Arthur (Art) Blakey (October 11, 1919 – October 16, 1990), born in Pittsbur… Read Full Bio ↴Arthur (Art) Blakey (October 11, 1919 – October 16, 1990), born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Also known as Abdullah Ibn Buhaina, he was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. Along with Kenny Clarke and Max Roach, he was one of the inventors of the modern bebop style of drumming. He is known as a powerful musician and a vital groover; his brand of bluesy, funky hard bop was (and remains) profoundly influential on mainstream jazz. Over more than 30 years his band the Jazz Messengers included many young musicians who went on to become prominent names in jazz. The band's legacy is thus not only the often exceptionally fine music it produced, but as a proving ground for several generations of jazz musicians; Blakey's group is equivalent only to those of Miles Davis in this regard. He was a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.

If I Go
Blakey Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Verse 1
Sitting on the side of The Hullabaloo
I’m tryna stay calm with my head in my heart
I’m tryna stay calm with your head in my arms
So far away now from the line on our palms yeah
Underneath it all yeah you know it was us
I hope that you know it was nothing but
I hope that you know it was nothing but but

Sometimes it ain’t gonna be enough
Pre Chorus A
If I go
(If I go go go)
Would ya miss that piece of me thats stuck below
Stuck in-between your skin and bones
Said If I go
(If I go go go)
Would those embers you remember keep their glow
(would they keep their glow)
Or would they burn out turn to smoke so I said
Pre Chorus B
Darlin keep the water warm
‘Cause you know that it’s almost cold
Yeah you know that it’s almost gone
You know that it’s almost gone
Chorus
Yeah If I gooooooooo
If I go, I go I go I go
Yeah If I gooooooooo
If I go, I go I go I go
Verse 2
Running out of luck
Just a little bit left
Tryna hold it together with a joke and a jest
I know it ain’t clever tryna give it my best shot
Acting calm inside I’m not ‘cause
Underneath it all we were second to none
I don’t know how but we got stuck in the mud
I don’t know how but we got stuck in the mud
Yeah sometimes it just can’t carry on so

Pre Chorus A
If I go
(If I go go go)
Would those embers you remember keep their glow
(Would they keep their glow)
Or would they burn out turn to smoke
Said If I go
(If I go go go)
Would ya miss that piece of me thats stuck below
(stuck down below)
Stuck in-between your skin and bones so I said
Pre Chorus B
Darlin keep the water warm
‘Cause you know that it’s almost cold
Yeah you know that it’s almost gone
You know that it’s almost done
Chorus
Yeah If I gooooooooo
If I go, I go I go I go
Yeah If I gooooooooo
If I go, I go I go I go
Pre Chorus Reprise
If I go
(If I go go go)
Would those embers you remember keep their glow
(Would they keep their glow)
Or would they burn out turn to smoke
Said If I go
(If I go go go)
Would ya miss that piece of me thats stuck below
Stuck in-between your skin and bones
Chorus Outro
Said If I gooooooooo
If I go, I go I go I go

Yeah If I gooooooooo
If I go, I go I go I go

Overall Meaning

The song "If I Go" by Blakey seems to be about the idea of leaving someone or a significant place behind. The first verse describes a moment of calm amidst turmoil and distance, with the singer holding on to the memory of the person they’re leaving. The pre-chorus A ponders whether the other person would miss the singer if they left, with their presence becoming a part of the other person's being. Pre-chorus B, on the other hand, urges the other person to hold on and nurture what they have left, even though it's almost gone. The chorus rings out a haunting "If I go" repetition accompanied by the words "I go I go I go," signifying the inevitability of moving on.

The second verse alludes to a sense of inevitability in this situation, with the singer running out of luck and giving it a final go with a note of humor. They were once a great couple, represented by being "second to none," but have now found themselves metaphorically "stuck in the mud." Pre-chorus A repeats, almost like they are grappling with the idea of leaving, while Pre-chorus B is pleading to underline the emotions. The song ends, reiterating the inevitability of leaving, almost as a lament, echoing the sentiment from the chorus.

Line by Line Meaning

Sitting on the side of The Hullabaloo
I am situated at The Hullabaloo

I’m tryna stay calm with my head in my heart
I am attempting to remain composed with my emotions in check

I’m tryna stay calm with your head in my arms
I am endeavoring to remain composed with you by my side

So far away now from the line on our palms yeah
We are separated now, distant from the promises we made

Underneath it all yeah you know it was us
Deep down, we both realize that we were the cause of our downfall

I hope that you know it was nothing but
I hope you understand that our love was pure and true

Sometimes it ain’t gonna be enough
At times, love alone is insufficient

If I go (If I go go go) Would ya miss that piece of me thats stuck below Stuck in-between your skin and bones Said If I go (If I go go go) Would those embers you remember keep their glow (would they keep their glow) Or would they burn out turn to smoke so I said
If I were to leave, would you miss the love we shared? Would our memories still hold importance or fade away like smoke?

Darlin keep the water warm ‘Cause you know that it’s almost cold Yeah you know that it’s almost gone You know that it’s almost gone
Please keep our love warm and alive because it's beginning to cool down and fade away

Running out of luck Just a little bit left Tryna hold it together with a joke and a jest I know it ain’t clever tryna give it my best shot Acting calm inside I’m not ‘cause Underneath it all we were second to none I don’t know how but we got stuck in the mud Yeah sometimes it just can’t carry on so
Our luck is dwindling, and we're attempting to hold on with light banter. However, I know it's not very clever, and I'm trying my hardest. Despite our deep bond, we seem to be stuck in a rut, and our love can't always sustain us.

Pre Chorus Reprise
A repeat of the previous pre-chorus section

Said If I gooooooooo If I go, I go I go I go Yeah If I gooooooooo If I go, I go I go I go
'If I go', repeated multiple times for emphasis

Lyrics © Songtrust Ave, PFIVE Entertainment Mexico
Written by: HENRY ALEXANDER LEE-BOAZMAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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