See See Rider Blues
Gertrude Ma Rainey and Her Georgia Band Lyrics
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Made me love you, now your gal has come
You made me love you, now your gal has come
I'm goin' away, baby, I won't be back till fall, Lord, Lord, Lord
Goin' away, baby, won't be back till fall
If I find me a good man, won't be back at all
Shoot my man, and catch a cannonball
If he won't have me, he won't have no gal at all
See See Rider, where did you stay last night? Lord, Lord, Lord
Your shoes ain't buttoned and your clothes don't fit you right
You didn't come home till the sun was shining bright
The lyrics to See See Rider Blues by Gertrude Ma Rainey and her Georgia Band are about a woman who is lamenting the fact that she has fallen in love with a man who has already moved on to someone else. She admits to the Lord that He made her love this man, but now that he has gone and found another girl, she has to leave and won't be back until autumn. She sings about how she might not even come back at all if she finds a good man. She goes on to say that she plans to buy a pistol and shoot her man, catching a cannonball. The singer is essentially threatening her former lover and stating that if he does not want her, then he does not get any girl at all.
The title of the song, See See Rider, is a reference to the person the singer is addressing in the third verse. The origins of the name are unclear, but it is speculated that it may refer to a person's occupation, such as a railroad conductor. The song was first recorded in 1924 by a blues singer named Ma Rainey, and it became a popular standard, with many other artists recording their own versions over the years.
Line by Line Meaning
see what you have done, Lord, Lord, Lord
I realize now that I have fallen in love with you and it's all your doing
Made me love you, now your gal has come
You have won my heart, and now I am here, ready to be with you
I'm goin' away, baby, I won't be back till fall, Lord, Lord, Lord
I am leaving, and I won't be back until the fall season
Goin' away, baby, won't be back till fall
I need some time to clear my head and think about things. I won't be back until later.
If I find me a good man, won't be back at all
If I find someone who deserves my love and attention, I may not come back to you at all
I'm gonna buy me a pistol, just as long as I am tall, Lord, Lord, Lord
I am willing to do whatever it takes to protect my heart, even if it means purchasing a firearm
Shoot my man, and catch a cannonball
If my man doesn't want me, then I will shoot him and leave as fast as I can
If he won't have me, he won't have no gal at all
If he doesn't want to be with me, then he doesn't deserve to be with any other woman either
See See Rider, where did you stay last night? Lord, Lord, Lord
I am curious about where you were the night before
Your shoes ain't buttoned and your clothes don't fit you right
You don't look put together and neat like you normally do
You didn't come home till the sun was shining bright
You were out all night and didn't come home until the early morning hours
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MA RAINEY, DAVID ROWBERRY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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