If Trouble Was Money
Clark Jr. Gary Lyrics
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If trouble was money, babe, I'd swear I'd be a millionaire
If worries was dollar bills
I'd buy the whole world and have money to spare
Worry, worry, baby, I've had worries on my mind
I said, "Worry, worry, worry, baby
I've had worries all my life"
My mother used to tell me
She said, "Son, there gonna be days like this"
I said, "My mother used to tell me"
She said, "Son, there gonna be days like this"
She said, "I want you to always be a winner
I love you, son, I don't want you to quit"
In "If Trouble Was Money", Clark Jr. Gary sings about how he would have so much wealth if trouble and worries were equivalent to money. He begins by saying that he would be a millionaire if every instance of trouble he encountered was worth money. He continues by saying that he would also be extremely wealthy if the amount of money associated with his worries was proportional. He highlights the fact that he would have enough money to buy the entire world and still have some extra.
Throughout the song, Gary expresses that he has had worries and troubles on his mind his entire life. He feels like his worries have been constant obstacles in his life and that it has been difficult to escape them. He also acknowledges that times are hard and that he is not trying to lie about it. The chorus brings in the idea that if any of these negative things were equal to money, he would have everything he could ever want.
Gary then shares some words of wisdom from his mother. She used to say that there will always be days when things are tough, but that he needs to be a winner and never quit. He internalized this message and expresses his love and gratitude for his mother for instilling it in him.
Overall, "If Trouble Was Money" is a blues song that expresses the idea that despite the difficulties and challenges in life, we can persevere and overcome. It suggests that even though troubles feel overwhelming and insurmountable, one can learn from them and use them as a source of strength.
Line by Line Meaning
If trouble was money, I'd swear I'd be a millionaire
If the problems that I faced were equivalent to money, I would be unimaginably wealthy
If trouble was money, babe, I'd swear I'd be a millionaire
If the issues that I am dealing with in my life were as valuable as money, I would be very rich
If worries was dollar bills
If my concerns and problems could be turned into currency
I'd buy the whole world and have money to spare
I would be able to purchase everything that I could possibly desire, and still have a lot of money left over
Worry, worry, baby, I've had worries on my mind
I have been troubled by concerns and problems constantly
I said, "Worry, worry, worry, baby
I've had worries all my life"
I have been dealing with issues and problems for as long as I can remember
You know times is hard, baby, yeah, I swear, I don't tell you no lie
The current state of affairs is quite challenging and difficult, and I am not lying about it
My mother used to tell me
She said, "Son, there gonna be days like this"
My mother would warn me that some days in life would be difficult and challenging
She said, "Son, there gonna be days like this"
She cautioned me that I would face tough times every once in a while
She said, "I want you to always be a winner
I love you, son, I don't want you to quit"
My mother constantly encouraged me to keep going and not give up, and expressed her love for me this way
Lyrics © ALLIGATOR RECRDS/EYEBALL MUSIC, EMI Music Publishing
Written by: ALBERT GENE COLLINS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Remember Collins
I literally just listened to Gary Clark, Jr. for the first time less than 5 minutes ago and I am totally hooked . This is my kinda groove . YYYYEEEEESSSSSSSSS !!!!!
NSCA12
There are people who play The Blues then there are those that FEEL The Blues. There isn't a single song of his that feels forced. Every chord speaks to the soul!!!
John Mirabile
YOU SAID IT! WAS THINKING THE SAME THING, HE BECOMES ONE WITH THE SONG, ANY SONG, THERES PLAYING ON TOP OF A BLUES THEN THERES GETTING INSIDE OF A BLUES....NEVER HEARD HIM OUTSIDE OF A SONG! CLAPTON SAID, HE SAW 2 PPL WITH A NATURAL FLOW, GARY AND JIMMY HENDRIX, I LOVE JIMMY, BUT THE MORE I LISTEN TO GARY? IF I HAD TO CHOOSE ONE, I THINK ITS GARY! ONLY BC OF HIS STYLE I LEAN MORE TOWARDS GARYS SOUND AND THE FEELING OF HIS PLAYING, SO SMOOOTHHHHHH....BUT ITS VERRRRYYYY CLOSE...
Troubled Times
That’s because he speaks truth
Wayne
True dat
JOSHUA CARLSON
RIGHT ON…
Dick Gozinya
Thank goodness someone is still playing music like this today.
John Mark
This guys are not joking. The whole band is killer.
TheMRMACHONACHO
Eric Zapata. Unjustly outrageously underrated. What a beautiful soulful player
linda cole
Mr. Clark's Music takes me to a place where there is no ugliness I am white and went through the segregation in the 60s my ancestors do not make me proud of their greed and superiority of other races including the American Indian and other indigenous tribes in other continents your inner soul shines through your music and I'm very glad I found it thank you