As a boy Fuller learned to play the guitar and also learned from older singers the field hollers, country rags, and traditional songs and blues popular in poor, rural areas. It is reported that around 1926 he suffered from ulcerated eyes and became partially blind. His vision continued to deteriorate until 1928, when he was completely blind.
He started playing at informal gatherings and as he grew older, the opportunities for a blind black man being limited, he turned to getting what employment he could as a singer and entertainer at dives, street corners, house parties, and dances for pay.
He became well known enough that in 1935 he received an offer to record. Over a period of five years, Fuller made over 120 sides and his recordings appeared on several labels.
His style of singing was rough and direct, and his lyrics explicit and uninhibited as he drew from from every aspect of his experience as an underpriviledged person on the streets -- pawnshops, jailhouses, sickness, death -- with an honesty that lacked sentimentality. Although he was not sophisticated, his artistry as a folk singer lay in the honesty and integrity of his self-expression. His songs contained desire, love, jealousy, disappointment, menace and humor.[1]
Blind Boy Fuller was one of the most popular of the Piedmont blues artists that counted Reverend Gary Davis, Blind Willie McTell and Blind Blake amongst its number. He was so popular that when he died, his protégé Brownie McGhee reluctantly began a short lived career as Blind Boy Fuller No. 2 so that Columbia Records could cash in on his popularity. His song, 'Trucking My Blues Away', also gave America the famous saying 'Keep On Trucking'. He was often accompanied on harmonica by Sonny Terry.
Blind Boy Fuller died from a severe bladder infection in 1942, when he was only 33 years old. Blind Boy Fuller was an expressive vocalist and a masterful guitar player, best remembered for his uptempo ragtime hits "Rag Mama Rag," "Trucking My Blues Away," and "Step It Up and Go." At the same time he was capable of deeper material, and his versions of "Lost Lover Blues", "Rattlesnakin' Daddy" and "Mamie" are as deep as most Delta blues. Because of his popularity, he may have been overexposed on records, yet most of his songs remained close to tradition and much of his repertoire and style is kept alive by North Carolina and Virginia artists today.
The location of the final resting place of Blind Boy Fuller is Grove Hill Cemetery, located on private property in Durham, North Carolina. State records indicate that this was once an official cemetery, and Fuller's interment is recorded. The only remaining headstone is that of Mary Caston Langey.
Blind Boy Fuller has been recognized on two different plaques in the City of Durham. The North Carolina Division of Archives and History plaque is located a few miles north of Fuller's gravesite, along Fayetteville St. in Durham. The City of Durham officially recognized Fuller on July 16, 2001, and the commemorating plaque is located along the American Tobacco Trail, adjacent to the property where Fuller's unmarked grave is located (several hundred feet east of Fayetteville St.).
My Brownskin Sugar Plum
Blind Boy Fuller Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I got me a brownskin woman, she don't pay me no mind
And I know she gonna miss me, baby, if I leave this town
I want you to tell me, mama, where did you get your sugar from?
I want you to tell me, sugar, where'd you get your sugar from?
I believe you got it way down, on your Daddy's sugar farm
Lord, I've got me a brownskin woman, she lives up on that hill
She got ways like a tadpole, she won't keep her body still
Says, I'm getting old, mama, my head is turning grey
I'm getting old, mama, my head is turning grey
And I'm getting tired of, my low-down sinful ways
Yes, there's a change in the ocean, change in the deep blue sea
Lord, there's a change in that ocean, change in the deep blue sea
There's a change in my woman, there ain't gon' be no change in me
Lord, Lord-Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord
Lord-Lord, Lord-Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord
There's a change in my woman, there ain't gon' be no change in me
In Blind Boy Fuller's song "My Brownskin Sugar Plum," the artist sings about his relationship with a woman of African American descent, referred to as a "brownskin woman." He starts off by mentioning that she doesn't pay him much attention, implying that she may not be fully invested or interested in their relationship. Despite this, he believes that she will miss him if he decides to leave the town they are in. This could suggest that there is a sense of emotional attachment between the two, even if it is not outwardly expressed.
Next, the artist asks the woman where she gets her sweetness from, using the metaphor of sugar. It could be interpreted as him questioning the source of her affection or love. He suggests that she got her sweetness from her father's "sugar farm," implying that it could be a family trait or influence that has shaped her personality. This line could also be seen as an affectionate way of complimenting her, acknowledging her positive qualities.
Fuller then describes his brownskin woman as living up on a hill and having restless ways, comparing her to a tadpole that won't keep still. This could hint at her vivacious personality, implying that she is full of energy and constantly on the move. It can be seen as both endearing and frustrating, as her lively nature keeps her unpredictable and hard to pin down.
As the song progresses, Fuller reflects on his own age and the weariness of his sinful ways. He confides in his partner, acknowledging that he is getting old and tired of his past behavior. This could suggest a desire for change and personal growth. It showcases a sense of vulnerability and introspection as he recognizes his own faults and the need for transformation.
Finally, the artist emphasizes that there is a change happening in his woman, referring to her evolving nature. However, he asserts that this change won't affect him and his own steadfastness. It implies that he remains unchanging, remaining true to himself even as his partner goes through transformations. This could be seen as a declaration of his resilience and determination to stay true to his own identity despite external influences.
In summary, Blind Boy Fuller's "My Brownskin Sugar Plum" delves into themes of love, relationship dynamics, personal growth, and staying true to oneself. Through vivid imagery and metaphors, Fuller explores the complexities of human connections and the internal struggles individuals face as they navigate love and personal change.
Line by Line Meaning
I got me a brownskin woman, she don't pay me no mind
I have found myself a woman with a beautiful brown complexion, but she shows no interest or consideration towards me
And I know she gonna miss me, baby, if I leave this town
I am certain that she will feel a sense of longing for me, my dear, if I were to depart from this place
I want you to tell me, mama, where did you get your sugar from?
Mother, I implore you to disclose the origin of your sweetness, my dear, where did it come from?
I believe you got it way down, on your Daddy's sugar farm
I am inclined to believe that you obtained it a great distance away, on your father's plantation of sweet produce
Lord, I've got me a brownskin woman, she lives up on that hill
Oh Lord, I possess a woman with brown skin, and she resides atop that hill over yonder
She got ways like a tadpole, she won't keep her body still
She exhibits behaviors akin to those of a lively tadpole, constantly restless and unable to keep her body motionless
Says, I'm getting old, mama, my head is turning grey
She proclaims that I am advancing in years, mother, and my head is gradually adopting a shade of silver
And I'm getting tired of, my low-down sinful ways
Furthermore, I am growing weary of my morally reprehensible and depraved behaviors
Yes, there's a change in the ocean, change in the deep blue sea
Indeed, there is a transformation occurring in the vast expanse of the ocean, a shift taking place within the deep blue sea
There's a change in my woman, there ain't gon' be no change in me
Although my significant other may undergo alterations, modifications, or improvements, my own character shall remain unchanged
Lord, Lord-Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord
Oh Lord, Oh Lord, Oh Lord, Oh Lord, Oh Lord, Oh Lord, Oh Lord
Lord-Lord, Lord-Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord
Oh Lord, Oh Lord, Oh Lord, Oh Lord, Oh Lord, Oh Lord, Oh Lord
There's a change in my woman, there ain't gon' be no change in me
Although my significant other may undergo alterations, modifications, or improvements, my own character shall remain unchanged
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Fulton Allen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind