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.
Heavy Love
Buddy Guy Lyrics
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Buddy Guy
I got a heavy love, I can't carry it all by myself
I got a heavy love, I can't carry it all by myself
I got both sides of the wagon
Won't you give me a little help
I got a big fat heart, with lots of love on top
You better come to my well darling
Before I have a love attack
I'd lay down my burden, if I only could
I'd lay down my burden, you know that I surely would
I got a heavy heart, I can't carry it all alone
You better come to my rescue darling, before all my strength is gone
Two tons of affection, three tons of desire
Will make this love connection set this weight on fire
I got a heavy love bearin' down on me
This love makes me a prisoner, only you can set me free
Buddy Guy's song Heavy Love portrays the struggles of carrying the weight of love alone. The opening line, "I got a heavy love, I can't carry it all by myself," sets the theme of the song, where Guy's love is so intense and immense that he can't handle it alone. He pleads for help, saying, "I got both sides of the wagon, won't you give me a little help." The metaphorical wagon represents the burden of love, and Guy implores his lover to lend a hand.
The song draws attention to Guy's unflinching passion and love, which he describes as a "big fat heart with lots of love on top." He warns his partner to come to him before he has a "love attack." The lyrics convey the idea of vulnerability, where one is at the mercy of love, and the outcome of the situation depends on the actions of the partner. Guy explains that he'd give up his burden if he could, but alas, he can't, he's stuck with a "heavy heart," and he needs his partner to come to his rescue before he loses all his strength.
In conclusion, Buddy Guy's Heavy Love is a masterclass in blues songwriting, capturing the essence of love's emotional struggle. Guy's smooth, soulful delivery with a groovy instrumental background makes it a compelling listen for blues enthusiasts.
Line by Line Meaning
I got a heavy love, I can't carry it all by myself
My love is so strong that it's become a burden for me to carry alone.
I got both sides of the wagon
Won't you give me a little help
I've been trying to carry this love alone and I need your help to lighten the load.
I got a big fat heart, with lots of love on top
You better come to my well darling
Before I have a love attack
My heart is overflowing with love for you and I need you to reciprocate before I can't take it anymore.
I'd lay down my burden, if I only could
You know that I surely would
If I could, I would willingly give up my love burden for you, but I can't do it alone.
I got a heavy heart, I can't carry it all alone
You better come to my rescue darling, before all my strength is gone
My love has become so heavy that it's weighing me down and I need your help soon or I'll lose all my strength.
Two tons of affection, three tons of desire
Will make this love connection set this weight on fire
Our love has the potential to be so strong that it can burn away this heavy burden we've been carrying.
I got a heavy love bearin' down on me
This love makes me a prisoner, only you can set me free
My love has become so heavy that it's trapping me, and only your love can free me from this weight.
Contributed by Taylor Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.