“My mama told me when I was a chile,
My mama told me when I was a chile,
Running around and women gets you after while”
The 78’s flip side, “Time Ain’t Gonna Make Me Stay,” was very similar. When the record came out that June, OKeh ran a newspaper ad stating, “Right where blues songs were born is where Ed. Andrews was singing ’em and playing ’em when the special OKeh Recording Expedition discovered him.” The advertisement also referred to him as “boy.” Andrews never recorded again. Technique-wise, it was an inauspicious start to what rapidly blossom into a lively guitar scene.
Time Ain't Gonna Make Me Stay
Ed Andrews Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm goin' I'm goin' cryin' won't make me stay
I'll leave here walkin' talkin' this very day
My mama told me, when I was a child
My mama told me, when I was a child
"Runnin' round with women gets you after a while"
Read my letter, sure can't read my mind
I think I'm lovin' be leavin' all the time
Always tell (when a) woman treat you mean
Always tell when my girl will treat you mean
Meals ain't ready, house ain't never clean
Up on the mountain, far's I could see
Up on the mountain, far as I could see
Man had (my) woman and the blues had me
Hey, mama, what's the matter, matter now?
Pretty mama, what's the matter now?
Ain't got nobody, lead me round and round
I'm goin' I'm goin' cryin' won't make me stay
I'm goin' I'm goin' cryin' won't make me stay
I'll leave here walkin' talkin' this very day
Haven't been to heaven bit I have been told
Been to heaven bit I have been told
To be in heaven do a sweet jelly roll
The lyrics of Ed Andrews's Time Ain't Gonna Make Me Stay is about a man who is leaving a woman who mistreats him. He is resolved to leave her and nothing, not even her tears or pleas, will make him stay. The repetition of the lyrics "I'm goin' I'm goin' cryin' won't make me stay, I'll leave here walkin' talkin' this very day" emphasize the man's determination to leave.
The second verse reveals the reason for the man's departure - he has been warned by his mother when he was a child that fooling around with women will eventually lead to trouble. He is "leavin' all the time" because he thinks he is falling in love easily. The third verse describes how the man can tell when his girlfriend is going to treat him poorly - meals aren't ready, the house is never clean. These are signs that she doesn't value him.
The fourth verse switches tone and moves towards a metaphorical meaning. The man sings about being up on a mountain where he can see from a distance that his woman is with somebody else, causing him to be in the blues. The question of "Hey, mama, what's the matter, matter now?" suggests that he may be talking to his mother or another maternal figure in his life for comfort. The final verse returns to the man's determination to leave: "crying won't make me stay." The chorus repeats to reinforce his resolve.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm goin' I'm goin' cryin' won't make me stay
Leaving is my only option, no amount of crying will make me stay
I'll leave here walkin' talkin' this very day
I'm determined to leave, and I'll do it immediately
"Runnin' round with women gets you after a while"
My mother warned me that being promiscuous would have consequences
I think I'm lovin' be leavin' all the time
I don't think I'm capable of being in a long-term relationship and will always end up leaving
Meals ain't ready, house ain't never clean
If a woman doesn't treat you well, you'll know because she won't take care of the home like she should
Man had (my) woman and the blues had me
I saw my woman with another man and it left me feeling down and depressed
Ain't got nobody, lead me round and round
I'm feeling lost and alone, with no one to guide me
Haven't been to heaven bit I have been told
I haven't experienced true happiness yet, but I've heard about it
To be in heaven do a sweet jelly roll
To truly experience joy, you should dance and celebrate
Contributed by Cameron C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
K.T.
"I'm goin', goin'...Cryin' aint gonna make me stay" AWESOME!!!!!
Larry Griffith
To my ear it's sounds more like he's saying, Your Crying Ain't Gonna Make Me Stay, and not, Time..
Enzo Viero - [BLUES]
I guess you're right. This phrase is common in other pre war blues I've heard. I believe you're right because it makes more sense with the rest of the lyrics from that time, from other recordings, and also from what you hear, which really seems to be that.