Crossroads
Eric Clapton feat. John Mayer Lyrics


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Went down to the crossroads, fell down on my knees
I went down to the crossroads, fell down on my knees
Asked the lord for mercy, said help me if you please

I went down to the crossroads, tried to flag a ride
I went down to the crossroads, tried to flag a ride
No one seemed to know me, everybody passed me by
You can run, you can run, tell my friend Willie Brown




You can run, you can run, tell my friend Willie Brown
That I'm standing at the crossroads, I believe I'm sinking down

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "Crossroads" narrate a metaphorical journey through a struggle of faith, hope, and despair. The crossroads represent the intersection of two paths, the physical and spiritual, with the singer being torn between them. To portray this, the lyrics show the singer falling onto his knees asking the Lord for help, highlighting a plea for divine intervention. However, when he tries to flag a ride, no one seems to recognize him, metaphorically representing a sense of abandonment from society. The repetition of these verses highlights the recurring nature of the struggle.


The final verse holds an air of defeat as the singer asks his friend Willie to tell everyone where he is and that he is "sinking down." This may represent the singer's acceptance of his current state and the beginning of a new journey towards redemption. The song's themes have religious overtones, with many interpreting it as the singer's attempt to sell his soul for talent or success, reminiscent of the oft-referenced legend of Robert Johnson.


Line by Line Meaning

Went down to the crossroads, fell down on my knees
I was lost and I didn't know where to go, so I turned to the crossroads and prayed for guidance.


Asked the lord for mercy, said help me if you please
I begged for forgiveness and asked for help from a higher power.


I went down to the crossroads, tried to flag a ride
I tried to find a way out of my troubles by hitchhiking.


No one seemed to know me, everybody passed me by
Despite my efforts, no one was willing to offer me any help or support.


You can run, you can run, tell my friend Willie Brown
Tell my friend that I'm in trouble and need his help.


That I'm standing at the crossroads, I believe I'm sinking down
I am at a critical juncture in my life and I fear that I am headed for disaster.




Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: Robert Johnson

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@maxibartel

I can't tell you how tired I am of this discussion.
Under every single John Mayer video some idiots have to constantly compare Mayer to SRV, Clapton, Hendrix, B.B. King,...
I mean - what is the point of doing that?

First of all, it seems like people cannot get over the fact that Mayer is a undoubtedly great guitarist. You just can't say that he's a "bad" or average player. That's just not true!
Simply judging him on his technique, speed, touch and tone this guy is a fucking great guitarist and far above the average player.

I also think that blues lovers and Mayer critics can't get over the fact that he is so versatile. He came from Acoustic pop, went on to the blues and now ended up making two country records.
Imagine SRV writing a pop song - I don't know if he could pull it of. And he doesn't have to but all I'm saying is that Mayer succeeded in every single genre by winning Grammy's, getting great feedback by other artists and selling millions of records. To me that is what makes him such a great musician that he is a pure pop artists, while being able to play a fucking solid and beautiful blues (Out Of My Mind), and on top playing some laid back country without using all the cheesy lyrics. People can't wrap their head around someone who can do that. Step into another genre and just cracking it. Many blues players dedicated their life to Blues music and there's nothing wrong with that. But there's this Mayer guy who dedicated his life to all sorts of music so he can't be the master of every single genre he plays. Well, he's definitely on his way to become a true legend if you ask me.

Then thirdly all those people judging him and his guitar skills constantly try to argue against Mayers unassailable recognition by other artists. Clapton doesn't just say things like: 'He is a master guitar player.' for no reason. He isn't inducting SRV in the Hall Of Fame for no reason and so on.

And then there's the big discussion over his private life. Oh my God. Get a life people! When I'm interested in music I don't care about who's girl this guys sleeping with. And if you're that kind of guy you at least gotta respect him for sleeping with a list of women many of us would be happy to only shake hands with.
Imagine you're getting overpured with money and fame in your early twenties. How would you react? It's just plain naive and stupid to judge him on mistakes he made without us being in his position.

Anyway, that's just what I've been thinking.

EDIT: Thanks for the likes and the lively discussion. I also realize that I did the exact same thing by comparing Mayer to other guitarist. I wrote this 5 years ago and times changed. Lesson learned. Still loving Mayer though. Cheers. :)



All comments from YouTube:

@izzanmakhir4537

One of the best 240p ever!

@Guitaro-chopper

You tell me witch 240p song is beter?

@izzanmakhir4537

@@Guitaro-chopper Indirect message

@benjaminstorez2460

xD

@user-xx6zu4kg8e

Hahaha😄😄

@prathameshbhambure

There are covers which are better in 240p than in 720p and this is one of such ones.

@ryan_milla

Clapton smiling because he knows the blues is in good hands. Epic.

@uriteimwrong7317

Ryan J. Milla with blues guys not a pop guy who sometimes plays the blues.

@seanroche4629

Yes I agree,the changing of the guard.

@nickplant110

@@uriteimwrong7317 hes a blues guy who does pop. You thinknthat just comes accidently? Nope. Gotta practice. And tonpractice you have to enjoy it. John is blues through and through

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