Born Under a Bad Sign
B.B. King/John Lee Hooker Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Born under a bad sign
Been down since I began 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 been on my own ever since I was ten
Born under a bad sign
Been down since I began to crawl
If it wasn't for bad luck, 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 began 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 know if it wasn't for bad luck I wouldn't have no kind o' 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 wouldn't have no luck at all





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

Overall Meaning

The song "Born Under A Bad Sign" sung by B.B. King/John Lee Hooker is a song that embodies the life of someone who has been dealt a difficult hand from the very beginning. The singer in the song expresses his feelings of bad luck and how it has been the defining factor of his life. He claims that he has been down since the day he began to crawl, indicating a perpetual state of hardship. He also acknowledges that his only friend is hard luck and trouble, and he's been on his own ever since he was ten years old.


The singer talks about his inability to read and write, which suggests a lack of education and opportunities. He also shares his struggles with bad luck and how it's the reason behind all his troubles. The singer craves wine and women and talks about lust being the only thing that keeps him going. He concludes by saying that he has had bad luck throughout his life, and it's something that he has come to accept as a part of his being.


Overall, the song "Born Under A Bad Sign" is a poignant interpretation of the life of a person who has had to struggle with bad luck and hardship throughout their existence. It captures the frustration and helplessness of someone who has been dealt a challenging hand in life and has had to find ways to survive and cope with these difficulties.


Line by Line Meaning

Born under a bad sign
I have been cursed since birth


Been down since I began to crawl
I have been struggling since I was a baby


If it wasn't for bad luck, you know I wouldn't have no luck at all
My luck is so bad, it's the only kind of luck I have


Hard luck and trouble is my only friend
I am constantly dealing with misfortune and difficulty


I been on my own ever since I was ten
I have had to fend for myself from a young age


I can't read, haven't learned how to write
I never received a proper education


My whole life has been one big fight
Life has been a continuous struggle for me


That ain't no lie
I am telling the truth


You know if it wasn't for bad luck I wouldn't have no kind o' luck
If anything good happens to me, it is by sheer chance


If it wasn't for real bad luck, I wouldn't have no luck at all
I am so unlucky that if it weren't for the worst kind of luck, I would have none at all


You know wine and women is all I crave
My only pleasures come from drinking and being with women


A big legged woman is gonna carry me to my grave
I am so obsessed with women that it will be the death of me


Yeah, my bad luck boy
I am the epitome of bad luck


Been havin' bad luck all of my days, yes
I have never experienced anything but misfortune




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BOOKER T. JONES, WILLIAM BELL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

More Versions