Bayless Rose is far more mysterious than Geechie Wiley, if that can be beli… Read Full Bio ↴Bayless Rose is far more mysterious than Geechie Wiley, if that can be believed. While having one more side than Ms. Wiley in his oeuvre, nothing more is known about the man, not even if he was black or white! If anything, Rose's work shows the inanity of designating music of his time period as being either "black" or "white"; country or blues. "Jamestown Exhibition" shares as much with the (white) Frank Hutchinson's bluesy slide guitar as it does with the (black) Mississippi John Hurt's "countrified" picking.

Black Dog Blues
Bayless Rose Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Let me tell you, mama, what that black dog done done to
Me
Let me tell you, mama, what that black dog done done to
Me
He cheated me from my regular, now he's after my used-to-
Be
Black dog, black dog, you caused me to weep and moan
Black dog, black dog, you caused me to weep and moan

You cause me to leave my, sweet old happy home

Black dog, black dog, you forever on my mind
Black dog, black dog, you forever on my mind
If you only let me see my baby one more time
So long black dog, I'm quittin' your hard luck line
So long black dog, I'm quittin' your hard luck line

'cause you got me so blue, keep 'bout to love her
Sometime

Overall Meaning

The song "Black dog blues" by Bayless Rose is a somber and melancholic blues ballad that talks about the struggles of the singer with depression, symbolized by the "black dog" in the lyrics. The song starts with the singer addressing his mother, telling her how the black dog has affected him. The black dog is a metaphor for depression, and the singer explains how it has caused him to lose his regular life and the love of his life, who is now with someone else.

The lyrics show the effects of depression on the singer, as he weeps and moans and can't seem to get the black dog off his mind. He wishes for one more chance to see his love and implies that the black dog has made him neglect her. The final verse shows that the singer has decided to leave the hard luck line of the black dog behind and quit his grip on his mind and emotions.

Overall, "Black dog blues" is a powerful song that acknowledges the struggles of depression and the impact it can have on one's life.

Line by Line Meaning

Let me tell you, mama, what that black dog done done to Me
I want to explain to you, dear mother, what that depression has done to me

He cheated me from my regular, now he's after my used-to- Be
Depression took away my routine and now it's attacking my happy memories

Black dog, black dog, you caused me to weep and moan
Depression, oh depression, you made me cry and groan

You cause me to leave my, sweet old happy home
You forced me to leave my beloved home, where I used to feel joy

Black dog, black dog, you forever on my mind
Depression, oh depression, you always occupy my thoughts

If you only let me see my baby one more time
If I could just have a chance to see my loved one once again, perhaps depression would ease up

So long black dog, I'm quittin' your hard luck line
Farewell, depression, I am no longer willing to entertain your negative influence

'cause you got me so blue, keep 'bout to love her Sometime
Because depression has made me feel so down, I struggle to express my love for someone special

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: EUBIE BLAKE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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