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
When My Heart Beats Like a Hammer
B.B. King & Eric Clapton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And my eyes get full of tears
Oh, when
When my heart starts beating like a hammer
And my eyes get full of tears
You know you've only been gone twenty-four hours, baby
Oh, but it seems like
Now, if I ever mistreated you, baby
You know I didn't mean no harm
Oh, if I ever mistreated you, baby
God knows, I didn't mean no harm
You know, I'm just a little country boy, baby
And I was raised right down
On the cotton farm
Oh, you give me so much trouble, baby
Baby, that I don't know
What to do
Oh, you give me so much trouble, baby
Baby, I don't know
I don't know what to do
Oh, I ain't got nothing, I ain't got nothing now, baby
Babe, and it's all on
It's all on account of you
"When My Heart Beats Like a Hammer" is a song co-written and recorded by B.B. King in 1955. Since then, the song has been covered by numerous artists, including King's friend and collaborator, Eric Clapton. The lyrics of the song describe the extreme emotional state of the singer when he is separated from his love. The lines "when my heart starts beating like a hammer" and "my eyes get full of tears" suggest that the singer is deeply pained and hurt by the separation. The juxtaposition of feeling so intensely after only being separated for 24 hours adds to the dramatic effect of the song.
The lyrics of the song also have an apologetic tone, with the singer asking for forgiveness if he has ever mistreated his lover. The lines "if I ever mistreated you, baby, you know I didn't mean no harm" show his willingness to take responsibility for his actions and his desire to make things right. However, the singer also acknowledges his humble origins with the line "you know, I'm just a little country boy, baby, and I was raised right down on the cotton farm."
Overall, "When My Heart Beats Like a Hammer" is a powerful and emotional song that reflects on the intense pain and regret that can come with separation from a loved one.
Line by Line Meaning
When my heart starts beating like a hammer
When my heart is pounding with intensity
And my eyes get full of tears
And my eyes become filled with tears of emotion
Oh, when
Oh, at that moment
You know you've only been gone twenty-four hours, baby
You have only been away for a day, my love
Oh, but it seems like
Oh, it feels like
It seems like a million years
It feels like an everlasting duration
Now, if I ever mistreated you, baby
If in any case, I have wronged you
You know I didn't mean no harm
I did not intend to cause any harm, my love
Oh, if I ever mistreated you, baby
Oh, in case I ever did you wrong
God knows, I didn't mean no harm
It was never my intention to cause harm or hurt you, my love
You know, I'm just a little country boy, baby
I am just a simple country boy, my love
And I was raised right down
And I was brought up right around
On the cotton farm
On a farm where cotton was grown
Oh, you give me so much trouble, baby
Oh, you bring me so much distress and turmoil, my love
Baby, that I don't know
My love, to the point where I am unsure
What to do
Of what actions I should take
Oh, I ain't got nothing, I ain't got nothing now, baby
Oh, I have nothing, I am left with nothing, my love
Babe, and it's all on
It is because of
It's all on account of you
You are the reason for this, my love
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Jules Bihari, Riley B. King
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@faicalnagat5623
When my heart starts beating
Like a hammer
And my eyes get full of tears
Oohw, when my heart starts beating like a hammer
And my eyes get full of tears
You know
You've only been gone
Twenty-four hours, baby
Oohw, but it seems like
It seems like a million years
Now if I ever mistreated you, baby
You know
I didn't mean no harm
Oohw, if I ever mistreated you, baby
God knows
I didn't mean no harm
You know, I'm just a little
Country boy, baby
And I was raised right down
On the cotton farm
Oohw, you give me so much trouble, baby
Babe, that I don't know
"what to do"
Oohw, you give me so much trouble, baby
Baby, I don't know
"I don't know what to do"
Oohw, I ain't got nothing
I ain't got nothing now, baby
Babe, and it's all on
It's all on account of you
@faicalnagat4890
When my heart starts to beat like a hammer
And my eyes get full of tears
Oh when my heart starts to beat like a hammer
And my eyes get full of tears
You know you've only been gone 24 hours baby
And baby it seems like a million years
Now if I ever mistreated you baby
You know I didn't mean no harm
Oh if I ever mistreated you baby
God knows I didn't mean no harm
You know I'm just a little country boy baby
And I was raised right down on the cotton farm
Oh you give me so much trouble baby
Baby I don't know what to do
Oh you give me so much trouble baby
Baby I don't know I don't know what to do
I ain't got nothing I ain't got nothing now baby
Baby it's all over and it's all on account of you
@DakotaShadow
This is why I love blues music.
@bebewilliams
Eric Clapton and bbking you guys look legend your voice is awesome
@presstoplay9002
Two Kings!
@devinallen9731
i remember listening to this with my oldest uncle in 1977 Chevrolet c10 when I was 7 years old so it brings back memories #Rip #youarereallymissed
@craigbennetts3737
Sadly missed,good blues will live forever!!!
@murph5438
Sadly missed---The great one
-thank you for all the magnificent stuff -- rip@ike9854
PUTIN POISSON DRINK OF ROBERT JOHNSON
@SummersPep
and it does seem like a million years, so honest. ;)
@clarissapascale4251
The Best ❤
@helloVorld1212
OH MAN that clapton solo :O