Times Gettin' Tougher Than Tough
Duke Robillard Band / Jimmy Witherspoon / Long John Baldry Lyrics
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I hate to see that evening sun go down
Cause my baby, he's gone left this town
Feelin' tomorrow like I feel today
If I'm feelin' tomorrow like I feel today
I'll pack my truck and make my give-a-way
Pulls that man around by her, if it wasn't for her and her
That man I love would have gone nowhere, nowhere
I got the St. Louis blues, blues as I can be
That man's got a heart like a rock cast in the sea
Or else he wouldn't have gone so far from me
I love my baby like a school boy loves his pie
Like a Kentucky colonel loves his mint 'n rye
I love my man till the day I die
The Duke Robillard Band/Jimmy Witherspoon/Long John Baldry's song "Times Gettin' Tougher Than Tough" is about a man who is heartbroken because his lover has left him. He hates to see the evening sun go down because it reminds him that he is alone without her. He feels like tomorrow will be no different from today and that he might as well leave town. However, he is unable to because he loves her so much.
Throughout the song, the man talks about how much he loves his woman, comparing his love to that of a school boy's love for his pie and a Kentucky colonel's love for his mint 'n rye. The woman is described as a St. Louis woman with a diamond ring who is able to control men with her charm. The man feels like he is stuck in the St. Louis blues, and that his heart is as hard as a rock cast in the sea. He knows that he will love his woman until the day he dies, even though she has left him.
The song draws on the blues tradition, using repetition and imagery to convey the pain of the man's broken heart. The lyrics are simple but powerful, giving voice to the emotions of those who have loved and lost.
Line by Line Meaning
I hate to see that evening sun go down
I feel unhappy when the evening sun disappears from view
Cause my baby, he's gone left this town
Because my lover has departed from this place
Feelin' tomorrow like I feel today
Anticipating feeling the same way tomorrow that I feel at present
If I'm feelin' tomorrow like I feel today
In the case that I am experiencing the same feelings tomorrow as I am currently
I'll pack my truck and make my give-a-way
I will pack my vehicle and make my departure
St. Louis woman with her diamond ring
A woman from St. Louis who wears a diamond ring
Pulls that man around by her, if it wasn't for her and her
This woman has a hold on this man, and without her interference
That man I love would have gone nowhere, nowhere
The man I love would not have gone anywhere without her control over him
I got the St. Louis blues, blues as I can be
I am experiencing great sadness that is known as the St. Louis blues
That man's got a heart like a rock cast in the sea
This man has a cold and hard heart, akin to a rock thrown into the ocean
Or else he wouldn't have gone so far from me
Otherwise, he would not have distanced himself so much from me
I love my baby like a school boy loves his pie
I love my lover in a manner similar to how a young boy loves his favorite dessert
Like a Kentucky colonel loves his mint 'n rye
I love my lover as a Kentucky colonel loves their mint-flavored alcoholic beverage
I love my man till the day I die
I will continue to love my lover for the duration of my entire life
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JAMES J. WITHERSPOON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind