Hailing from Los Angeles Cafe R&B features the raging female v… Read Full Bio ↴Cafe R&B:
Hailing from Los Angeles Cafe R&B features the raging female vocalist "Roach" and the blazing lead guitar of Byl Carruthers. They have a large cult following in the US and Europe. "Imagine Etta James riding a Harley out of an active volcano, and you'll have some vague inkling as to the vocal power emanating from 'Roach', the front woman of L.A. blues and groove unit Cafe R&B. But don't take our word for it; the group has earned raves from the likes of Ike Turner and Buddy Guy, who've seen a few blues acts in their day... Roach has found the perfect musical counterpoint in the scorching leads of Byl Carruthers, and the ultra -phat organ and piano work of Harry Cohen." -HITS Magazine "Knocked me on my butt. I ain't seen s*** like that since me and you-know-who" - Ike Turner
Sitting on Top of the World
Cafe R&B Lyrics
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It rained five days and the clouds turned as dark as night
Lord that was really enough trouble to make a poor man wonder where in the world to go
I got up one morning, poor me I couldn't get even get out of my door
I got up one morning, poor me I couldn't get even get out of my door
Lord that was really enough trouble to make a poor man wonder where in the world to go
Yeah they rowed a little boat down about five miles across the farm
Lord I packed up all of my clothes and throwed them in and I declare they rowed poor old Bill along
Then I went and I stood up on a high, high old lonesome hill
Yes I went and I stood up on a high, high old lonesome hill
Lord and all I could do was look down on the house baby where I used to live
Now it thundered and it lightnin'd, Lord and the wind, wind began to blow
Now it thundered and it lightnin'd, Lord and the wind, wind began to blow
Lord there was thousands and thousands of poor people at that time didn't have no place to go
The lyrics to Cafe R&B's "Sitting on top of the World" reflect the experiences of a poor man enduring a dark and stormy time. The five days of rain, which turn the clouds as dark as night, presents a difficult situation for the poor man to navigate. He wonders where in the world to go, a question likely rooted in his desperation to escape the inclement weather. The direness of his situation is further accentuated when he is unable to leave his home, as the rain has made it impossible to do so. This moment, where he is imprisoned by the weather in his own home, showcases the bleakness of his circumstances.
However, the lyrics take a turn when the poor man is able to leave his home and travel by boat to a new location. The journey appears to be somewhat successful, as he is able to bring his clothes with him. But the weight of the experience still hangs over him as he stands on a high, old lonesome hill, looking down on the house he used to live in. The storm comes back into focus, as the thunder, lightning, and wind begin to blow. The song ends with a note on the many poor people at the time who had nowhere to go. The song seems to reflect the difficult reality for many people who were struggling to survive during this time.
Line by Line Meaning
It rained five days Lord and the clouds turned as dark as night
After five days of incessant rain, the sky was completely covered in a dark blanket of clouds that seemed like it was night time
Lord that was really enough trouble to make a poor man wonder where in the world to go
The unfortunate conditions made a destitute man start contemplating about his predicament and where he should head next
I got up one morning, poor me I couldn't get even get out of my door
One day the singer wakes up and realizes that he can't even leave his house due to poverty
Lord that was really enough trouble to make a poor man wonder where in the world to go
The artist's miserable situation has him reconsidering where he could possibly find some respite or solace
Now they rowed a little boat just about five miles across the farm
A group of people rode a small boat over five miles across some fields
Lord I packed up all of my clothes and throwed them in and I declare they rowed poor old Bill along
The singer packed all his belongings and hopped aboard the boat along with everyone else
Then I went and I stood up on a high, high old lonesome hill
The singer climbed a high and solitary hill
Lord and all I could do was look down on the house baby where I used to live
From the vantage point, the artist could only gaze down at the house he had formerly resided in
Now it thundered and it lightnin'd, Lord and the wind, wind began to blow
There were thunderclaps, lightning and gusts of wind picking up speed
Lord there was thousands and thousands of poor people at that time didn't have no place to go
There were multitudes of impoverished people who didn't have a shelter to stay in
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Chester Burnett
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind