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.
Lucy Mae Blues
Buddy Guy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My Monday woman bring me socks and shoes
But I let my good gal get you
And I ain't no telling what my Lucy Mae do
My Tuesday woman like that pocket change
That Wednesday woman want the same damn thing
But I let my good gal catch you
That Thursday woman knock upon my door
That Friday woman man, sure got to go
But I let my good gal catch you
And I ain't no telling what my Lucy Mae do
My Saturday woman totes a Gatling gun
'Cause if you stand she shoot you for you run
But I let my good gal catch you
And I ain't no telling what my Lucy Mae do
Listen
Ain't no telling what my Lucy Mae do
Ain't no telling what my Lucy Mae do
Ain't no telling what my Lucy Mae do
The lyrics to Buddy Guy's "Lucy Mae Blues" describe a man's various mistresses and their preferences and demands, but the one he values most is his "good gal" Lucy Mae. He seems to suggest that the other women are only interested in his money or material possessions, whereas Lucy offers him something more valuable - perhaps loyalty, love or simply a connection that transcends the material. The last line of each verse emphasizes the unpredictability of Lucy, suggesting that despite her loyalty, she is a woman with her own sense of agency and might react in unexpected ways if she were to catch him with another woman. The final section of the song repeats the refrain "Ain't no telling what my Lucy Mae do," driving home this point.
Overall, the lyrics to "Lucy Mae Blues" are a mix of playful innuendo and complex emotions. On one hand, the song seems to celebrate the freedom and fluidity of sexual relationships, as the man moves between different women and experiences. On the other hand, there is a sense of melancholy or regret - perhaps because the man recognizes that Lucy Mae is the only one who truly understands and loves him, even as he continues to pursue other romantic connections. The repeated refrain of the song also hints at a kind of danger or risk-taking, as if Lucy Mae's fierce loyalty could turn violent if she felt wronged.
Line by Line Meaning
My Sunday woman bring the daily news
My partner for Sundays is the one who updates me on current events and news.
My Monday woman bring me socks and shoes
My partner for Mondays is the one who takes care of my footwear needs.
But I let my good gal get you
But if you dare try to flirt with them, I'll let my beloved partner handle you.
And I ain't no telling what my Lucy Mae do
And I can only imagine what my ferociously loyal partner will do.
My Tuesday woman like that pocket change
My partner for Tuesdays is the one who's motivated by money.
That Wednesday woman want the same damn thing
My partner for Wednesdays wants exactly what the partner before her wants.
That Thursday woman knock upon my door
The partner I have for Thursdays is the one who comes to my house to see me.
That Friday woman man, sure got to go
My partner for Fridays is the one who doesn't stick around long and has to hurry somewhere else.
My Saturday woman totes a Gatling gun
The partner for Saturdays carries a Gatling gun and is fiercely protective.
'Cause if you stand she shoot you for you run
If you dare try to leave, she'll shoot you before you can even run.
Ain't no telling what my Lucy Mae do
It's impossible to predict what my tenacious partner would do if someone messed with me.
Ain't no telling what my Lucy Mae do
It's impossible to predict what my loyal partner, Lucy Mae, is capable of doing to protect me.
Ain't no telling what my Lucy Mae do
There's no telling what Lucy Mae is capable of when it comes to defending me against outsiders.
Contributed by Kayla G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Kent Weaver
He is a master at blues and rythmn. I love his work!
Michael D'Addario
He's absolutely amazing. There's nothing else to say.
Odin029
This is an absolutely great cover of a classic Frankie Lee Sims song. I didn't recognize Buddy with the beard... he looks like my dad. I'm not kidding.
Charles Hampton
he can play anything on that guitar! You better see him if you can.
Arjan Loeve
Awesome performance!
Bharath Christopher
Master of blues . awesome 👍.
Darren Watson
Can't fail with Taylor and Innes rhythm section. RIP Richard Innes.
blues dogg music /rediker
innes used to play with rod piazza and taylor w/ canned heat
Thomas Price
The 1 and only. Buddy Guy.🎼🎸🎵🎶😁
Gordon Gibson
Pure magic the last of the great Chicago BLUES man