At a time when most of his contemporaries are resting on their laurels, Rush continues to be one of the most exciting and creative artists in the R&B/blues arena. Rush's live shows are without parallel, replete with costume changes and comedic sketches acted out with the assistance of his lovely female dancers. In addressing a broad range of matters of the heart, Rush adopts various onstage persona-the adoring lover, the cuckold, the boastful stud-delivering all with a knowing wink that assures the audience that he's in on the joke.
In the context of today's all too predictable and sanitized blues market, it's easy to understand why audiences new to Rush's performances often find them novel or even bewildering. Unique they are, but Rush's signifying, jesting, and double entendré jiving are at the heart of the blues, as exemplified by forbears such as Charley Patton, Memphis Minnie, Louis Jordan, and Howlin' Wolf.
Bobby Rush-it's pronounced as one three-syllable name-calls his music "folk funk," an apt description for a blend that's both decidedly modern and deeply rooted in tradition. Over the decades he has consistently updated his show by incorporating new styles-jump blues, Chicago style deep blues, soul, funk, and even hip-hop-into a fresh mix. At the same time, his original compositions often stem from his dipping into the well of folk wisdom, as exemplified by songs like "What's Good For the Goose is Good for the Gander Too."
The son of a preacher man, Bobby Rush was born Emmet Ellis, Jr., in the north Louisiana town of Homer; he later adopted his stage name out of respect for his father. He built his first instrument, a primitive guitar or "diddley bow," and in his early teens he was donning a fake mustache and appearing at local juke joints as a solo artist. In the mid-'50s he moved up to Chicago, where his bands included Freddie King, Earl Hooker, and Luther Allison, while on jaunts back to his family home in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, he performed with Elmore James and James' cousin Boyd Gilmore.
Rush began working as a bandleader already as a teenager after realizing that he could control his own destiny if he owned all the equipment. His entrepreneurial flair is legendary among fellow musicians, who fondly recall his working in disguise as the emcee on his own gigs, earning double pay from an unknowing club owner, and his shuffling between three gigs a night with separate bands at West Side nightclubs.
Rush's popularity as a live performer in Chicago set back the development of his recording career, but he began to achieve national acclaim in 1971 following the success of his hit "Chicken Heads" on Galaxy records. Over the next decade he recorded for labels including Jewel, Philadelphia International, Warner Brothers, and toured widely on the "chitlin circuit," the decades old network of clubs that stretches in a rough triangle between east Texas, north Florida, and Chicago.
In the early '80s Rush moved from Chicago to his current home of Jackson, Mississippi, where he recorded a series of albums for the LeJam, Ichiban, and Malaco labels, and gained the title of "king of the chitlin circuit" in the wake of hits including "Sue," "Wearin' It Out," "Ain't Studdin' You," and "Hoochie Man."
In 2003 Rush fulfilled his longtime dream of forming his own label, Deep Rush, recording the CD "Undercover Lover" and capturing the magic of his live show on DVD at the club Ground Zero in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Rush's showmanship is also prominently featured in Richard Pearce's documentary film "The Road To Memphis," broadcast on PBS in September 2003 as part of Martin Scorsese's film series "The Blues."
In the last decade Rush has gained new audiences through performances at the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, and on festival stages in Europe and Japan. But catch him on an average weekend and he's just as likely to be playing to packed houses in chitlin circuit clubs in places like Nesbit, Mississippi, Macon, Georgia, and Smackover, Arkansas, before mostly black, working class audiences that conventional blues wisdom suggests no longer exist.
Success in the American music marketplace generally entails leaving behind the people that sustained you during your early years, but that's not a price Bobby Rush is willing to pay. As his career takes off in new directions, he's determined to keep it real, presenting the same unadulterated show as he moves from Tokyo to Smackover. Or as he explains in what has become somewhat a mantra of late, "I want to cross over, not cross out."
--Scott Barretta
Intermission
Bobby Rush Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
spotlight shines on you and me tonight
Pretending for the crowd below,
we put on a real good show,
but it's a lie
We can't help but cause a fight,
it's the same old drama every night
I walk off stage cause this whole play
No I don't want it to be over,
but we need a break before
you break my heart
oh,
we can't live this scene forever
Right now you and me are better,
better off apart
But I'll still love you
when the lights come up
For our intermission
I was once put out the door.
