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 Got a Strange Feeling
Buddy Guy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh, I don't know which way to go
When my left eye go to jumpin'
And my flush begun to crawl
'Cause I know it's some other mule
Is kickin' in my stall
Oh, I never felt like this before
When my left eye get to jumpin'
Oh, I don't know which way to go
Look out I'm coming one way
You know I feel like my baby
Has got a black cat bone
'Cause everything I do now
She knows what's going on
I got a strange, strange feeling
Oh, oh, I never felt like this before
When my left eye get to jumpin'
Oh, I don't know which way to go
Buddy Guy's song "I Got a Strange Feeling" is a blues track that speaks of a strange, unsettling feeling that the singer experiences. The lyrics rely on several metaphors to describe this sensation, such as "my left eye go to jumpin'" and "my flush begun to crawl." These are likely referring to physical sensations, such as a twitch in the eye or a tingling feeling, which the singer associates with an intuition that something is up. The line "I know it's some other mule/ Is kickin' in my stall" suggests that the singer feels like someone or something is interfering with his affairs or causing trouble.
The second verse adds to this feeling of unease, as the singer implies that his partner might be responsible for his strange experience: "You know I feel like my baby/ Has got a black cat bone/ 'Cause everything I do now/ She knows what's going on." The reference to a "black cat bone" is a nod to hoodoo, an African American folk practice that uses spiritual elements to achieve a desired outcome. In this context, the singer believes that his partner might be using hoodoo to control or influence him.
Overall, "I Got a Strange Feeling" is a song that captures the blues tradition of expressing feelings of unease and superstition through music. The lyrics draw on a range of metaphors and references that are unique to the genre, while the slow, mournful melody enhances the melancholic mood of the track.
Line by Line Meaning
When my left eye go to jumpin'
When my left eye starts twitching
Oh, I don't know which way to go
I feel confused and unsure about what to do
And my flush begun to crawl
I start to feel anxious and uneasy
'Cause I know it's some other mule
I suspect someone else is causing trouble for me
Is kickin' in my stall
They are disrupting my life and causing problems
I got a strange, strange feeling
I have a strong sense that something is not quite right
Oh, I never felt like this before
This feeling is new and unfamiliar to me
Look out I'm coming one way
I am focused and determined to face my problems head on
You know I feel like my baby
I believe my partner is influencing my situation
Has got a black cat bone
My partner has bad luck or is bringing negativity into my life
Cause everything I do now
My partner seems to know what I am doing at all times
She knows what's going on
My partner has insight into my situation that I do not
When my left eye get to jumpin'
When my left eye starts twitching
Oh, I don't know which way to go
I feel confused and unsure about what to do
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: AL PERKINS, WILLIE DIXON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind