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.
Champagne & Reefer
Buddy Guy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Give me a reefer when I want to get high
Give me champagne when I'm thirsty
Give me a reefer when I want to get high
Give me a woman when I get lonely
And set her right down here by my side (well, your turn)
Lord there shouldn't be no law
Lord there shouldn't be no law
When a man want to smoke a little dope
Yeah,
Yeah, every time I get high
Yeah, I lay my head down on my baby's breast (well)
Every time I get high
I want to lay down on my baby's breast
Well you know she hugged and kissed me, baby
She said Buddy Guy you are the best
I want to get high this mornin'
Just to sho' is my name
I want to get high this mornin', Mick
Just to sho' is my name
You can bet my bottom dollar, Keith
I ain't gonna use no cocaine
Give me champagne when I'm thirsty
Give me a weed when I want to get high
Give me champagne when I'm thirsty
Give me a reefer when I want to get high
Give me a woman when I get lonely
Lay down by my baby's side
Give me a woman when I get lonely
Lay down by my baby's side
The lyrics of Buddy Guy's song "Champagne & Reefer" speak to the desires of a man who wants to escape reality and indulge in the pleasures of life. In the first verse, he expresses a longing for champagne and weed when he's thirsty or in need of a high, respectively. He also yearns for the companionship of a woman to keep him from feeling lonely. The second verse makes a statement about the laws surrounding drug use, suggesting that there should not be any laws against smoking marijuana for personal purposes. The singer continues to talk about how he loves to lay his head down on his lover's chest and feel the comfort of their touch every time he gets high. Finally, he expresses his desire to get high that morning, but he will not use cocaine.
The song has a bluesy and laid-back feel, representative of the genre and the era in which it was written. The lyrics reflect the cultural and social changes happening in the late 20th century, particularly in the US, where drug use and the counterculture movement were prevalent. The song is a tribute to the belief that everyone deserves to have a little fun and enjoy the simple pleasures of life, regardless of what others may think.
Line by Line Meaning
Give me champagne when I'm thirsty
When I'm parched and need something to drink, give me champagne
Give me a reefer when I want to get high
When I feel like getting high, give me some marijuana
Give me a woman when I get lonely
When I'm feeling alone and need someone to be with, bring me a woman
And set her right down here by my side (well, your turn)
Have her sit next to me so I can feel her warmth and companionship
Lord there shouldn't be no law
There's no reason there should be a law
When a man want to smoke a little dope (hey Mick)
Preventing a man from smoking marijuana is unnecessary
Yeah, every time I get high
Whenever I smoke marijuana
Yeah, I lay my head down on my baby's breast (well)
I rest my head on my partner's chest
Every time I get high
Whenever I smoke marijuana
I want to lay down on my baby's breast
I want to cuddle up to my partner for comfort and emotional support
Well you know she hugged and kissed me, baby
My partner embraced and kissed me with affection
She said Buddy Guy you are the best
My partner complimented and praised me
I want to get high this mornin'
I feel like smoking marijuana this morning
Just to sho' is my name
As sure as my name is Buddy Guy
You can bet my bottom dollar, Keith
I'm so certain that I swear on my last dollar
I ain't gonna use no cocaine
I won't use any cocaine, marijuana is enough for me
Give me a weed when I want to get high
When I want to get high, hand me some marijuana
Lay down by my baby's side
Cuddle up with my partner for comfort and companionship
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: McKinley Morganfield
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@alutes5010
This is something special. The respect you see The Stones have for Buddy and the respect Buddy has for the Stones brings out the best in all of them. Music can unite humanity no matter what race, religion,color or sex.
@timsan55
+Al Utes Great comment. And for sure we need more unity !
@ronnyrazor6351
Ain't that the truth !!
@michaelcarey9359
+Al Utes Career wise, they're practically contemporaries, considering when Buddy was playing with Muddy Waters, then his kinda low years in the 60s, then getting picked up and dropped by the white blues crowd, but he knows when to catch a wave, and his people know how to keep him on to of it!
@timsan55
+Michael Carey Watched this one many times, love it, hope it is seen by many people seeing it for the first time. It's great !
@brickmn808
I been saying the same thing for years. Music transcends all the things that usually divide us.
@UberBeavis
The moment when Buddy starts to sing and nearly blows Mick off the stage makes this one of my favorite performances ever filmed. Legends
@nanchanger
Blows Mick off the stage?
@joellebenoit9980
Buddy seems to have a great musical connexion with Mick : "hey Mick".
@mitchgawlik1175
I don't see Buddy blowing Mick of the stage but I do agree that when Buddy starts singing, and not just here,
it's serious business.