I couldn't play the part no more
with you.
The chemistry just wasn't there.
I connect like i didnt care
And I do.
We can't help but cause a fight,
it's the same old drama every night
I walk off stage cause this whole play
is more than I can take
No I don't want it to be over,
but we need a break before
you break my heart
And oh,
we can't live this scene forever
Right now you and me are better,
better off apart
But I'll still love you
when the lights come up
yeah I'll still love you
when the lights come up
we're both actors in a play
Living out our love on stage
But you keep saying the same old lines
To me yeah.
So where we fell off track
But I know love will lead us back.
No I don't want it to be over,
but we need a break before
you break my heart
And oh,
we can't live this scene forever
Right now you and me are better,
better off apart
and I'll still love you
when the lights come up
and I'll still love you
when the lights come up
Baby i'm gonna love you when
the lights come up.
Im still gonna love you when
the lights come up
Baby I'm gonna love you when
the lights come up.
For our intermission
The lyrics of Bobby Rush's Intermission narrate the story of two lovers who are trapped in a cycle of constant fighting and drama. In the beginning, they are performing for a crowd, pretending to be happy, but in reality, they "can't help but cause a fight." The singer is tired of the constant drama and decides to walk off stage, unable to take it anymore. He admits that he doesn't want their relationship to be over, but they need to take a break before anyone ends up with a broken heart. They are currently better off apart, but he promises that he'll still love her when the lights come up, emphasizing their need for a break.
As the song progresses, he reveals that he was once put out the door, unable to keep up the act anymore. The chemistry between them just wasn't there, and he connected like he didn't care. The repetition of the line "we can't help but cause a fight" reinforces that their relationship has become predictable and cyclical, leading to frustration and exhaustion. The intermission serves as a temporary pause, allowing them to step back and reevaluate their situation before continuing their performance.
Rush's Intermission is a poignant song that portrays the struggles of a couple who are unable to break the cycle of toxic behavior. It highlights the need for a break, a moment to step back and find clarity, in order to move forward in a healthier way. Ultimately, the song emphasizes the hope that their love will ultimately lead them back together.
Line by Line Meaning
Curtains open up to see
The performance is beginning
spotlight shines on you and me tonight
We are the main focus of the performance
Pretending for the crowd below,
We are acting and not being true to ourselves
we put on a real good show,
We are putting forth a convincing performance
but it's a lie
Our acting is not reflective of our true feelings
We can't help but cause a fight,
Our relationship is plagued by conflict
it's the same old drama every night
Our conflicts are repetitive and draining
I walk off stage cause this whole play
I am tired of playing this role
is more than I can take
I am emotionally exhausted
No I don't want it to be over,
I don't want the relationship to end
but we need a break before
We need time apart to regain perspective
you break my heart
Before things become too painful to bear
oh,
Expressing emotional pain
we can't live this scene forever
Our problems will continue if we don't make a change
Right now you and me are better,
We need space to work on ourselves
better off apart
Being away from each other is healthier
But I'll still love you
My feelings for you won't change
when the lights come up
When we resume our relationship/when the truth is revealed
I was once put out the door.
I was kicked out of your life
I couldn't play the part no more
I couldn't continue our relationship as it was
with you.
With us together
The chemistry just wasn't there.
Our relationship lacked an essential spark/connection
I connect like I didn't care
I was unhappy and distant
And I do.
I do care, even though it may not seem like it
we're both actors in a play
We are both playing roles
Living out our love on stage
Our relationship is public and performative
But you keep saying the same old lines
You are not putting in effort or making changes
To me yeah.
To me, personally
So where we fell off track
We lost our way in our relationship
But I know love will lead us back.
I still have hope for us
Baby I'm gonna love you when
I will always have feelings for you
the lights come up.
When our relationship is fully revealed/resumed
For our intermission
We need a break from each other to rest and refocus
Writer(s): 布袋 寅泰
Contributed by Juliana E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.