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 Cry and I Sing the Blues
Buddy Guy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Since my baby's love had been done with
All I do is think of you
I sit and cry, oh and I sing the blues
I sit and cry, and I sing the blues
Oh, there's no one to call me sweet names
And my heart, and my heart is filled with pain
I sit and cry and I sing the blues
I sit and cry and I sing the blues
Blues all in my bloodstream
Blues all in my home
Blues all in my soul
I got blues all in my bones
Oh no one to depend on
Since my baby, since my baby's love had been gone
Broken hearted and lonesome too
I sit and cry and I sing the blues
I sit and cry oh and I sing the blues
I sit and cry
I sit and I cry
I sit and I cry
I cry
I cry, cry, cry, cry, cry, oh
And I sing on, I sing on, I sing on the blues
Oh, I sing on, I sing on
Sing on the blues
The song "I Cry And Sing The Blues" by Buddy Guy is a lamentation of a person who has lost their love and is now alone and heartbroken. The lyrics express that the singer's baby no longer loves them, and there is no one who can call them sweet names or provide any companionship to soothe the pain in their heart. The chorus repeats the line "I sit and cry, and I sing the blues," highlighting the singer's loneliness and despair.
The song is an excellent representation of the blues genre and its themes. Blues music often deals with personal struggles and the realities of life, such as love and loss, poverty, and social inequality. The lyrics of this song expertly capture the essence of blues, where the singer is baring their soul, expressing their emotions, and finding solace in singing of their struggles.
The repetition of the line "I sit and cry, and I sing the blues" throughout the song emphasizes the singer's deep sense of loneliness and the cathartic release they experience through their music. The use of the blues as a means of escape and expression is a recurring theme in the genre.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, there's no one there for me
I feel alone and abandoned
Since my baby's love had been done with
My lover has left me, and I feel heartbroken
All I do is think of you
I can't stop thinking about my ex-lover
I sit and cry, oh and I sing the blues
I am overcome with sadness and express it through singing the blues
Oh, there's no one to call me sweet names
I feel unloved and miss the affection of my lover
And my heart, and my heart is filled with pain
The emotional pain I feel is overwhelming
Lord I don't know, I don't know what to do
I am lost and unsure how to move on
Blues all in my bloodstream
My love for the blues is a part of who I am
Blues all in my home
The blues is a constant presence in my life
Blues all in my soul
The blues resonates deeply within me and is a part of my being
I got blues all in my bones
The blues is ingrained in me
Oh no one to depend on
I have no support system
Since my baby, since my baby's love had been gone
My lover leaving has left a void in my life
Broken hearted and lonesome too
My heart is shattered and I feel isolated
I cry
I express my sadness through tears
I cry, cry, cry, cry, cry, oh
I cry uncontrollably
And I sing on, I sing on, I sing on the blues
Despite my pain, I continue to sing and play the blues
Oh, I sing on, I sing on
I persist in expressing my sadness through music
Sing on the blues
I continue to play the blues, even in my darkest moments
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: WILLIE DIXON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Myles McPherson
My favorite guitarist of all time! His vocals are second to none! He rules the stage! Crazy, funky guitar playing is on another universe!!!!!
Fugitive136
Buddy Guy...the true king of the blues IMO. Long live Buddy!
Sheila Barron
Just love the way Buddy Guy cries out them Blues ♥️
andrednz
Classy blues from master Buddy Guy. No synths. Only soul! Cheers from Brazil (yeah, we are not only samba dancers...)
By Myself
Buddy Guy you sure do Cry the Blues 🖤 it Thank you 💙
D Blount
He still kills after all these years
Cora Visser
Awesomeeeeeeeeee fantastic so so great to hear.
Serafim Júnior
Very Very good...
andrednz
I prefer it this way. That makes us a select group of people who really appreciate music and not pyrotechnic shows with contortionist girls in underwear having seizures on stage! Cheers from Brazil!
DerWonMusics
i am from 'today's generation' and i know this kind of music is MUCH BETTER than Lady Gagga