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.
Turning Pages
Eric Bibb Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All those commercials sure do annoy me
I love a good book, an' if I choose
I'll read it all in one go –
If I couldn't read, I wouldn't know half o' what I know
Chorus 1:
I'll read standin' up, sittin' down, in the tub, on the plane
Some guys just love a game o' poker
Me, I don't know the difference
Between a jack an' a joker –
But when ya read a book by Mosley
Man, you can't lose –
Yes, I'm talkin' 'bout Walte, wrote RL's Blues
Chorus 2:
I read it standin' up, sittin' down, in the tub on the train
I been turnin' pages since I first met Dick an' Jane
Some folks crazy 'bout some Shakespeare
Some folks wild about their Langston Hughes
Some folks just love to read the Bible
An' shout out the news –
As a child I loved my Hard Boys
An'my Nancy Drews
Chorus 3:
I'd read standin' up, sittin' down
Kids used to call me "Da Brain"
I been turnin' pages since I first met Dick an' Jane
Chorus 1:
I'll read standin' up...
In Eric Bibb's song, "Turning Pages," the songwriter expresses his love for reading books and how it has influenced his life significantly. The song explores the idea that reading is an excellent alternative to watching TV, and the benefits that one can draw from reading. The opening lines of the song immediately set the tone, as the songwriter says, "Some folks just love to watch TV, All those commercials sure do annoy me." From the lines, the songwriter makes it clear that he finds reading books more satisfying than watching television, which is often plagued by commercials.
The chorus of the song reinforces the idea that reading is an essential part of the songwriter's life. He explains that he reads anywhere and everywhere, such as, "in the tub, on the plane, standing up, or sitting down." The chorus also mentions Dick and Jane, which could be alluding to the famous children's book series that taught many people how to read at a young age.
In the subsequent verses, the songwriter talks about other authors and writers that he likes to read. For instance, he mentions author Mosley and his book RL's Blues, which he says is a piece that one can't lose. He further stresses this idea in the second chorus, where he affirms that he's been turning pages since he first met Dick and Jane.
Overall, the song explores the importance of reading and how it shapes one's life. The song praises the benefits that reading offers as opposed to watching TV, and the songwriter openly shares his love for a good read.
Line by Line Meaning
Some folks just love to watch TV
Some individuals enjoy watching television as their pastime.
All those commercials sure do annoy me
Advertisements that interrupt TV shows are bothersome to me.
I love a good book, an' if I choose
I have a fondness for reading enjoyable books and have the liberty to select my reading material.
I'll read it all in one go –
I am capable of reading an entire book in one sitting.
If I couldn't read, I wouldn't know half o' what I know
Without my ability to read books, I would lack much of the knowledge I possess.
Chorus 1:
Repetition of the chorus to emphasize my love for reading books.
Some guys just love a game o' poker
Certain men enjoy playing the game of poker.
Me, I don't know the difference
I personally lack the knowledge or interest to distinguish between different aspects of poker.
Between a jack an' a joker –
I do not know the distinction between a playing card jack and a joker.
But when ya read a book by Mosley
Whenever I read a book by Walter Mosley,
Man, you can't lose –
I cannot go wrong with his literary works.
Yes, I'm talkin' 'bout Walte, wrote RL's Blues
I am specifically referring to Walter Mosley, the author who wrote RL's Blues.
Chorus 2:
Repetition of the chorus to express my affinity for reading books.
Some folks crazy 'bout some Shakespeare
Some individuals are enamored with the works of William Shakespeare.
Some folks wild about their Langston Hughes
Some people love and appreciate Langston Hughes' literary contributions.
Some folks just love to read the Bible
Certain individuals enjoy frequently reading the Bible.
An' shout out the news –
They also exclaim or proclaim their religious beliefs or passages from the Bible.
As a child I loved my Hard Boys
When I was a child, I adored the mysteries of the Hardy Boys.
An'my Nancy Drews
And also enjoyed stories involving Nancy Drew.
Chorus 3:
Reiteration of the chorus to convey my lifelong love for reading books.
I'd read standin' up, sittin' down
I could read my books in any posture, whether standing or sitting down.
Kids used to call me "Da Brain"
As a child, other kids labeled me as intelligent due to my love of reading and learning.
I been turnin' pages since I first met Dick an' Jane
I have been wholeheartedly dedicated to reading books since my earliest recollections of reading Dick and Jane books.
Contributed by Ava S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Kenneth Alwon
This should be the school song for every school!
Jay
great!
ضياء الحق الأريل
Oh Eric Bibb King