James was born fifty miles north of Jackson (not to be confused with another Richland just south of Jackson). He began playing as a teen, under the names "Cleanhead" and "Joe Willie James", alongside musicians such as the first Sonny Boy Williamson, Howlin' Wolf, and Robert Johnson. During World War II James joined the United States Navy and was stationed in Guam.
Upon his discharge James returned to central Mississippi and eventually settled in Canton. He began recording with Trumpet Records in nearby Jackson in January 1951, first as sideman to the second Sonny Boy Williamson and others, then debuting as a session leader in August with what became his signature song, "Dust My Broom". It was a surprise R&B hit in 1952 and turned James into a star. His "I Believe" was another hit a year later. During the 1950s he recorded for the Bihari Brothers' Flair and Modern labels, as well as for Chess Records. His backing musicians were known as the Broomdusters. In 1959 he began recording what are perhaps his best sides for Bobby Robinson's Fire Records label. These include "The Sky Is Crying" (credited to Elmo James and His Broomdusters), "Stranger Blues", "Look On Yonder Wall", "Done Somebody Wrong", and "Shake Your Moneymaker", all of which are among the most famous of blues recordings.
The slide guitar riff from "Dust My Broom" is one of the best-known openings in all of blues.
Elmore James died of his third heart attack in Chicago in 1963, already a major influence on guitarists such as The Rolling Stones' Brian Jones. His classic "Done Somebody Wrong" and "One Way Out" were often covered by The Allman Brothers Band, who cited James as a major influence. James was also covered by blues-rock band Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble many times in concert. The most famous of these covers is Vaughan's take on James's legendary recording, "The Sky Is Crying". James is mentioned in The Beatles' song "For You Blue". While John Lennon plays the slide guitar, James' trademark, George Harrison says "Go, Johnny, go ... Elmore James got nothin' on this, baby." Another famous guitarist who admired Elmore James was Jimi Hendrix. On a sleeve of the posthumously released Hendrix CD Blues, there is a photo of Hendrix wearing his famous military jacket and holding Elmore James's vinyl.
Look On Yonder Wall
Elmore James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Look on yonder wall and hand me down my walkin cane
I got me another woman, baby, yon come your man
Look on yonder wall and hand me down my walkin cane
Look on yonder wall and hand me down my walkin cane
I got me another woman and uh, baby, yon come your man
And you know it was tough, uh
I don't know how many mens you's killed
But, I know you done killed enough for two
Look on yonder wall and hand me down my walkin cane
Look on yonder wall and hand me down my walkin cane
I got me another woman, now baby, yon come your man
Oh yeah
I love you baby, but you just can't treat me right
Spend all my money and walk the streets all night
But, look on yonder wall and hand me down my walkin cane
I got me another woman, and baby, yon come your man
The song "Look On Yonder Wall" by Elmore James is a classic blues tune that tells the story of a man who has found a new woman and is ready to move on from an old love. The first verse sets the tone for the rest of the song as the singer asks for his walking cane, indicating his readiness to leave. He mentions the wall, which is likely a metaphorical representation of the problems and issues in his life. The repetition of the line "I got me another woman, baby, yon come your man" suggests that the singer is trying to convince his former lover to let him go and move on with his life.
The second verse is a continuation of the first and again emphasizes the singer's desire to leave. He asks for his walking cane once more and repeats the line about his new woman. The third verse takes a different turn as the singer seems to address his former lover directly. He tells her that she can't treat him right and is spending all his money and walking the streets all night. The fourth and final verse brings everything full circle as the singer once again asks for his walking cane and repeats the line about his new woman. The overall message of the song is one of acceptance and moving on, even if it means leaving someone behind.
Line by Line Meaning
Look on yonder wall and hand me down my walkin cane
I need my walking stick, which is by the wall. Please give it to me.
Look on yonder wall and hand me down my walkin cane
I really need my walking stick, which is by the wall. Please give it to me again.
I got me another woman, baby, yon come your man
I have a new woman in my life, and you need to accept that I have moved on.
You hurried up and went to the wall
And you know it was tough, uh
I don't know how many mens you's killed
But, I know you done killed enough for two
You moved quickly and energetically towards the wall, which must have been difficult. I don't know how many people you have killed, but I'm sure it's more than your fair share.
I got me another woman, now baby, yon come your man
Oh yeah
I have a new woman in my life, and it's time for you to move on. Oh yeah.
I love you baby, but you just can't treat me right
Spend all my money and walk the streets all night
But, look on yonder wall and hand me down my walkin cane
I got me another woman, and baby, yon come your man
I love you, but you don't treat me well. You spend all my money and walk the streets all night long. Despite this, please give me my walking stick by the wall, because I have a new woman in my life and it's time for you to move on.
Lyrics ยฉ BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, GULF COAST MUSIC LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ELMORE JAMES, MARSHALL E SEHORN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
nastyolddog
Do you like or Play Harmonica
Hi & welcome to Harmonica Jam Nation
How is HJN different from other Groups HJN want members of all Genre feeling safe comfortable relaxed without the Drama & Critic of other more lenient groups.
With a Big emphasis on RESPECT of Female players absolutely no Misogynistic conduct or content of any kind will be Tolerated... It's simple we all play Harmonica & that how we talk to one another....as Harmonicists/Musicians.
Critic of members Music won't be tolerated unless asked for.... But encouragement is Always Welcomed.
HJN is the Space to discover players you never hear in other groups.... bring them out of the Cyber void that's about the only difference....We all know how to act within each environment HJN is just trying to fill that Space & bring forth a new face or 2 from out in the Wilderness of Cyberland.
Admin Mods?
Greg, Les & I are active Musicians in our local Blues communities & that's who we wish to be in HJN active members not Admins.... Contact Greg & Les for all the good things in HJN.
But if you have a Problem Toss it my way, I do all the Dirty Washing.
HJN #1 Unwritten Rule we trust that you Treat all member as you do People in your everyday Life....Carry on Having Fun.
You must answer the security questions Correctly
for security of members accounts
https://www.facebook.com/groups/246845502420749
Kev Dean
Elmore gives me goose bumps!!! I love this man's music!!!
Alvaro Palma
Me too
Shane Wright
I hard this song when I was 14 years old and it was this song which made me first fall in love with the blues. One of the most important records of my whole life.
jazztemple2
Shane, to the best of my shitty memory I first heard electric blues via the compilation album "Elektra 1965" (meaning I would have been 13) which had one cut each by twelve of Elektra's different artists. The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, it was, and I have been listening to and playing the blues (off and on) ever since. We are so fucking lucky to have this wonderful salve for the soul available to us at the touch of a couple of buttons on a computer. What record, by the way, did this come from? Do you remember the title? (Thanks, Peter, at the jazztemple2@aol.com, just in case you remember the name of the recording! Peace out! Be well)
Cuchulain
Same age and same song for me!!! :)
marko gavranovic
Very powerful song......can't stop to listen to it.....it just keeps going again and again.....
Shane Wright
@jazztemple2 Hi Peter - from what I recall it was just one of those cheap shovelware CDs that came out when CD's first became available. I bought a BB King, a Robert Johnson - which were both so poor quality they were unlistenable and the Elmore James on which was a little noisy but on the whole acceptable.
Aloise Mason
What a blue's guitar strummer..and a voice to howl at the moon..a legend that plays the guitar sensationally and never ends.
CARLOS Buendia
A legend a real bluesman!!!!!
RRROG
Of all the takes and songs performed by this Blues legend this is my personal favorite.