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.
Stone Crazy
Buddy Guy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Either you're going to lose your mind
Yes I said baby you must be stone crazy
Either you're going to lose your mind
Yes I wanna know how could you treat me so dirty baby
You must think my little heart is made of iron
Lord as I sit here in my dark room
Yes I sit, I sit here in my dark room
Tears rolling all down from my eyes
Yes you know my little baby looked at me and said daddy
Ooh, God knows you're the hurted child
Oh yeah
Somebody come and get me
Yes I think I'm going back down south
People where the weather suits my clothes
Yes I said I'm going back down south
People where the weather suits my clothes
Yes you know playing around in this big city so long man
Ooh, 'til I'm almost just done froze
Darling you must be stone crazy
Or either you're going to lose your mind
Yes I said woman you must be stone down crazy
Either you're going to lose your mind
Yes I wanna know how could you treat me so low down and dirty
You must be think my little heart is made of iron
Wow as I sit here in my dark room
Tears rolling all down my eyes
Yes I sit, I sit right here right here in my dark room
Tears rolling all down from my eyes
Yes you know my little girl looked at me and said
Ooh, my daddy is a hurted child
Oh, look-a here now
Somebody come here
Lord I believe I'm going back down south
Where the weather suits my clothes
Yes I believe I'm going back down south
People where the weather suits my clothes
Yes you know that I've played around in these big cities so long man
Oh, 'till I'm almost done froze
In Buddy Guy's song "Stone Crazy," he laments a woman who he believes is driving him insane. He says that she must be "stone crazy" for treating him so poorly, and wonders how she could think that his heart is made of iron. The singer sits in a dark room, crying as he reflects on the pain caused by this woman's actions. His daughter comes to comfort him, recognizing that he is a "hurted child." The singer abruptly decides to go back down south where the weather will suit his clothes, suggesting that he needs a fresh start away from the woman who is making him feel so crazy.
The lyrics of "Stone Crazy" convey the raw emotion and pain of a narrator who is struggling to comprehend how someone could treat him so badly. The repetition of the phrase "stone crazy" emphasizes the intensity of the singer's feelings and the severity of the situation. His decision to leave everything behind and move back down south suggests a need for a drastic change and escape from the pain he has endured.
Line by Line Meaning
Woman you must be stone down crazy
The woman must be insane to treat the singer so poorly
Either you're going to lose your mind
If she doesn't stop her hurtful behavior, she'll face the consequences
Yes I said baby you must be stone crazy
The singer is sure that the woman's actions are irrational and cruel
You must think my little heart is made of iron
The woman doesn't seem to care about hurting the singer's feelings
Lord as I sit here in my dark room
The singer is feeling sad and lonely
Tears rolling down from my eyes
The singer is crying because of the woman's mistreatment
Yes you know my little baby looked at me and said daddy
His daughter acknowledged the pain he's feeling
Ooh, God knows you're the hurted child
The singer feels like a helpless child in this situation
Yes I think I'm going back down south
The singer wants to go back to a place that feels like home
People where the weather suits my clothes
He wants to be around people and in a climate that makes him feel comfortable
Yes you know playing around in this big city so long man
The singer is tired of city life and its harshness
Ooh, 'til I'm almost just done froze
He's been freezing in the city and feels drained
Darling you must be stone crazy
The singer addresses the woman with an affectionate term while questioning her sanity
You must be think my little heart is made of iron
The woman is being insensitive to his emotions
Wow as I sit here in my dark room
The singer is still feeling sad and lonely
Yes you know my little girl looked at me and said
His daughter acted as his confidante and offered comfort
Ooh, my daddy is a hurted child
The singer is vulnerable and in pain
Lord I believe I'm going back down south
He's firm in his desire to leave the city
Oh, 'till I'm almost done froze
The cold weather was a big factor in his decision to leave
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BUDDY GUY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Myles McPherson
Buddy Guy my favorite guitarist out of any genre of music!!!! The path that led him to Chicago from Louisiana is a great story. His relationship and learning sessions from the blues greats of Muddy Water, Howlin' Wolf, and many others is legendary. When Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, & Jeff Beck slept in a van to watch Buddy Guy is another amazing story. He has influenced a number of great guitar players and they have branched off of the Buddy Guy tree to influence many others!!! You know you were destined to be good when the great Muddy Waters & Howlin' Wolf said you better get Buddy Guy in here if want the session to go right!!!! Man...His guitar playing & vocals are legendary and in his 80's, he still plays "THAT THANG" with incredible passion and soul that hits an audience right in the heart and bones of your soul. I always said that Buddy bridged the past great of blues players to this newer generation of blues players by adding that funky element to the blues. An American Blues Legend & Icon, Mr. Buddy Guy you are indeed the best who has ever done it!!!! When Jimi Hendrix cancels a gig to come watch you play, you are indeed Legendary!!! Eric Clapton once said Buddy Guy was the greatest guitarist alive today!!!! Keep rockin' them blues Mr. Buddy Guy!!!!! We love U!!!!!!
Chris Kroll
I know Buddy Guy. He gave me guitar lessons back in the early '80s when I was first learning how to play the guitar. I saw him at the first Blues fest in Chicago in the early '80s and then started going down to the checkerboard lounge every Sunday night to see him and Junior Wells play for many many years. Sometimes I would go see him on a Sunday night and he would play for 3 hours and there would only be 12 people in the place. And he would be up there blazing away on his red Epiphone hollow body. My friend and I used to talk about it while we were driving home why this guy doesn't have more people going to see him. The best move he ever made was when he got out of the ghetto and bought Legends in the city. I was there the opening night and I was so happy for him. He got all his Rockstar buddies to come down for personal appearances and soon he was packing the joint every night. But believe it or not there was a time in the early 80s when I would go see buddy on a Wednesday night at the checkerboard and there would only be four people there. It's hard to believe isn't it. 🤷
Frodo baggins
Thank you for this comment man.
Pablo Pérez
Eric says the same of at least 5 or 6...he is a well spoken guy
John Charcho
Buddy Guy is the last of the greatest players in the world today. He plays the blues with so much passion. Keep going. I myself miss SRV still today. But Mr Guy is a great musician and he deserves to be recognized as such.
BugTec Pest Control
I bought this album 30 years ago or so...when I owned a strat and played. I had no idea about buddy guy...then I played along to the jams
Nicolas Rodriguez
The man,the voice,the guitar,the blues..........!!! Buddy forever!
kingofmetal1961
Hands down one of MR. BUDDY GUY'S finest album ever!
kritikator84
Intro solo in "I Smell a Rat" makes me feel like I wanna laugh and cry at the same time. Such an eruption of emotions arise from BG's frantic and exagerately expressive playing style. He really nailed it with this album.
Robert Steelman
At 63 I get goosebumps