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 Quit The Blues
Buddy Guy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Alright, alright then
Wow, I can't get used of it baby, now
I can't get used of the blues
I can't go get used of it
I can't get used of the blues
Alright
Alright
Alright
Hit it
He yeah
Alright, sounding good
Swing it, uh, alright
The lyrics to Buddy Guy's song "I Can't Quit The Blues" express his emotional and mental struggles with a profound sense of weariness and resignation in accepting the fact that he simply cannot shake off the "blues." The opening "One, two, three, hit it" sets the mood for an upbeat, jazzy take on a profound topic. The artist goes on to sing "Wow, I can't get used of it baby, now/I can't get used of the blues." This line expresses the artist's frustration and desperation at not being able to rid himself of the blues, which he appears to be experiencing in a suffocating manner, almost as if it is an addiction.
The repetition of the line "I can't go get used of it/I can't get used of the blues" reinforces the idea that the artist is stuck and unable to move past this seemingly chronic mental state. Even the upbeat nature of the tune fails to bring him out of his funk, as he laments on the "swing it, uh, alright" part. In short, the lyrics capture the powerlessness and heartache that people who suffer from depression or anxiety feel, who seem to be stuck in a rut and cannot get out of their circumstances.
Line by Line Meaning
One, two, three, hit it
Let's start the performance
Wow, I can't get used of it baby, now
I am still captivated and affected by the blues
I can't get used of the blues
I can't shake off the sorrowful blues
I can't go get used of it
I am unable to adjust to the blues
Alright
Encouraging everyone to continue playing along
He yeah
An expression of enthusiasm and approval
Alright, sounding good
Everyone is doing a great job with the music
Swing it, uh, alright
Let's add some swing to the music and keep it going
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BUDDY GUY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind