Pony Blues
Canned Heat Lyrics


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Traditional

Baby, saddle my pony, saddle up my black mare
Baby, saddle my pony, saddle up my black mare
I'm gonna find a rider, baby, in the world somewhere

"Hello central, the matter with your line?"
"Hello central, matter, Lord, with your line?"
"Come a storm last night an' tore the wire down"

Got a brand new Shetland, man, already trained
Brand new Shetland, baby, already trained
Just get in the saddle, tighten up on your reins

And a brownskin woman like somethin' fit to eat
Brownskin woman like somethin' fit to eat
But a jet black woman, don't put your hands on me

Took my baby, to meet the mornin' train
Took baby, meet that mornin' train
An' the blues come down, baby, like showers of rain

I got somethin' to tell you when I gets a chance




Somethin' to tell you when I get a chance
I don't wanna marry, just wanna be your man

Overall Meaning

The song "Pony Blues" by Canned Heat is a traditional blues song that tells the story of a man who is looking for a rider, presumably to join him for a journey on his pony and black mare. The lyrics mention a storm that has torn down a telegraph wire, which could potentially serve as an obstacle on the man's journey. The song also touches on the topic of women, with the singer expressing his preference for a jet black woman over a brown-skinned woman. The lyrics suggest that the singer is currently involved with a woman but does not want to marry her, only be her man.


The song could be interpreted in various ways, but one possible interpretation is that the journey on the pony and black mare could symbolize the singer's search for something in life, such as a purpose or a sense of belonging. Similarly, his preference for a jet black woman could be seen as a symbol of his desire to experience something new or different. The storm that has torn down the telegraph wire could represent the challenges and obstacles that the singer must overcome to achieve his goals.


Overall, "Pony Blues" is a classic blues song that showcases the blues genre's themes of longing, desire, and struggle. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a man on a journey and searching for something in life.


Line by Line Meaning

Baby, saddle my pony, saddle up my black mare
Prepare my horses because I will go out to search for someone to ride with me in this world


I'm gonna find a rider, baby, in the world somewhere
I'm looking for someone to join me, and we'll ride together anywhere in this world


"Hello central, the matter with your line?"
I'm trying to communicate, but there's a problem with the connection. What's going on with your line?


"Come a storm last night an' tore the wire down"
The storm last night was so strong it caused damages to the communication wires and disrupted connections


Got a brand new Shetland, man, already trained
I have a new horse, it's already trained, and ready for another journey


Just get in the saddle, tighten up on your reins
Now, mount the horse and hold the reins tight because we're off to another destination


And a brownskin woman like somethin' fit to eat
I have a desire for a woman with brown skin as lovely as something delicious I could eat


Brownskin woman like somethin' fit to eat
I have a desire for a woman with brown skin as lovely as something delicious I could eat


But a jet black woman, don't put your hands on me
However, I don't want a relationship with a jet black woman, so don't touch me


Took my baby, to meet the mornin' train
I went with my loved one to meet the morning train


Took baby, meet that mornin' train
I went with my loved one to meet the morning train


An' the blues come down, baby, like showers of rain
As we were parting, a feeling of sadness came over me as strong and heavy as the rains that pour down


I got somethin' to tell you when I gets a chance
I have something to tell you, but I'll do it when I have the opportunity


Somethin' to tell you when I get a chance
I have something to tell you, but I'll do it when I have the opportunity


I don't wanna marry, just wanna be your man
I'm not interested in getting married, but I want to be your partner and share my life with you




Contributed by Tristan O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

mike potten

Love them saw them and they played till the venue turned off electric so they went accoustic in Cornwall in early 70s. Amazing!!

127cmore

Must have been Brill

Brian D. Peterson

Love their interpretation of Charley Patton's classic!

Kathryn Sebert

Just bought this album at my local shop. Minty fresh. Love it.

Craig McCauley

Great band!

mavjimbo

The best ever

John Townsend

Awesome blues !

Butch Alano

got my copy from Clark Air Base in '69....still have it!

schniffu

Pi

Tim Roth

stil moves for a 51 year old tune

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