While a first album (entitled Better Than the Rest) was recorded in 1974, the major recording debut came with the release of the eponymous album 'George Thorogood & The Destroyers', released in 1977 (Better Than the Rest was eventually released in 1979). The next album, entitled Move It On Over, was released in the autumn of 1978 and included the hit "Move It On Over" . Other singles from the album included "Please Set A Date" and "Who Do You Love".
During the 1980s, and 1990s, the band recorded some of their most well-known works, "Bad to the Bone" (used to great effect during the bar scene in Terminator 2: Judgment Day, and in the opening scene of John Carpenter's Christine), "I Drink Alone" (from the 'Maverick' album), "You Talk Too Much", and "If You Don't Start Drinking, I'm Gonna Leave".
Thorogood himself is best-known for his animated stage presence and loud, raucous electric slide guitar playing. He is also known as "Lonesome George".
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Official Website: George Thorogood And The Destroyers
Mad Man Blues
George Thorogood & The Destroyers Lyrics
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I come home last night around nine o'clock
I knew you weren't there, baby,
'Cause I knock na-na-knock
I got the mad man blues
Got the mad man blues
I got the mad man blues,
I'm gonna take you, baby, by the riverside
Hang you up, baby, there by your neck
I got the mad man blues
I got the mad man blues
I got the mad man blues
And man, don't ya know, don't ya know
Beg me last night, the night before
Next time I see you I'm gonna mow you down
I got the mad man blues
Got the mad man blues
I got a mad man blues
And man, don't ya know, don't ya know
Look out there, man
I'm gonna take you all night for a easy ride
Drop you off, mama, by the riverside
I got the mad man blues
I got the mad man blues
I got a mad man blues,
Man, don't ya know, don't ya know
I come home last night around nine o'clock
I knew you weren't there, baby,
'Cause I knock na-na-knock
I got the mad man blues
I got the mad man blues,
Man, don't ya know, don't ya know
I got the mad man blues,
Man, don't ya know, don't ya know
The lyrics to George Thorogood & the Destroyers' song "Mad Man Blues" are those of someone who is clearly very distressed and possibly even unstable. The opening line of the song, "Look out there man, I've got the mad man blues" sets the tone for the rest of the lyrics. The singer has come home to an empty house and feels angry and abandoned. He talks about how he knows his partner wasn't there because he "knock na-na-knock" - an onomatopoeic representation of the sound of someone knocking on a door.
As the song progresses, the lyrics become more violent and threatening. The singer talks about taking their partner to the riverside and hanging them by their neck, and how they're going to "mow [them] down" the next time they see them. Despite this, there is a sense of sadness and desperation in the lyrics. The singer is clearly feeling abandoned and hurt and is lashing out in anger and frustration.
Overall, "Mad Man Blues" is a song that explores the theme of love gone wrong and the effects that it can have on a person's mental state. The lyrics are quite dark and brooding, and the sense of anger and desperation that runs through them is palpable.
Line by Line Meaning
Look out there man, I've got the mad man blues
I'm warning you, I'm feeling really angry and erratic
I come home last night around nine o'clock
I arrived at home at a specific time
I knew you weren't there, baby,
I was aware that you were not at home
'Cause I knock-na-na-knock
I tried to confirm if anyone was at home by knocking on the door
I got the mad man blues
I'm feeling extremely angry and erratic
Got the mad man blues
I'm experiencing uncontrollable rage
Man, don't ya know, don't ya know
I'm emphasizing how severe my condition is
I'm gonna take you, baby, by the riverside
I plan on forcefully taking you to the riverbank
Hang you up, baby, there by your neck
I intend to inflict physical harm on you
Beg me last night, the night before
You pleaded with me for something during the previous nights
Next time I see you I'm gonna mow you down
I'm going to attack you violently when I next encounter you
I'm gonna take you all night for a easy ride
I plan on kidnapping you and keeping you in my custody for the night
Drop you off, mama, by the riverside
I will leave you by the riverbank after kidnapping you
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: JOHN LEE HOOKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind