B.B. Blues
B.B. King Lyrics


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My baby woke up this mornin'
Said B, you must clean up and go
Well, my baby woke up this mornin'
Said B, you must clean up and go

'Cause the way that you been doin'
Can't take those treatments no more
If you ever lay down at night
And wake up cold and [?]
Your baby's gone and left you
She had another man

Why, I'm gonna move to the deep blue sea
Well, I'm tired of being all alone and livin' in misery

Well, when I woke up this mornin'
She was sittin' down before the glass
And when I start to talk
All she would do was laugh

I'm gonna change my ways




I'm gonna move to the deep blue sea
Well, I'm tired of being all alone and livin' in misery

Overall Meaning

In B.B. King's "B.B. Blues," the singer wakes up to his partner telling him that he must "clean up and go" because the way he's been behaving and treating her is intolerable. She's fed up with the mistreatment, and she lets him know that she can't take it anymore. The partner then offers some advice - if he's ever "laid down at night and wake up cold and lonesome," it's probably because she's left him for another man. These lyrics illustrate the consequence that comes from mistreating someone you love - they will eventually leave you. The singer is left feeling alone and miserable, prompting him to make some changes in his behavior, which he hopes would lead to him not feeling so alone anymore. King's slow, bluesy guitar style adds to the melancholic mood of the song.


Line by Line Meaning

My baby woke up this mornin'
My significant other woke up this morning


Said B, you must clean up and go
Informed me that I must leave and end our relationship


Well, my baby woke up this mornin'
Again mentioned that my significant other woke up this morning


Said B, you must clean up and go
Repeated the statement that I must leave and end our relationship


'Cause the way that you been doin'
Because of the way that I have been behaving


Can't take those treatments no more
My significant other can no longer tolerate my behavior


If you ever lay down at night
When you lay down to sleep at night


And wake up cold and [?]
And wake up feeling alone and uncared for


Your baby's gone and left you
Your significant other has left you


She had another man
She has found new love with someone else


Why, I'm gonna move to the deep blue sea
I am going to metaphorically leave and find refuge in the deep blue sea


Well, I'm tired of being all alone and livin' in misery
I am exhausted from being alone and unhappy


Well, when I woke up this mornin'
When I woke up today


She was sittin' down before the glass
She was in front of the mirror, possibly admiring her appearance


And when I start to talk
And when I tried to communicate with her


All she would do was laugh
She would only respond with laughter, possibly indicating that she has already mentally checked out of the relationship


I'm gonna change my ways
I am going to alter my behavior


I'm gonna move to the deep blue sea
Reiterating that I am going to metaphorically leave and find refuge in the deep blue sea


Well, I'm tired of being all alone and livin' in misery
Reinforcing that I am exhausted from being alone and unhappy




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS

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Comments from YouTube:

@cosmicjenny4508

I must say... that's a SMASHING blouse you have on!

@awhiskybond8545

No way! That’s the exact part I’m watching whilst playing this on my phone. Wild!

@sodablower

Oh well that's just effing marvelous!

@v85rawdeal

BB King - The ORIGINAL Hammersmith Hardman

@ICHIBAN-cz8ih

@Scottch Mist that's him baby

@946jean

Early B.B. King !! Very good !!! Thank you for posting.

@GlenGlingo9

They play this at car-swapping parties.

@ICHIBAN-cz8ih

You don't have a wife

That's why I came home on the bus

@Adam-XL

It has a certain robustness that demands attention....possibly medical!

@hawkleytomunculus228

"Get the ambulance!"
"We haven't got an ambulance!"

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