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.
The Feeling
Albert King Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Feelings, nothing more than feelings,
trying to forget my feelings of love.
Teardrops rolling down on my face,
trying to forget my feelings of love.
Feelings, for all my life I'll feel it.
Feelings, wo-o-o feelings,
wo-o-o, feel you again in my arms.
Feelings, feelings like I've never lost you
and feelings like I've never have you again in my heart.
Feelings, for all my life I'll feel it.
I wish I've never met you, girl; you'll never come again.
Feelings, feelings like I've never lost you
and feelings like I've never have you again in my life.
Feelings, wo-o-o feelings,
wo-o-o, feelings again in my arms.
Feelings...(repeat & fade)
The lyrics to Albert King's "The Feeling" is a sentiment of love and heartbreak. The first lines state that "Feelings, nothing more than feelings, trying to forget my feelings of love," with the repetition of the word 'feelings' almost acting as a way to emphasize how overwhelming these emotions are. The emotion that the singer is trying to forget is that of love, which is a very powerful feeling that can be both exhilarating and devastating. The second verse talks about this feeling being something he'll feel for all his life, and how he wishes he had never met the girl that caused him to feel this way. The chorus then repeats the word 'feelings' and the singer expresses his desire to feel the girl in his arms once again. The third verse then talks about how the singer feels like he has lost the girl, but also feels like he will never have her again in his heart or in his life.
The lyrics convey the intense emotions that come with being in love and experiencing heartbreak. The repetition of the word 'feelings' adds to the emphasis of how overwhelming these emotions can be. It is clear that the singer is experiencing deep pain and longing for something that he can never have. The song is a reminder of the fragility of love and the pain that can come with it.
Line by Line Meaning
Feelings, nothing more than feelings,
Emotions, just a mere sensation, devoid of any deeper meaning.
trying to forget my feelings of love.
Attempting to erase memories of affection towards someone.
Teardrops rolling down on my face,
Crying and displaying outward manifestations of emotional distress.
trying to forget my feelings of love.
Attempting to erase memories of affection towards someone.
Feelings, for all my life I'll feel it.
Sensations that will persist throughout one's existence.
I wish I've never met you, girl; you'll never come again.
Regretting the encounter and realizing it can never be repeated.
Feelings, wo-o-o feelings,
Experiencing intangible emotions.
wo-o-o, feel you again in my arms.
Longing to hold and be near someone once again.
Feelings, feelings like I've never lost you
Emotions that make it seem as though nothing has been missed or gone.
and feelings like I've never have you again in my heart.
But also feelings of never being able to feel the same intensity of affection again.
Feelings, for all my life I'll feel it.
Sensations that will persist throughout one's existence.
I wish I've never met you, girl; you'll never come again.
Regretting the encounter and realizing it can never be repeated.
Feelings, feelings like I've never lost you
Emotions that make it seem as though nothing has been missed or gone.
and feelings like I've never have you again in my life.
But also feelings of never being able to have the same degree of connection and love again.
Feelings, wo-o-o feelings,
Experiencing intangible emotions.
wo-o-o, feelings again in my arms.
Desiring to once again hold and embrace someone who evokes powerful emotions.
Feelings...(repeat & fade)
Continuing to experience these emotions, with no end in sight.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Miguel A.
The feeling is gone, there's the keys to your door
The feeling is gone away, there's the key to your door
Oh, I've got to leave you woman
I can't take no more
The feeling is gone, I won't be a fool again
The feeling is gone away, I won't be a full again
Oh, I'm tired of you dogging me arround
And listening to all your friends
Have you heard that old saying:
'Every dawn has its day'?
And one day you'll realize
You threw a good love away
The feeling is gone, you can wave my love goodbye
The feeling is gone away, you can wave my love goodbye
Oh, there's no explanation darling
You know the reason why
The feeling is gone
I said the feeling is gone away (x2)
Someday you'll realize, babe...
You threw a good love away
José Francisco De Paula
Grande bluesman!! Excelente!! Varginha, MG - Brasil
Fernanda Alves
eu amo essa música 😍😍😍
Dailtóteles Filo
Bom demais!!!!
Michael Clark
News flash: B.B. King's 1970 version of "The Thrill is Gone" was a cover of Roy Hawkins' 1951 song of the same name written by Hawkins and Rick Darnell. They probably lifted most of it from a 1931 song by Broadway songwriters Lew Brown and Ray Henderson. There are many old blues songs out there with countless versions and variations that have their roots in the time before audio recording was invented and copyright of old folk songs was rarely a thought of the musicians who performed them live.
John E. Silverstack
Let the BLUES heal your SOUL!!!!!!!!!
Cora Visser
incredible good this music love it.
Alex Vior
Masterpiece
charlie picaut
Big piece ! Thanks a lot for sharing, alejandro !
I didn't know this song and it evokes me "The Thrill Is Gone" of B.B. King. (maybe it's a kind of tribute to the B.B. standard)
studio version ( maybe the first soul/blues track with strings arrangement in december 1969 ) :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEmi8dkD1BQ
mythic live version in Cook County Jail (recorded in september 1970) :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpuqM035Abw
Stefan Schleps
My favorite King's. Albert and Freddie. You know Albert on the first note. Like all the kings. Thanks for uploading. From Vienna. Peace.
Jonathan Tom
Underrated song