Poor Blue Boys
Chet Atkins Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Do I Want You? Yes I Do
Do I Need You? Baby You Know It's True
But I Ain't Got Nothin' That You Can Use
So I'm Sittin' On My Own Here, With These Poor Boy Blues

One Day, Baby, You Will See
You're Gonna Give All Your Love To Me
I'm The One, Babe, That You're Gonna Choose
But In The Meantime, I Got These Poor Boy Blues

Pick It Son, Pick It Nice

Things Won't Always Be The Same
Someday Soon, Everything Will Change




You'll Tell Your Mama Her Baby's Got Good News
But Until Then, Well, I Got These Poor Boy Blues

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Chet Atkins's song "Poor Boy Blues" are filled with melancholy and sorrow. The opening verse emphasizes the singer's desire and need for his love interest, but also his perceived inadequacy. He feels he has nothing to offer that she would find desirable, which amplifies his feelings of loneliness as he admits being alone with his 'poor boy blues.' The next verse reveals the singer's optimism that one day his love interest would reciprocate his feelings and chooses him. However, until that day, he must live with his state of loneliness and despair that he describes with 'poor boy blues.'


The chorus of the song identifies the singer's state with a guitar. The emphasized phrase of "Pick it Son, Pick it Nice" is referring to the guitar. He urges the unknown musician to play the guitar skillfully and make the audience feel his blues. The lyrics underline the message that even someone who has nothing but blues can still feel them passionately and share them through music. The final verse suggests the singer's hopefulness for the future, that things will change, and the love interest will be able to tell her mother that her baby has good news. Yet, until then, he will live with his 'poor boy blues.'


Line by Line Meaning

Do I Want You? Yes I Do
I am interested in you and want you in my life.


Do I Need You? Baby You Know It's True
You are very important to me and I can't live without you.


But I Ain't Got Nothin' That You Can Use
I don't have any resources that would make me valuable to you.


So I'm Sittin' On My Own Here, With These Poor Boy Blues
I am all alone here with nothing but my sorrows and regrets.


One Day, Baby, You Will See
One day you will understand the depth of my love for you.


You're Gonna Give All Your Love To Me
You will realize that I am the one you truly love and choose to be with.


I'm The One, Babe, That You're Gonna Choose
I am confident that you will ultimately choose to be with me.


But In The Meantime, I Got These Poor Boy Blues
But until then, I am stuck here with my sadness and loneliness.


Pick It Son, Pick It Nice
Play the guitar skillfully and with feeling.


Things Won't Always Be The Same
Things change over time, and our situation may improve.


Someday Soon, Everything Will Change
There will come a day when everything is different and better.


You'll Tell Your Mama Her Baby's Got Good News
You will share happy news with your loved ones, including your mother.


But Until Then, Well, I Got These Poor Boy Blues
But for now, I am still struggling with my sadness and unrequited love.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PAUL KENNERLEY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@bobbylong7197

Two of the best guitar players ever playing together. You can see the respect they have for each others ability. A treasure.

@arnsteinmelgaard5411

2 of the greatest guitar players ever playing a great song

@OrlandoLirbe

Unforgettable ! Beautiful song! The best guitars players.

@DanielWoodenJr.-cm4qd

Absolutely the best guitar duo in history...love it...this is the theme of the way life and values should be😊🤗

@liquidefreet

Timeless is what this music is. 30 years later and it's still the freshest sound a man can have the delight to listen to.

@michaelbrown656

Yes Sir enjoy 👍

@flyerphil

Sure is beautiful and everlasting, with 5M hits to date, that'a mind-blowing

@dinodog

Awesome song with two of the best guitarists ever. Love it

@gaetangoudot9186

Mark is one of the best guitarist players i've ever heard in my life.
A genius!💕
Thank you so much Mark !🎶🎶🎸

@legibby

And while he is one of the greatest rock guitarists ever it must be noted that he worshipped Chet like he was a God

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