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.
Living Proof
Buddy Guy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That just can't get along,
Sick and tired of doing each other wrong.
Painful words are spoken,
Pressures
That they don't belong in here.
Oh, oh, this is where the blues begins1
Trying hard to make his way,
Out there in this mean world it gets harder every day.
He tried to find a good fight,
He was starting a new life,
But the saw him closing in.
Oh, oh, this is where the blues begins!
Where the blues begins!
Way down on the bottom,
You got the struggle to survive,
Hard work and trouble,
Takes us totally on the line,
It's the same old fight,
You know you just can't win,
Oh, oh, this is where the blues begins!
Where the blues begins.
Way down on the bottom,
You got the struggle to survive,
Where the blues begins,
Hard work and trouble,
It takes us totally on the line,
It's the same old fight,
You know you just can't win!
Oh, oh, this is where the blues begins.
It's the same old fight,
You know you just can't win!
The lyrics to "Living Proof" by Buddy Guy touch on the struggles and challenges that people face in their daily lives, which often give rise to feelings of loss, pain, and sorrow that are emblematic of the blues genre. The first stanza talks about a couple that is unable to get along, leading to hurtful words and pressures that weigh them down. Perhaps, they are drowning in the constant negative emotions that they inflict upon each other, making it difficult for them to find a way out of the situation. The second stanza presents a picture of a young man trying to make his way in the world, but life keeps getting harder for him, making it tough for him to get a foothold in this world. He tries to fight back but ends up being dragged down by the circumstances of his life that get him in trouble. The third stanza talks about the daily struggle that people face to survive, often feeling like we are constantly walking on a tight-rope with no end in sight. The continuous cycle of hard work, trouble, and disappointment wears us thin and often feels like we are fighting a losing battle that results in further loss and pain.
The song's powerful lyrics and deep emotions resonate with the human experience, and its singular tone and style make it a classic example of one of the most essential genres of music. The blues have always reflected the hardships of life, the often-inevitable struggles we must face, and the pains that accompany them. Buddy Guy's haunting voice and emotive delivery make "Living Proof" a song that speaks to the soul, telling a story of hope, perseverance, and the human spirit's strength in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
You take a man and a woman,
The song starts by talking about two people who just can't seem to get along.
That just can't get along,
These two people are always fighting and hurting each other.
Sick and tired of doing each other wrong.
They are tired of hurting each other and saying hurtful things.
Painful words are spoken,
They say things they don't mean and hurt each other.
Pressures
There are external pressures affecting their lives.
That they don't belong in here.
They are struggling to deal with these pressures.
Oh, oh, this is where the blues begins
This type of pain and struggle is where blues music is born.
A young man on the street,
The song switches to a young man trying to find his way in a tough world.
Trying hard to make his way,
He is doing everything he can to succeed.
Out there in this mean world it gets harder every day.
The world is tough and he's facing obstacles in his path.
He tried to find a good fight,
He's looking for a way to prove himself.
He was starting a new life,
He's trying to leave his past behind and start fresh.
But the saw him closing in.
He's being pursued by someone or something.
Oh, oh, this is where the blues begins!
The challenges he is facing will lead to the creation of blues music.
Where the blues begins!
The song repeats this line to emphasize that the struggles being described are where blues music originates.
Way down on the bottom,
The lyrics return to describing the difficult circumstances people can face.
You got the struggle to survive,
Their lives are a constant battle for survival.
Hard work and trouble,
They work hard but still face problems.
Takes us totally on the line,
The stress can push people to their breaking point.
It's the same old fight,
The struggles people face are the same as they've always been.
You know you just can't win,
No matter how hard they try, they can't seem to get ahead.
Oh, oh, this is where the blues begins.
The song ends with a reminder that the pain and struggle people experience is where blues music comes from.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: THOMAS JAY HAMBRIDGE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Steve Cabral
Buddy Guy is a Chicago legend whose unique guitar vocabulary and six-string mastery leave most other guitarists shaking their heads in wonderment. He continues to record and tour regularly, and for more than a decade his go-to man for drums, production, and a lot of songwriting has been Tom Hambridge, whose songwriting success alone, especially in the blues arena, eclipses that of most writers.
Hambridge was the sole author of “Living Proof,” the title track of Guy’s 2010 Grammy-winning album. “Living Proof” is somewhat unusual for a modern-day blues song; where the origins of lyrics by such Delta blues writers as Blind Willie Johnson and Robert Johnson had deep roots in spiritual matters, that’s not so much the case these days. But Hambridge’s “Living Proof” lyric obviously comes from the same place of faith as the work of some of the greats, with lines like....
When you’re too weak to walk, He’ll carry you through
I’m living proof
And
Just say a prayer, He’ll listen to you
I’m living proof.
Hambridge says that his belief in the Almighty led him to write “Living Proof.” “I believe in God and I know that He is responsible for all the good in my life,” he says. “He saves me daily. I believe that anyone who has gone through trials and tribulations, tough times, and has made it through, is proof that there is a higher power watching over us and caring for us during those hard times. I wanted to express this in a song.”
While some listeners might balk at a song with God-centric lyrics and black Gospel harmonies, Hambridge says the subject matter wasn’t a negative factor when Buddy Guy made the decision to not only cut the song, but to make it the album’s title track. “Nobody brought that up,” Hambridge says. “It’s interesting how a song can make someone feel good and yet they may not be aware of what it’s truly about. I wrote it and put it on a CD with some other songs for Buddy to consider. He heard it, liked it and wanted to record it. At every step along the way it kept getting a good reaction, so the song kept moving along until after the album was done. I suggested it as the title track and Buddy, his management and the label loved the idea. I’m very honored that ‘Living Proof’ won Song of the Year at the Blues Awards, and it was surreal when the album Living Proof won the Album of the Year Grammy. They were playing the song as Buddy and I walked onstage to accept the Grammy Award.”
Hambridge is also well-known in Nashville as a successful country writer. He co-wrote Keith Anderson’s ASCAP award-winning “Every Time I Hear Your Name,” as well as cuts by Rascal Flatts, Billy Ray Cyrus and others. He says he doesn’t really make any distinction between styles when he starts to develop an idea – he just writes. “There’s no real difference. Each time I sit down I just try to write the best song I can that day.”
Elron Humpperdink
“There’s no limit to what the Lord can do... I’m livin proof.” AMEN!
Dan Noc
Fantastic music,...thanks Buddy for all years.
Filipa Vinagre
Man if you dislike this album that's because you don't like this type of music. So don't come here to listen. Buddy Guy, genius!!!!!
LETSLEEPING DOGSLIE
This album blew me away!
Kendal Grace
This guy is awesome, I love the Blues:D
Ruy Papaléo Bianchini
Wonderful blues 👏👏👏👏👏👍🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇧🇷.
Ruy Papaléo Bianchini
The best blues 👏👏👏👏👏👍🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇧🇷.
Penni Hall
Thank you for these blues..I'm feeling better..just needed my medicine..you!
Bettie Mccall
Oh yeah.....nothin but blues. Raised on it and lovin it!!!!😌
jeff butcher
im hoping he will see me thru, 'cause many words in this song are so true, If Buddy can do it, so can I....