She often sang and performed with her husband Danny Barker, a regular of the New Orleans music scene.
The recording of "A Little Bird Told Me" by Barker was released by Capitol Records as catalog number 15308. It first reached the Billboard chart on 31 December 1948 and lasted five weeks on the chart, peaking at #16.
Barker was inducted into the Louisiana Blues Hall of Fame in 1997, one year before she died in New Orleans at the age of 84.
After You
Blue Lu Barker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How could you tell me that you're goin' away?
Don't say that we must part,
Don't break your baby's heart
You know I've loved you for these many years,
Loved you night and day,
Oh! honey baby, can't you see my tears?
After you've gone and left me cryin'
After you've gone there's no denyin'
You'll feel blue, you'll feel sad
You'll miss the dearest pal you've ever had
There'll come a time, now don't forget it
There'll come a time when you'll regret it
Someday, when you grow lonely
Your heart will break like mine and you'll want me only
After you've gone, after you've gone away
After you've gone and left me cryin'
After you've gone there's no denyin'
You're gonna feel blue, and you're gonna feel sad
You're gonna feel bad
And you'll miss, and you'll miss,
And you'll miss the bestest pal you ever had
There'll come a time, now don't forget it
There'll come a time when you'll regret it
But baby, think what you're doin'
I'm gonna haunt you so, I'm gonna taunt you so
It's gonna drive you to ruin
After you've gone, after you've gone away.
The lyrics to Blue Lu Barker's song "After You've Gone" are a heartfelt plea from a lover to his or her departing partner. The opening lines express the singer's disbelief and despair over their partner's decision to leave. They implore their partner not to break their heart and not to say that they must part. The singer then reminds their partner of the many years of love they have shared, saying that they have loved each other night and day. The tears in their eyes testify to the depth of their love and the pain they feel at the thought of being left behind.
The chorus of the song is a warning to the departing partner. The singer tells them that after they have gone and left them crying, they will inevitably feel sad and miss the dearest pal they ever had. The lines "There'll come a time, now don't forget it/There'll come a time when you'll regret it" are a prediction of the partner's future remorse for having left their lover behind. The singer believes that someday, when their partner grows lonely, their heart will break like theirs and they will want them back. The song ends with a warning, delivered almost like a curse. The singer promises to haunt and taunt their partner until it drives them to ruin.
Overall, "After You've Gone" is a soulful and emotional song about love, heartbreak, and regret. The singer's passionate plea and warning to their departing lover make it clear that they are deeply hurt by the decision to end their relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Now won't you listen honey, while I say,
Listen to me, beloved, I need to say something important.
How could you tell me that you're goin' away?
How could you break my heart by saying you're leaving?
Don't say that we must part,
Please don't say goodbye, let's not part ways.
Don't break your baby's heart
Don't hurt me, your baby, by leaving me.
You know I've loved you for these many years,
You are aware that I have been loving you for a long time now.
Loved you night and day,
Loved you every hour of every day.
Oh! honey baby, can't you see my tears?
Darling, can't you see how much I am crying?
Listen while I say
Please pay attention to what I am about to say.
After you've gone and left me cryin'
Once you're gone and I am left crying,
After you've gone there's no denyin'
There's no denying that you've left and gone away.
You'll feel blue, you'll feel sad
You'll inevitably feel down, blue and sad.
You'll miss the dearest pal you've ever had
You'll miss me, your closest friend.
There'll come a time, now don't forget it
There will come a time, I hope you remember this.
There'll come a time when you'll regret it
You'll eventually realize and regret that you left.
Someday, when you grow lonely
One day, when you feel lonely,
Your heart will break like mine and you'll want me only
You will experience a broken heart, just like me, and at that moment you will only want me.
After you've gone, after you've gone away
When you've already left and gone away.
You're gonna feel blue, and you're gonna feel sad
You'll certainly feel downhearted and sad.
You're gonna feel bad And you'll miss, and you'll miss,
You'll feel terrible and you'll miss, oh, how you'll miss,
And you'll miss the bestest pal you ever had
You'll miss me, the best friend you've ever had.
But baby, think what you're doin'
Please, darling, think about what you're doing.
I'm gonna haunt you so, I'm gonna taunt you so
I'll haunt and taunt you so much.
It's gonna drive you to ruin
It will push you to the brink of ruin.
After you've gone, after you've gone away.
Once you've already left and departed.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Henry Creamer, Turner Layton, Ray Sherman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Maria Coronel
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