Eric Bibb (b. 1951) is an American blues singer and guitarist, based in Lon… Read Full Bio ↴Eric Bibb (b. 1951) is an American blues singer and guitarist, based in London, England, who has made his career largely in Europe.

Bibb was born on 16th August 1951 in New York into a musical family. His father, Leon Bibb, is a trained singer who sang in musical theatre and made a name for himself as part of the 1960s New York folk scene. His uncle was the world-famous jazz pianist and composer John Lewis, of the Modern Jazz Quartet. Family friends included Pete Seeger, Odetta, and actor/singer/activist Paul Robeson, Bibb'sgodfather.

Bibb was given his first steel-string guitar when he was seven years old. Growing up surrounded by talent, he recalls a childhood conversation with Bob Dylan, who, on the subject of guitar playing advised the eleven-year-old Bibb to "Keep it simple, forget all that fancy stuff".

At sixteen years old, Bibb's father invited him to play guitar in the house band for his television talent show Someone New. Bibb's early musical heroes were from his father's band, and included Bill Lee (father of director Spike), who appeared on Bibb's album Me To You, years later.

In 1969, Bibb played guitar for the Negro Ensemble Company at St Mark's place in New York, and went on to study Psychology and Russian at Colombia University, but at the age of nineteen he left for Paris, where a meeting with guitarist Mickey Baker focused his interest in blues guitar. When he later moved to Sweden, Bibb found a creative environment which took him back to Greenwich Village during the heyday of the folk revival. Settling in Stockholm, Bibb immersed himself in pre-war blues and continued to write and perform.

The album Good Stuff was released in 1997, and led to Bibb signing to the British based Code Blue label. Eric's only release on Code Blue was Me to You, featuring appearances from some of Bibb's personal heroes in Pops and Mavis Staples, and Taj Mahal (who also worked with Bibb on the Grammy-nominated children's record, Shakin' a Tailfeather). The album furthered Bibb's international reputation and was followed by tours of the U.K., U.S.A., Canada, France, Sweden, and Germany.

In the late 1990s Bibb joined forces with his then manager, Alan Robinson, to form Manhaton Records, in Britain. The albums Home to Me (1999), Roadworks (2000), and Painting Signs (2001) followed, as did another Opus 3 release, Just Like Love.

Gratefully Blue
Eric Bibb Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

longin' for your touch in some nowere town
thinkin' an' drinkin' way too much
'cos you're not around
with all of my heart, when we're apart
I'm gratefullu blue

tryin' to catch some sleep
in a room without a view

pillows an' blankets in a heap
baby, wishin' it was you
with all of my heart, when we're apart
I'm gratefully blue

grateful, 'cos I know
you're missin' me like I miss you
grateful, 'cos I know
your love for me is true
grateful, for so much more
than I hoped a love could be -
blue because -
baby, you're not here with me

longin' for your smile
drivin' to the next little town
as I search the FM dial
lookin' for our kind of sound
with all of my heart, when we're apart -

longin' for you -
baby, I'm so gratefully blue

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Eric Bibb's "Gratefully Blue" tell the story of a man who is longing and missing his lover, who is not around. He is in a nowhere town, drinking way too much and unable to catch any sleep in a room without a view. He wishes his lover was there with him, and the distance between them is making him feel gratefully blue. He is grateful for their love and knows that his lover misses him as much as he does, but he is still sad because he wants to be with them.

The song captures the essence of being in a long-distance relationship and the emotional pain that comes with missing someone you love. The lyrics are honest and heartfelt, conveying the emotions of the singer in a powerful way. The repetition of the phrase "gratefully blue" throughout the song highlights the bittersweet feeling of being grateful for love while still feeling sad.

In conclusion, "Gratefully Blue" by Eric Bibb is a touching song that explores the emotions of distance, longing, and love. The lyrics capture the essence of a long-distance relationship, and the simple and straightforward melody enhances the emotions conveyed in the song.

Line by Line Meaning

longin' for your touch in some nowere town
Missing your touch in a place where I don't belong

thinkin' an' drinkin' way too much
Drinking and overthinking because you're not around

'cos you're not around
Because you're not here

with all of my heart, when we're apart
Wholeheartedly missing you when we're separated

I'm gratefullu blue
Feeling both grateful and sad

tryin' to catch some sleep
Attempting to sleep

in a room without a view
In a place with no view

pillows an' blankets in a heap
Messy bed with blankets and pillows

baby, wishin' it was you
Wishing you were there

grateful, 'cos I know
Being thankful because I am aware

you're missin' me like I miss you
You also miss me the way I do