Born Under a Bad Sign
Albert King with Stevie Ray Vaughan Lyrics


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Born under a bad sign
Been down since I begin to crawl
If it wasn't for bad luck
You know I wouldn't have no luck at all

Hard luck and trouble been my only friend
I been on my own ever since I was ten
Born under a bad sign
Been down since I begin to crawl
If it wasn't for bad luck
You know I wouldn't have no luck at all

I can't read, I didn't learn how to write
My whole life has been one big fight

Born under a bad sign
I been down since I begin to crawl
If it wasn't for bad luck
I said, I wouldn't have no luck at all
That ain't no lie

You if it wasn't for bad luck
I wouldn't have no kind-a luck
If it wasn't for real bad luck
I wouldn't have no luck at all

You know wine and women is all I crave
A big legged woman is gonna carry me to my grave

Born under a bad sign
I been down since I begin to crawl
If it wasn't for bad luck
I tell ya I wouldn't have no luck at all





Yeah, my bad luck boy
Been havin' bad luck all of my days, yes

Overall Meaning

Albert King and Stevie Ray Vaughan's song "Born Under A Bad Sign" is a blues classic that speaks to the hardships of life. From the opening line, "born under a bad sign," the song sets an ominous tone. The lyrics go on to describe the singer's struggles with luck and life in general. They explain that their whole life has been one big fight, and that hard luck and trouble have been their only friends. This person has not had an easy life, and the lyrics paint a bleak picture of their circumstances.


Despite the difficult times, the singer doesn't give up hope. They recognize that without the bad luck, they wouldn't have any luck at all. This suggests that they still have hope for the future, even though they are currently experiencing hardship. The lyrics also touch on common themes in blues music, such as alcohol and women. The singer craves these things, but it's not clear whether they find solace in them or if they only add to their problems.


Overall, "Born Under A Bad Sign" is a powerful song about the struggles of life. It speaks to anyone who has experienced hardship and has had to overcome difficult circumstances.


Line by Line Meaning

Born under a bad sign
From the moment I was born, my life has been filled with struggle and disappointment.


Been down since I begin to crawl
I have faced difficulties and hardship for as long as I can remember, from a very early age.


If it wasn't for bad luck
Despite trying my best, things never seem to go my way and I often find myself facing misfortune.


You know I wouldn't have no luck at all
Without bad luck, I would have no luck whatsoever.


Hard luck and trouble been my only friend
Throughout my life, I have experienced hardship and challenges, and it has become a constant companion to me.


I been on my own ever since I was ten
I have had to learn to navigate life's difficulties on my own, without any real support or guidance.


I can't read, I didn't learn how to write
I have struggled with education and intellectual pursuits, likely due to the many hardships I have faced in life.


My whole life has been one big fight
My life has been a constant struggle and I have had to fight for everything I have ever had.


You if it wasn't for bad luck
If it weren't for my many experiences of hardship and struggle, I wouldn't have any experiences of luck at all.


I said, I wouldn't have no luck at all
Without bad luck, I truly believe I would have no luck at all.


That ain't no lie
I am speaking the truth when I say that bad luck has been a constant companion in my life.


You know wine and women is all I crave
Because of my difficult life, I seek comfort and pleasure in earthly pleasures like alcohol and relationships with women.


A big legged woman is gonna carry me to my grave
I am so consumed with seeking pleasure in life that it may very well be the death of me.


Yeah, my bad luck boy
I am intimately familiar with bad luck and the many ways it has impacted my life.


Been havin' bad luck all of my days, yes
From the moment I was born until now, I have been faced with incredible challenge, hardship, and bad luck.




Contributed by Owen M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Edgar Medina MX

Born Under a Bad Sign
Albert King

Born under a bad sign
Been down since I begin to crawl
If it wasn't for bad luck
You know I wouldn't have no luck at all

Hard luck and trouble is my only friend
I've been on my own ever since I was ten
Born under a bad sign
Been down since I begin to crawl
If it wasn't for bad luck
You know I wouldn't have no luck at all

I can't read, haven't learned how to write
My whole life has been one big fight
Born under a bad sign
I been down since I begin to crawl
If it wasn't for bad luck
I say I wouldn't have no luck at all

I ain't no lyin'

You know if it wasn't for bad luck
I wouldn't have no kinda luck
If it wasn't for real bad luck
I wouldn't have no luck at all

You know, wine and women is all I crave
A big-legged woman is gonna carry me to my grave
Born under a bad sign
I been down since I begin to crawl
If it wasn't for bad luck
I tell I wouldn't have no luck at all

Yeah, my bad luck boy
Been havin' bad luck all of my days, yes.



All comments from YouTube:

Beckoning Oblivion

I don't see nearly enough people giving props to the bassist. The whole building could be coming down on them and dude would keep playing. Solid as hell. Aside from that, I can never get enough of these two. So great.

Jr

Beckoning Oblivion gorgeous bass playing. Not over stated, but anything less and you’d be hurting for more bass. The perfect mix

Pablo Percebe

Yeeeeah dude

Claude Arthur

Yeah you right

Adrián Goizueta

de acuerdo con vos, sin el bajista esto no sería nada! sin desmerecer a los maravillosos Stevie y Albert

Maxi Aquí y Ahora!

tight as submarine bolt!

43 More Replies...

Kenneth Kennard

You know an old school player is the man when SRV is playing rhythm for him.

Rene DeVilliers

Well, if you watch and listen they were trading solos...one of my favorite things about this pairing is their styles were so unique yet complimentary that even without the video you can tell who took the lead. As distinguishable as a duet in singing

Christian e.g.

he and another blues legend are the ones who taught Stevie to play. He says in another part of this concert: "I remember when you were a kid and you used to hang out at the sound studio when we used to jam and listen to us, so one day we handed you a guitar"

GrikWorldNomad

So true! SRV is looking over at Albert as if to say I'm trying my best to keep up.

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