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.
Guilty as Charged
Buddy Guy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On my merry way
It's my own damn fault
Am I fool enough to stay
Guilty as charged
You got me in your sight
Your pull is not as strong
He's out tonight
Been years since I've seen you
You still lookin' fine
Walked out your car and
Makin' up for lost time
Guilty
Guilty as charged
You got me in your sight
But the devil
Is out tonight
If I had a lick o' sense
I'd get out while I can
Tell me what you want
And I'll put it in your hand
Honey, guilty
Guilty as charged
You got me in your sight
The devil is out tonight
Guilty
Guilty as I can feel
The devil was me
Come see about me, now
Shit
Yeah, she out tonight
What the hell wrong with me
Devil is out tonight
The lyrics of Buddy Guy's song Guilty as Charged illustrate a man's internal battle with past and present temptation. The song opens with the singer admitting that he could continue on his current path, but also acknowledges that it is his own fault for allowing himself to be led astray. The repeated phrase "Guilty as charged" adds to the feeling of inevitability and resignation in the singer's story. Throughout the song, he describes the physical pull he feels towards an old flame who still "looks fine" and how the devil seems to be tempting him tonight. While the singer recognizes that he should leave, he remains overwhelmed by his desire, and ultimately admits to being guilty of what he knows to be a bad decision.
The repeating phrase, "the devil is out tonight," could be seen as a metaphor for the singer's internal struggle with temptation. In this way, the song highlights the universal struggle between reason and desire. Guilty as Charged is a blues-rock number with a groovy rhythm, soulful guitar riffs, and Buddy Guy's signature deep, emotive vocals. The song is a testament to Guy's talent as a songwriter and his ability to communicate complex emotions through music.
Line by Line Meaning
I could be goin'
I have the option of leaving
On my merry way
Continuing with my life without any worries
It's my own damn fault
I accept full responsibility for my actions
Am I fool enough to stay
Questioning my intelligence for staying
Guilty as charged
Admitting to the offense
You got me in your sight
You are watching me closely
Your pull is not as strong
Your influence on me is not as great
But the devil
The temptation
He's out tonight
It is difficult to resist the temptation
Been years since I've seen you
It has been a long time since we last met
You still lookin' fine
You are still attractive
Walked out your car and
Stepping out of your car and approaching me
Makin' up for lost time
Making up for the time that we have missed
If I had a lick o' sense
If I had any common sense
I'd get out while I can
I would leave before it's too late
Tell me what you want
Asking for your desires
And I'll put it in your hand
I will fulfill your desires
Honey, guilty
Admitting to the offense again
Guilty as charged
Once again admitting my guilt
Guilty as I can feel
I feel guilty about the situation
The devil was me
I am responsible for giving into temptation
Come see about me, now
Asking for someone's help to resist the temptation
Shit
An expression of frustration or defeat
Yeah, she out tonight
The temptation is present
What the hell wrong with me
Asking why I continue to give into the temptation
Devil is out tonight
The temptation is difficult to resist
Contributed by Victoria V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@museme6945
Not trying to up anyone, this is just the ramblings of a blues loving old rose, always young at heart thanks to music like this. I'll never forget Buddy Guy playing on New Year's Eve's at the Yale in Vancouver, BC, the best NYE's ever! I've seen a lot of shows in my time, no one else can compare. Buddy up there rockin' the blues down to the ground and up to the sky and back and we were tearing it up the dance floor. Yeah!
@CheeseMasterSports
It's good to know that the sweet sounds of blues guitar are still out there! Blues is still kickin!
@shikhindahikar8488
Buddy guy is keeping the blues fresh :)
@hrvoje319
Buudy is King of the blues.....
@stevekutz802
I can say with 💯 % certainty .. I Love this dude
@pennihall415
Me too! LOVE!!!
@pennihall415
I get way lost with you Buddy Guy...I forget theirs other music in the world!
@sheilabarron7206
Awesome Blues Just ♥️ That Blues Flow
@evanburdette756
Doesn't get much better than this
@user-wv6wl8cs2k
マアマアな曲ですねェ〜!!