Jones was born in Marianna, Arkansas. He started playing guitar seriously after being given a guitar by Howlin' Wolf, and worked as an itinerant musician in the Arkansas and Mississippi area in the 1930s and early 1940s, before settling in Chicago in 1945.
In Chicago, Jones took up the electric guitar, and was one of a number of musicians playing on Maxwell Street and in non-union venues in the late 1940s who played an important role in the development of the post-war Chicago Blues sound. This group included Little Walter and Jimmy Rogers, both of who went on to become mainstays of the Muddy Waters band, and also Snooky Pryor, Floyd's cousin Moody Jones and mandolin player Johnny Young. His first recording session in 1947, with Snooky on harmonica and Moody on guitar, produced the sides "Stockyard Blues" and "Keep What You Got", which formed one of the two records released by the Marvel Label, and was one of the first examples of the new style on record. A second session in 1949 resulted in a release on the similarly short-lived Tempo-Tone label. During the 1950s Jones also had records released on JOB, Chess and Vee-Jay, and in 1966 he recorded for the Testament label's Masters of Modern Blues series.
Jones continued performing in Chicago for the rest of his life, although he had few further recording opportunities. Later in his career the electric bass became his main instrument. He died in Chicago in December 1989.
on the road again
Floyd Jones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I'm out on the road again
I'm on the road again
Well, I'm so tired of crying
But I'm out on the road again
I'm on the road again
I ain't got no woman
Just to call my special friend
You know the first time I traveled
Out in the rain and snow
In the rain and snow
You know the first time I traveled
Out in the rain and snow
In the rain and snow
I didn't have no payroll
Not even no place to go
And my dear mother left me
When I was quite young
When I was quite young
And my dear mother left me
When I was quite young
When I was quite young
She said "Lord, have mercy
On my wicked son"
Take a hint from me, mama
Please don't you cry no more
Don't you cry no more
Take a hint from me, mama
Please don't you cry no more
Don't you cry no more
'Cause it's soon one morning
Down the road I'm going
But I ain't going down
That long old lonesome road
All by myself
But I ain't going down
That long old lonesome road
All by myself
I can't carry you, baby
Gonna carry somebody else
Floyd Jones's song "On the Road Again" is a classic blues song that tells the story of a man who is tired of crying and decides to hit the road. The lyrics suggest that he might have experienced a heartbreak or some emotional pain that pushed him to leave everything behind and travel. Despite being tired of crying, he is still out on the road again, which implies that he would rather travel than stay at one place and dwell in his sorrow.
The song's narrative shifts to the singer reflecting on his first time traveling in the rain and snow. As he reminisces, he reveals that he had nothing and nowhere to go. The lyrics suggest that the singer might have been homeless, struggling to make ends meet, and searching for a better life. Additionally, he reveals that his mother left him when he was young, and her last words were, "Lord, have mercy on my wicked son." These words could be a reflection of the difficulties the singer faced while growing up.
The song ends with the singer encouraging his mother not to cry anymore, promising her that he will be going down the road soon, but he won't be going alone. Even though he may not be able to carry his baby, he will carry somebody else. The lyrics suggest that the singer is still optimistic despite his troubles and is determined to make a better life for himself.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I'm so tired of crying
After all the crying I've done, I can't take it anymore
But I'm out on the road again
Even though I'm exhausted, I'm still hitting the road once again
I'm on the road again
I am traveling away from the past on a new journey
I ain't got no woman
I don't have a woman to love me or to accompany me on the road
Just to call my special friend
I long for someone special to be my companion when I'm feeling lonely
You know the first time I traveled
The first time I went on a journey
Out in the rain and snow
It was raining hard with snow falling all around
In the rain and snow
The rain and snow beat against me as I was traveling
I didn't have no payroll
I had no income or money when I started my journey
Not even no place to go
I was traveling with nowhere in particular in mind
And my dear mother left me
My mother passed away when I was young
When I was quite young
I was still a child when she died
She said "Lord, have mercy
My mother prayed for me before she left this world
On my wicked son"
She thought I was a bad person and needed mercy
Take a hint from me, mama
Mother, please listen to what I have to say
Please don't you cry no more
There's no need to shed any more tears
Don't you cry no more
It's time to stop being unhappy
'Cause it's soon one morning
There's going to be a new dawn soon
Down the road I'm going
I'm heading down the path of my life journey
But I ain't going down
I'm not going to give up or be defeated
That long old lonesome road
I don't want to travel alone on the long journey of life
All by myself
Without anyone to share the journey, it's really hard
I can't carry you, baby
I cannot take care of you, baby
Gonna carry somebody else
There's someone else out there who may require my company in their journey of life
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: KENNETH L. HICKSON, NATHAN B. MORRIS, RICKIE KENNETH FAMBRO, WANYA JERMAINE MORRIS, SHAWN PATRICK STOCKMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kiernan Burke
Truly original, and truly the roots of so much that came after, with so little recognition. The energy in the original musical genius comes through to this day. Thank you.
Glen Chapman
70 years on. First time I have heard this and got goosebumps from that intro.
Jeff G.
Among the best music of all time. I listen to this work of art often.
John Oroszi
Nothing to say. The beginning of all modern blues songs.
GOLDBAND45rpm
Superb blues with the great Sunnyland Slim on piano..
jonjim1952
Al Wilson took Floyd Jones' "On the Road Again" and "Dark Road" and added some lines of his own to create their Canned Heat version.
steve freund
Floyd had to sue to get his money, and he did. He bought a blue Cutlass Supreme with the money.
Michiel Spek
But Floyd took quite a bit from this one
https://youtu.be/j5oVMdQW_x0
steve freund
@Michiel Spek where do you get that idea from? Dark Road??
Brandon Potts
@Michiel Spek and Tommy Johnson borrowed from the songs suitcase blues and farm hand blues for that song