Guy is known for his showmanship; for example, he plays with drumsticks and walks into the audience whilst playing, the latter being a gimmick he picked up from a local blues guitarist at an early age (joining or leaping into the audience has also long been common in both American popular and gospel music, as in the earlier work of Big Jay McNeely or the Dixie Hummingbirds).
Guy grew up in Louisiana where he learned to play guitar. In the early 1950s he began performing with bands in Baton Rouge. Soon after moving to Chicago in 1957, Guy fell under the influence of "Mighty" Muddy Waters. In 1958 he won a record contract with Artistic Records after beating the West Side guitarists Magic Sam and Otis Rush in a "Head Cutting Contest" at the Blue Flame Club. Soon afterwards he recorded for the Cobra label.
In the early 1960s, Guy was a session guitarist for Chess Records. He recorded on Junior Wells sessions for Delmark Records under the pseudonym Friendly Chap in 1965 and 1966. His career took off during a blues revival period in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and was sparked by Eric Clapton's request that Guy be part of the '24 nights' all-star blues guitar lineup at London's Royal Albert Hall and Guy's subsequent signing with Silvertone Records.
Can't See Baby
Buddy Guy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well we can get along...babe
Like man and wife
Like man and wife (x2)
LICK GUITAR
Well I love my baby
Tell her well I do (x2)
Sometimes I believe... my wife
You.... love me too
I don't want no woman
Let me stay all night (x2)
Lord I rather have a woman
Please don't be gee right
Like man and wife (x2)
LICK GUITAR
You could love me baby
Like I learned to love (x2)
Give myself to the devil
And my soul to the glory above
LICK GUITAR
I don't want no woman
Says she don't want me (x2)
Well I'm sitting here wondering baby
Why this woman never agrees
LICK GUITAR
Like man and wife (x2)
LICK & FINAL
The lyrics of Buddy Guy's song "Can't See Baby" convey a sense of desperation and longing for love and companionship. The repeated refrain "I can't see baby, Lord do safe my light" suggests a metaphorical blindness or darkness that the singer is experiencing. He pleads with a higher power to save his light, which could be interpreted as his hope or optimism for finding love.
The next line "Well we can get along...babe, like man and wife" establishes the desire for a deep, committed relationship. The singer wants a partner who will stick around and love him like a spouse. He professes his love for his baby and hopes that she loves him in return, but also expresses frustration that some women don't want to stay the night with him.
The line "Give myself to the devil and my soul to the glory above" is particularly interesting, as it highlights the complex relationship between love, desire, and spirituality that often appears in blues songs. The singer seems willing to trade his soul for love, suggesting that romantic love can be just as powerful and transformative as faith.
Overall, "Can't See Baby" is a classic blues song that captures the raw emotions of love and longing, and the desire for a deep, committed relationship. The lyrics reflect a sense of desperation and questioning, as the singer struggles to understand why he can't seem to find the love he so desperately craves.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't see baby
I am unable to comprehend what my partner wants from me
Lord do safe my light (x2)
Please help me understand my partner's needs
Well we can get along...babe
We have the potential for a harmonious relationship
Like man and wife
As a committed and faithful couple
LICK GUITAR
Instrumental break in the song
Well I love my baby
I have strong feelings of affection for my partner
Tell her well I do (x2)
I want to express my love to her repeatedly
Sometimes I believe... my wife
Occasionally, I think my partner is fully committed to me
You.... love me too
And that she reciprocates my love
I don't want no woman
I do not desire any female companionship
Let me stay all night (x2)
I prefer solitude over a one night stand
Lord I rather have a woman
I would rather have a committed partner
Please don't be gee right
Asking my partner not to deceive me
Like man and wife (x2)
As an expression of the level of commitment I desire
You could love me baby
Asking my partner to return affection
Like I learned to love (x2)
As intensely as I love her
Give myself to the devil
Promising extreme devotion to my partner
And my soul to the glory above
And dedicating myself to a higher power
I don't want no woman
Reiterating my disinterest in casual relationships
Says she don't want me (x2)
When a woman is disinterested in me
Well I'm sitting here wondering baby
I'm trying to understand why my partner is uninterested
Why this woman never agrees
Why I haven't been able to establish a committed relationship
Like man and wife (x2)
Again, expressing my desire for a committed partnership
LICK & FINAL
Final guitar solo to end the song
Contributed by Alaina C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.