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.
I Can't Be Satisfied
Buddy Guy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Won't be back no more
Goin' back down south, child
Don't you want to go?
Woman I'm troubled, I be all worried in mind
Well baby I just can't be satisfied
And I just can't keep from cryin'.
Pistol in your face
I'm gonna let some graveyard
Lord be your resting place
Woman I'm troubled, I be all worried in mind
Well baby I can never be satisfied
And I just can't keep from cryin'.
Well now all in my sleep
Hear my doorbell ring
Looking for my baby
I couldn't see not a doggone thing
Woman I was troubled, I was all worried in mind
Well honey I could never be satisfied
And I just couldn't keep from cryin'.
Well I know my little old baby
She gonna jump and shout
That old train be late man, Lord
And I come walking out
I be troubled, I be all worried in mind
Well honey ain't no way in the world could we be satisfied
And I just can't keep from crying.
The song "I Can't Be Satisfied" by Buddy Guy is a blues song about a man who is leaving town and headed back south. He is troubled and worried in his mind and cannot find satisfaction, as he continuously cries throughout the song. The man threatens violence towards a woman who he feels has wronged him, and he expresses frustration in his search for his baby. The song ends with the man acknowledging that he and his partner will never be satisfied, and he cannot stop crying.
The lyrics of this song encapsulate the blues genre, as it is about someone who is going through turbulent emotions and is unable to find consolation. The song's theme of restlessness and dissatisfaction is a common one in the blues, and Guy's powerful vocal delivery and raw guitar playing add to the song's emotional weight.
This song has been covered by many artists over the years, including Muddy Waters, The Rolling Stones, and Jeff Beck. Buddy Guy himself has recorded the song several times, with one version appearing on his 1991 album, "Damn Right, I've Got the Blues."
Line by Line Meaning
Well I'm goin' away to leave
I am leaving and will not come back.
Won't be back no more
I am leaving for good.
Goin' back down south, child
I am returning to the southern part of the country.
Don't you want to go?
Do you want to come with me?
Woman I'm troubled, I be all worried in mind
I am troubled and worried.
Well baby I just can't be satisfied
I cannot find satisfaction.
And I just can't keep from cryin'.
And I cannot help but cry.
Well I feel like snappin'
I feel like losing control.
Pistol in your face
Threatening you with a firearm.
I'm gonna let some graveyard
I am going to kill you.
Lord be your resting place
And your final resting place will be in the cemetery.
Well now all in my sleep
Sometimes I dream.
Hear my doorbell ring
I hear the doorbell ringing in my dream.
Looking for my baby
I am searching for my loved one.
I couldn't see not a doggone thing
I cannot see anything at all.
Well I know my little old baby
I know my beloved.
She gonna jump and shout
She will be happy to see me.
That old train be late man, Lord
The train that I am waiting for is late.
And I come walking out
When the train finally comes, I will be there.
Well honey ain't no way in the world could we be satisfied
We will never find satisfaction.
And I just can't keep from crying.
And we cannot help but cry about it.
Contributed by Julia S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@67Jimbob
Buddy Guy is a real musical genius. We are lucky to have him.
@anthonyolson1470
This is from "Lightning in a Bottle". This DVD/concert is simply one blues legend after another. The sad thing is Buddy Guy is about the only one still alive.
@RareCandyRehab
🥲
@TheJojosefo
Great DVD!!; Bonnie Raitt and Kim Wilson play “Little by little” in that documentary; they still live, fortunately.
@joellebenoit9980
And Bonnie Raitt????
@blakegregory969
Such a good man. I love Mr Buddy Guy.
@whitneybarnett4822
He loves the music so much he can't keep from smiling his way through a sad, desperate song. What a gift… lucky for us he shared it.
@heathdavis419
My favorite guitarist ever!! Buddy Guy is FN Awesome!!!
@PauloJorgeMonteiro
Wow! What a voice!!! What a musician!!!
In my mind I feel like a little boy and I just hear a voice on my mind that says "When Buddy sings jusp keep quiet and listen!, You might learn a thing or two."
@MrLuizHMSantos
That's it!