I Can't Quit You Baby
Buddy Guy Otis Rush & Magic Sam Lyrics


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We-ell, I can't quit you baby,
But I got to put you down a little while
We-ell, I can't quit you baby,
But I got to put you down a little while
We-ell you done made me mess up my happy home,
Made me mistreat my only child

Ah, when you hear me moanin' and groanin',
Whoa you know it hurts me way down inside
Whoa when you hear me moanin' and groanin',
You know it hurts way down inside
Oh when you hear me howlin',
Ooh you know my love will never die, alright

Well when you see me cryin',
Don't let my tears fall in vain
Well when you see me cryin, darlin',
Please don't let my tears fall in vain
Lord, I don't know what to do,
You know my heart is filled with pain





Whoa, when you hear me howlin',
Baby, you know it hurts way down inside

Overall Meaning

The song "I Can't Quit You Baby" is a classic blues track performed by Buddy Guy, Otis Rush, and Magic Sam. The opening lyrics express the internal struggle of the singer, who is unable to fully end his relationship with his lover, but at the same time recognizes that he needs to take a break from the intensity of the relationship. The singer acknowledges that his lover has caused him to "mess up" his happy home and mistreat his child, but he can't help the emotions that drive him towards his lover. The pain of separation is so intense that it causes the singer to cry out in anguish and moan in agony.


The second verse delves deeper into the emotional turmoil of the singer. The moaning and groaning are not just expressions of physical pain, but rather represent the emotional hurt that is deep inside of him. The singer also acknowledges that his love for his partner is so strong that it will never truly die. However, the pain of separation is causing him to cry, and he pleads with his lover not to let his tears fall in vain. He expresses his confusion and heartache, not knowing what to do, as his heart is filled with pain.


In summary, "I Can't Quit You Baby" is a song that captures the internal struggle of an individual who is torn between his love for his partner and his need for a break from the relationship. The pain of separation is so intense that it causes the singer to moan and groan in agony, but his love is so strong that it will never truly die.


Line by Line Meaning

We-ell, I can't quit you baby,
I cannot get over you, my love.


But I got to put you down a little while
But I have to take a break from you for some time.


We-ell you done made me mess up my happy home,
You have caused me to ruin my happy home life.


Made me mistreat my only child
You have forced me to mistreat my own child.


Ah, when you hear me moanin' and groanin',
When you hear me expressing my agony and discomfort,


Whoa you know it hurts me way down inside
You know that I am hurting deeply within.


You know it hurts way down inside
It causes me pain deep down inside.


Oh when you hear me howlin',
Whenever you hear me scream out in pain,


Ooh you know my love will never die, alright
You should know that my love for you will never end, ever.


Well when you see me cryin',
When you witness me shedding tears,


Please don't let my tears fall in vain
Please do not let my tears be shed for no reason.


Lord, I don't know what to do,
My lord, I am unsure of what action to take,


You know my heart is filled with pain
You know that my heart is swarmed with grief.


Whoa, when you hear me howlin',
When you sense me screaming in suffering,


Baby, you know it hurts way down inside
My dear, you must know how much it pains me deep inside.




Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: WILLIE DIXON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@broadcasttttable

Never heard this guy before, I'm 72, and the first sound out of his mouth nails me to the effin wall. Man is the truth.

@rollingstopp

hell yah god damn

@philvigil6128

Wow where u been...the boys in England heard him in the 50s. Must've been stuck on elvis..

@SuperMartin223

He was great. When I got into blues was early 70’s. I thought he had died because he was not part of the touring scene. Strange, because he was one of the best and very influential on others. And he lived until 2018.
I just read on wiki that a 1971 album was not released by the label for some reason and was not released till ‘76 and he didn’t make another till ‘85. He didn’t seem to tour the south. I guess those are reasons he kind of disappeared from the National scene. By ‘85 the music had moved on.

He was mainly big in the late 50’s-early 60’s. Didn’t really get into the blues-rock crossover popularity.

@BeezoHow

Same here! That wail!
“All the feels” was right there! #theblues 🎶🎸

@roberthunerberg1509

I got to see him live in 95 he opened for Page and Plant Sept 13th Friday at the United Center Chicago!!! A good time for all a history lesson for some!!!!

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@TheGraveyardDog

It’s almost too damn easy to hear his absolute influence on guys like Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton; it’s so obvious to me that it hurts!! This guy takes the term “legend” to new heights. Otis is definitely among the greatest blues legends, easy. 😎

@ripplesr5655

Right on!

@WorldsBeyondYou

I was thinking the exact same thing!

@cm6string

My thoughts exactly. Srv for sure

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