Furry's style of blues was in many ways typical of the songsters who operated in and around Memphis in the 1920s, for whom the value of a song was the story it told, and who tended to back their words with hypnotic repetitive riffs and subtle slide guitars. Furry Lewis's soft voice and quick slide work were particularly effective in this style. He recorded many successful records in the late '20s including "Kassie Jones",Billy Lyons, Stack-O-Lee and Judge Harsh Blues (later called Good morning judge).
This success was limited to the race records of the time, cheap sides by black musicians for black customers. Furry received neither fame nor fortune for his efforts. In 1962, however, he was recorded by the folklorist Adrian Mitchell and his fortunes began to pick up. Before he died in 1981 Furry opened twice for the Rolling Stones, played on Johnny Carson's Tonight show and had a part in a Burt Reynolds movie, some justice for this great player of the blues and his inimitable slide guitar style.
Joni Mitchell's song, "Furry Sings the Blues" (on her Hejira album), is about Lewis. According to Wikipedia, Lewis despised the Mitchell song and demanded she pay him royalties.
Falling Down Blues
Furry Lewis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Got the blues so bad it hurts my feet to walk
I wouldn't hate it so bad but it hurt my tongue to talk
Mama I feel like jumping through the keyhole in your door
I feel like jumping through the keyhole in your door
I can jump so easy your man will never know
Some people said the worried blues ain't tough
But if they don't kill you handle you mighty rough
Hitch up my buggy, please saddle up my black mare
Hitch up my buggy, saddle up my black mare
I'm going to find my woman on the road somewhere
She caught the rumbling, I caught the falling down
She caught the rumbling, I caught the falling down
If I never see her, I never turn around
She caught the rumbling, Lord I caught the falling down
She caught the rumbling, I caught the falling down
I never see her I never turn around
The lyrics to Furry Lewis's song "Falling Down Blues" paint a picture of a man who is drowning in his own sorrow. The repetition of the phrase "I got the blues so bad it hurts my feet to walk" sets the tone for the entire song. The singer is in pain both physically and emotionally. He feels like he can't even speak about his troubles because the pain in his mouth is too much to bear. The second verse takes a turn toward more violent imagery with the line "Mama I feel like jumping through the keyhole in your door." This line is not directed at his mother but instead is a reference to his lover. He wants to surprise her and sneak into her house without her man knowing. This is a desperate move that highlights the singer's desperation to see his lover.
The third verse is a commentary on the nature of sadness. People may not think that "worried blues" are tough, but the singer knows firsthand how rough they can be. He knows that sadness can be overwhelming and that it has the capacity to kill. In the fourth verse, the singer decides to take action. He asks for his buggy to be hitched and his horse to be saddled. He is going on a mission to find his woman. The final image of the song is one of falling down. The singer and his woman are caught up in a tumultuous relationship, but he knows that he can never turn back. Even if he never finds her, he will keep moving forward.
Line by Line Meaning
I got the blues so bad it hurts my feet to walk
My sadness is so profound that even walking is a painful task
Got the blues so bad it hurts my feet to walk
My depression is so severe that walking is excruciatingly painful
I wouldn't hate it so bad but it hurt my tongue to talk
I don't mind feeling this way, but even speaking about it is too much for me to bear
Mama I feel like jumping through the keyhole in your door
Mother, I have the urge to sneak into your house without being noticed
I feel like jumping through the keyhole in your door
I am so desperate to see someone that I am willing to enter through the smallest opening
I can jump so easy your man will never know
I am so agile and stealthy that I can enter your home without your partner realizing
Some people said the worried blues ain't tough
Some individuals don't believe that depression can be a debilitating condition
But if they don't kill you handle you mighty rough
However, if they do not lead to one's demise, they can still be incredibly difficult to cope with
Hitch up my buggy, saddle up my black mare
Please prepare my carriage and ensure that my black horse is ready
I'm going to find my woman on the road somewhere
I will search for my significant other on the streets
She caught the rumbling, I caught the falling down
She sensed the warning signs, but I was unable to avoid the pitfalls
If I never see her, I never turn around
If I am unable to locate her, I will keep moving forward without looking back
She caught the rumbling, Lord I caught the falling down
She recognized the danger approaching, but I was unable to prevent the damage
I never see her I never turn around
If I don't come across her, I won't look back as I keep moving forward
Contributed by Chloe V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.