Born Major Merriweather (or Merewether) in Atlanta, Georgia, he taught himself how to play piano. In the 1920s he moved to Detroit and began playing parties and clubs. In 1941, a desire to record led him to Chicago where he met and befriended Tampa Red. Red introduced him to Lester Melrose of Bluebird Records, who signed him to a recording contract.
His first record was "Worried Life Blues" (1941), which promptly became a blues hit and remained his signature piece. Other classic piano blues recordings such as "Chicago Breakdown" followed. His piano style developed from players like Leroy Carr and Roosevelt Sykes, as well as from the boogie-woogie style of Meade "Lux" Lewis and Albert Ammons.
His career was cut short in 1946 by a stroke. However, he was one of the most influential blues piano players of the 1940s and his style had an impact on practically every post-World War II blues pianist of note. His most famous song, "Worried Life Blues" is a staple of the blues repertoire, with artists such as Eric Clapton featuring it regularly in performances.
Big Maceo is also on Last.fm as Big Maceo Merriweather.
Tuff Luck Blues
Big Maceo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's too bad, things are going so tuff with me
I'm blue and disgusted as any poor man could be
I used to have a car and it was painted white an black
I used to have a car and he was painted white an black
I couldn't keep up the payments and the man, he took it back
But bad luck an trouble is bound to tear me down
It's too bad, things are going so tuff with me
I guess I go back to my plow and start hollerin'
(Whoa, haw, gee)
Play 'em for me boy, play 'em for me
You know my gal quit me
I'm sho' in hard luck
Get it and get it good, now
Yes, I know
I have so much trouble
The women that I'm lovin' is followed me all around
I can tell by her action, she 'bout to put me down
It's too bad, things are goin' so tuff with me
You have heard my story, peoples, what'ch you think a me?
Whoa, haw, gee
Mules and horses, whoa, stop
Haw, go left, gee, go right
In Big Maceo's song "Tuff Luck Blues," the singer laments his current situation of bad luck and frustration. He used to own a car that he was proud of, but was forced to give it back as he struggled to make the payments. He used to enjoy smoking expensive cigars, but now even his smoking habits have become a burden to him. He is full of disappointment and can't seem to catch a break. The lyrics suggest that he may have lost his girlfriend as well, as she has followed him around and has now left him. The song ends with him contemplating a return to the simple life of a farmer, indicated by his call to the mules and horses to start working.
The lyrics to this blues song are a classic example of the genre's themes of struggle, despair, and hardship. They show how even the smallest things in life, like a car or a cigar, can be taken away and leave a person feeling hopeless. The line "the women that I'm lovin' is followed me all around" suggests a sense of suffocation or being trapped, with his relationships causing more problems than they solve. The final verse, with its call to the mules and horses, is a nod to the rural roots of the blues as a genre, and a reference to the simple life that the singer may be forced to return to.
Line by Line Meaning
It's too bad, things are going so tuff with me
I'm struggling a lot and I'm feeling down and sad about my current situation.
I'm blue and disgusted as any poor man could be
I'm depressed and disappointed, feeling like any other poor man in my situation would be.
I used to have a car and it was painted white an black
I used to own a car that was colored white and black.
I couldn't keep up the payments and the man, he took it back
I wasn't able to pay my car payments and the man took my car away from me.
I used to smoke cigars the very best in town
I used to smoke the best cigars in town.
But bad luck an trouble is bound to tear me down
Unfortunately, my bad luck and troubles are causing me to feel defeated.
I guess I go back to my plow and start hollerin'
I might have to give up and go back to my difficult agricultural work and start yelling.
You know my gal quit me
The person I was dating left me.
I'm sho' in hard luck
I'm definitely experiencing some serious bad luck.
Yes, I know
I'm aware of my misfortunes.
The women that I'm lovin' is followed me all around
The woman I love is constantly around me, maybe even stalking me.
I can tell by her action, she 'bout to put me down
I can see from her behavior that she's likely going to end things between us soon.
You have heard my story, peoples, what'ch you think a me?
I've shared my troubles with you, what do you think of me now?
Mules and horses, whoa, stop
Haw, go left, gee, go right
These are commands to horses when plowing, but the meaning isn't clear in the song and may represent a desire for control over one's life.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MACEO MERRIWEATHER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind