Bo Diddley called him "One helluva guitarplayer". Presscritics, all over the world, have praised his concerts and albums and generally regard him as one of the leading white blues-singers/guitarists. Hans is also a prolific songwriter.
In the early sixties HT has his first meeting with "THE BLUES" - A radioshow, featuring Big Bill Broonzy and Leadbelly, leave a deep and lasting impression: Hans gets obsessed with the sounds and emotional richness of rural country-blues. Slowly he begins to master the bluesguitar (no books, no videos, no teachers). Hans has a deep respect for the old masters but - unlike many others - does not make the mistake to become a copyist: He's an exploratory improviser who likes to blend musical ideas, often coupled with contemporary songs that reflect on the world today.
By the mid sixties Theessink started playing live in front of an audience. His first recording was the EP "Next Morning at Sunrise" in 1970 - several of his earlier recordings have collector’s value now. Over the years Hans has built up a strong following; His music has continually developed and he has attained a status which is unique for a European. His musical abilities, stage-presence and entertainer-qualities have also earned him lots of recognition in the country where it all comes from: invitations to play at prestigious North-American festivals like the "New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival" or the "Chicago Blues Festival" speak for themselves. His songwriterqualities get valued by the renowned "Kerville Folk Festival" - Texas' songwriter-heaven - where Hans appears regularly.
After a trip to New Orleans in 1986, Hans teams up with american tubaplayer Jon Sass to record the album "Baby Wants To Boogie". The extraordinary joint-venture of these two unique musical personalities should prove a fatal event for years to come. Also on the 1989 release "Johnny & The Devil" the guitar/tuba combination is used to great effect. Both albums were released in America on the Chicago-based Flying Fish label. In the "land of unlimited possibilities" both albums garnered excellent reviews, lots of airplay and positions at the top of the blues charts.
1991 Hans records the album "Call Me" in Munich, Hollywood and Woodstock. A uniquely laidback mix of HT's rich vocals-cum guitars and mandolins, brother in arms Jon Sass' tuba and the contributions of some high calibre musical friends. a.o. co-producer Colin Linden, Maceo Parker, Bobby King, Pee Wee Ellis, Rick Danko, Terry Evans, Garth Hudson, Morris Goldberg, Richard Bell and Gary Craig. "CALL ME" is an artistic milestone that’s also commercially successful (over 50.000 copies sold worldwide).
In 1993 the album "Hans Theessink & Blue Groove" sees the light. The album is recorded live on different occasions and once again shows that HT is one of the most creative musicians working in the bluesidiom today. With large contributions of bandmembers Jon Sass on tuba, singer/percussionist Alee Thelfa and singer Dorretta Carter, Hans goes for a decidedly non-purist approach, creating a truly unique acoustic sound.
In 1994 Hans records his solo-album "Hard Road Blues": One Voice - One Guitar; blues in it’s most original form. "Hard Road Blues" - built around the key song "Big Bill’s Guitar", shows that Hans is a first class solo-bluesperformer who knows a thing or two about deltablues. Hans creates an album of rare authenticity that highlights his deep vocals and dexterity on the guitar. Even in this intimate setting Hans never fails to captivate his listening audience - a rare gift that distinguishes a true artist. The album is the emotional and musical acknowledgement of a man who is both a blues musician and a blues fan.
1995 The Doblinger Publishing Company in Vienna sees the potential in Theessink’s songs and publishes the songbook "Fingerpicking & Bottleneck Favourties", enabling aspiring guitarists to play Hans’ special style of music.
In the same year Hans is approached by "Homespun Tapes" in Woodstock, N.Y. to do an instruction video. "Hooked On The Blues" - Dynamic Guitar Techniques, taught by Hans Theessink is the title of the video, on which Hans demonstrates his special brand of bluesguitar-playing. Hans is the first european artist to teach on "Homespun Tapes".
1995 Hans releases the album "Crazy Moon". Once again a larger studio-project. Hans records 13 original songs in studios in Europe and the USA. "Crazy Moon" is an eclectic collection of bluesbased material. Hans cooks up his very own gumbo, helped by several fantastic musical friends: Again, Jon Sass contributes outstanding basslines on his tuba and Alee Thelfa lays down some groovy drumtracks. Richard Bell plays the piano and some soulful B3 Hammondorgan.
Then there is the Austin-connection with Marcia Ball, Rocky Morales, "Mambo" Traenor, Cindy Cashdollar and Ponty Bone; the LA-connection with Terry Evans and his gospel-vocal troup including Willie Greene jr. on bassvocals. There’s even a celtic connection:The Dubliners add some folky irish sounds to the ballad "Sail Away". The Vienna connection is covered by Art of Brass Vienna - classical heavyweights who supply some unusual hornparts.
The wellknown Austrian film director Peter Patzak is excited about the album; not only did he use the music for his movie, but he also gave the film the same title "Crazy Moon". In this movie Hans made his debut as an actor in the roll of a musician.
Shortly after Hans could also be seen in the role of an eccentric ornithologist in Thomas Roth’s film production of the Gerhard Roth novel "Der See" (the Lake)
Preparations for the 1997 release "Journey On" began in the summer of 96 during an extended tour of the US. Seven originals and a song each by Muddy Waters, Leadbelly, Rufus Thomas and Willie Dixon were recorded in studios in Philadelphia and Los Angeles. Along with the virtuoso tuba sounds of Jon Sass, the album also features the talents of Terry Evans an extraordinary singer with a Mississippi background, well-known for his work with Ry Cooder. "Journey On" is a pure and authentic mix of blues & roots music. Even though Hans’ roots are in country-blues, he also adds portions of other roots music forms like Gospel, Soul, Folk, Rhythm ‘n Blues, Countrymusic and Zydeco to this musical melting pot. Theessink sticks to his "handmade music" formula, that makes his music readily recognisable and unmistakable – even wellknown bluesstandards sound like Theessink originals.
In april 1998 Hans had his 50th birthday. German record-label "Minor Music" released "Blue Grooves from Vienna" a 50th anniversary celebration. This cd is a compilation of tracks from older records and some rare recordings.
1998 also saw the release of "RTL 3 – Gitarre x 3" a celebration of acoustic guitar music in it’s many forms, together with austrian guitarists Peter Ratzenbeck and Michael Langer.
Hans‘ third cd in 1998 is "Lifeline"; a wonderful and unique Theessink mix of blues- & roots material: 11 original compositions and songs by Reverend Gary Davies and Blind Willie Johnson a.o. For "Lifeline" Hans decided to concentrate on vocals, guitars and other string-instruments. Preparations for the album started during a tour together with american Gospel / