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.
With My Maker I Am One
Eric Bibb Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I am the juke stomper – playin’ the blues
I am the Holy Roller – givin’ Jesus my cares
I am the candy man – pushin’ my wares
I am the cowboy – brandin’ my steers
I am the Cherokee brave – on the Trail Of Tears
I am the master – whip in my hand
After all is said an’ done – with my Maker I am One
I am the Okie – on a dusty road
I am the banker – with the tailor-made clothes
I am the hobo – in a cold boxcar
I am the railroad baron – with the long cigar
I am the ghetto brother – ‘bout to lose his lease
I am the landlord – cuttin’ of the heat
I am the prisoner – playin’ cards
I am the warden – lokkin’ out on the yard
After all is said an’ done – with my Maker I am One
I am the doctor – savin’ the sick
I am the junkie – gravin’ a fix
I am the homeless child – on streets so mean
I am the movie star – on the silver screen
I am the champion – on the finish line
I am the beggar – holdin’ up the sign
I am the rookie – tryin’ to make the Hall Òf Fame
I am the gangster – fixin’ the game
After all is said an’ done – with my Maker I am One
After all is said an’ done – with my Maker I am One
The lyrics to Eric Bibb's song With My Maker I Am One are a powerful statement about the universality of the human experience. The song suggests that, regardless of socioeconomic status, cultural heritage, and individual identity, every human being shares a fundamental connection to something greater than themselves - in this case, the singer's connection to their "Maker". Throughout the lyrics, Bibb presents a series of different archetypes, from preachers and bankers to junkies and gangsters. Through each of these identities, the singer finds a shared thread of humanity, underlining the idea that we are all in this together.
The song reflects on the human tendency to categorize and compartmentalize individuals based on various factors, such as race, class, and career. Through this, the song suggests that it is easy to lose sight of our shared humanity, and that despite our superficial differences, all of us have more in common than we might initially think. The repeated refrain of "with my Maker I am one" suggests a sense of unity and oneness, a recognition that we are all part of something greater than ourselves.
Overall, With My Maker I Am One is a powerful reminder of our common humanity and a call to look past our differences and see the essential unity that binds us all together.
Line by Line Meaning
I am the preacher – shoutin’ out the news
I am a messenger of God, spreading the word of salvation.
I am the juke stomper – playin’ the blues
I am a musician, playing the music of the people and their struggles.
I am the Holy Roller – givin’ Jesus my cares
I am a devout believer, surrendering my worries and fears to Christ.
I am the candy man – pushin’ my wares
I am a seller, promoting and selling my goods to those in need.
I am the cowboy – brandin’ my steers
I am a rancher, marking and claiming my livestock as my own.
I am the Cherokee brave – on the Trail Of Tears
I am a Native American, forced to leave my homeland and experience great suffering on a long and difficult journey.
I am the master – whip in my hand
I am a cruel and oppressive slave owner, wielding a whip to control other human beings.
I am the slave – from a distant land
I am a person of African descent, forced into bondage and subjected to the control of others.
I am the Okie – on a dusty road
I am a migrant worker from Oklahoma, traveling on foot and experiencing hardship and poverty.
I am the banker – with the tailor-made clothes
I am a wealthy and powerful member of society, dressed in the finest clothing money can buy.
I am the hobo – in a cold boxcar
I am a homeless and impoverished person, seeking shelter in a train car despite the harsh conditions.
I am the railroad baron – with the long cigar
I am a wealthy and powerful business magnate, enjoying the luxury of smoking a fine cigar while controlling the railroads.
I am the ghetto brother – ‘bout to lose his lease
I am a resident of a poor urban community, facing the threat of eviction due to financial hardship.
I am the landlord – cuttin’ of the heat
I am a property owner, shutting off essential utilities like heat and hot water in order to force tenants out.
I am the prisoner – playin’ cards
I am an incarcerated individual, killing time by playing cards with fellow prisoners.
I am the warden – lokkin’ out on the yard
I am the administrator of a prison, overseeing the inmates as they spend time in the exercise yard.
I am the doctor – savin’ the sick
I am a medical professional, working to cure and heal those who are ill or injured.
I am the junkie – gravin’ a fix
I am a drug addict, desperately seeking my next fix to alleviate my addiction and suffering.
I am the homeless child – on streets so mean
I am a young person living on the streets without a home or family, vulnerable to the dangers of the harsh world around me.
I am the movie star – on the silver screen
I am a famous actor or actress, enjoying the glamorous and privileged life of a Hollywood star.
I am the champion – on the finish line
I am a victorious competitor, crossing the finish line in triumph after overcoming great physical or mental obstacles.
I am the beggar – holdin’ up the sign
I am a person in need, holding up a sign asking for help and support from others.
I am the rookie – tryin’ to make the Hall Òf Fame
I am a young and aspiring athlete, striving to achieve greatness and earn a place in the prestigious Hall of Fame.
I am the gangster – fixin’ the game
I am a dishonest and corrupt individual, manipulating the outcome of a competition or event to achieve personal gain or advantage.
After all is said an’ done – with my Maker I am One
Regardless of my role in life, my relationship with God is what matters most, and ultimately, we are all one with our Creator.
Contributed by Claire E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@davidjackson110
Just ran across this artist on public television Love his tunes that give Jesus respect and honor. Keep it up.
@Rankerbill1
I was driving a cab in London, and spotted him in a crowd. I shouted out "Hey Eric, love your stuff". He tipped his hat and smiled.He`s keeping the blues alive, and whether you`re religious or not, this track is irresistable
@reedbender1179
Gospel Blues which resonates with the spirit.
Eric Bibb has that rare quality very few people and even fewer celebrities & musicians possess ......"humility".
I love this man and his inspirational music !
@cyucan
Eric Bibb is a true blues man .. so much talent and passion in his music .. one of my all time favorite artists. if you like blues you'll love this guy..l
@detlevschueler567
Yes! He´s ingenius! But Keb is also great!
@cass2771
Just heard Eric play this tonight in Northcote. Yeh, he truly sings the blues. A brilliant performance with Desmond on bass, Chris on guitar, and Paul on drums. Thank you, Eric.
@daleleavitt
Luv this guy!
@deatrayatman2071
LOVE THE BLUES.........MAKES ME SMILE AND TAP MY FEET! GO ERIC. THANK YOU.
@lesterclaypool1
+DEATRA YATMAN go to the trans atlantic sessions and see hin ,,, or check out darell scotts youll neve leave herlan alive ,,,, great music
@kristianbowering9690
had the pleasure of watching eric bibb live at Shrewsbury Folk Festival and he is genuinely brilliant!!