you met a Legend.
@tfajsh
Albert King’s voice and guitar licks are like butter. Gary plays with pure fire. Put them together and you get perfection. Rest In Peace amongst the legends!
@josemanuelpalharespostiga5601
Theres's no perfection enought just us & them ( think...)
@MiskoErceg
Yes my friend
@terjebergstrom6038
❤ my heroes199❤