Although Eric Clapton and B.B. King had a 30-plus years friendship originating with a chance meeting and subsequent jam session at New York City's Café Au Go Go in 1967, the idea for a collaborative album only crystallized during the sessions for King's 1997 album Deuces Wild. The resulting record, "Riding with the King", is a stellar event thanks to a wealth of rich material and a solid supporting cast including Jimmie Vaughan, Joe Sample and Steve Gadd.
B.B. King's extensive catalog provides a wellspring of inspiration, including signature songs such as the smoldering "Three O'Clock Blues", alongside lesser-known numbers like the ribald shuffle "Days Of Old", and the Live at the Regal chestnut "Help The Poor". Elsewhere, King and Clapton look to guitarist Big Bill Broonzy (an acoustic "Key to the Highway") and Chicago pianist Maceo Merriweather (the slow-rolling "Worried Life Blues") for inspiration. Even the non-blues numbers are delivered with a rich subtlety befitting these guitar icons' consummate musicianship. John Hiatt's title track becomes a mid-tempo exchange between old friends, while their honeyed vocals on the standard "Come Rain or Come Shine" are worthy of Ray Charles' 1959 version.
"Riding with the King" won the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album.
Official website for B.B. King: www.bbking.com
Official website for Eric Clapton: www.ericclapton.com
I Wanna Be
B.B. King & Eric Clapton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's so much easier to run away.
My mind is spent, my body sold,
Never knowing which way to go
I'm always there for you baby,
Won't you let me see
If we can get closer.
[Chorus:]
I want to be felt by you.
I want to be touched by you.
I want to be loved by you.
I want to be anything you want me to.
Don't mean nothing when you're growing old.
Nobody knows what the future holds.
I am left with a bitter taste,
Torn away from that beautiful chase.
I'm always there for you baby,
Won't you let me see
If we can get closer.
Every day,
[Chorus: x3]
The lyrics of B.B. King and Eric Clapton's song "I Wanna Be" express the singer's inner turmoil and desire for acceptance and love. The song starts with the singer feeling lost and helpless, unsure of which direction to take in life. He finds it easier to run away from his problems than face them, leaving his mind and body feeling exhausted and weak. However, he remains committed to the person he loves, asking her to let him get closer to her and to feel, touch, and love her.
The chorus of the song repeats the singer's desire to be loved and accepted, to the point of being anything his love wants him to be. However, the singer acknowledges the uncertainty of the future and the futility of material possessions and desires in old age. He is left with a bitter taste in his mouth, having been torn away from the pursuit of something beautiful. Nonetheless, he remains devoted to his love, hoping to be closer to her each day.
Overall, "I Wanna Be" is a reflective and passionate song that speaks to the universal human desires for love, acceptance, and belonging. It portrays the complexities of relationships and the struggles of navigating life's uncertainties, all while highlighting the enduring power of love.
Line by Line Meaning
I wander helplessly day by day.
I find myself lost and unsure every day.
It's so much easier to run away.
It's tempting to avoid facing difficulties and escape instead.
My mind is spent, my body sold,
I am exhausted mentally and physically.
Never knowing which way to go
I am directionless and uncertain of my path.
I'm always there for you baby,
I'm a reliable support system in your life.
Won't you let me see
Can't you allow me the opportunity
If we can get closer.
To strengthen our relationship by becoming better acquainted.
Every day,
Each and every day,
I want to be felt by you.
I want to be appreciated and understood by you.
I want to be touched by you.
I want you to have a physical and emotional connection with me.
I want to be loved by you.
I want to have your love and affection.
I want to be anything you want me to.
I am willing to be whatever you need me to be for you.
Don't mean nothing when you're growing old.
Age diminishes the value of many things.
Nobody knows what the future holds.
No one can predict the future with certainty.
I am left with a bitter taste,
I am left feeling hurt or disappointed.
Torn away from that beautiful chase.
Taken away from pursuing something that brought joy.
Chorus: x3
The repetition of the chorus emphasizes the desire and longing for connection and love.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHARLIE SEXTON, D BRAMHALL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Clecio Reis
Há algo incomum, será? Música mostra as duas personalidades na guitarra!
Richard Crasta
This gave me enormous joy and comfort for years around my divorce. (I'm speaking of the entire album, in all its diversity.)
Andras Szekely
Inside every older person there's a younger person wondering what the hell happened.
Music, mood, lyrics so spot on it hurts in a warm, very pleasant, still f@cking painful way.
Vick 14
I'm only 22, and I got hooked on the King and Clapton because of a music class.
John Wavada
That’s proof that music class can be beneficial.
Dan Koehler
RIP B.B. King!
Ike
SAW HIM NOT PUTIN BB LIVE SWE 89
Cake-TEC
This is seriously way too underrated.
Mveli Hlatshwayo
It's criminal
Jan K
TRUTH!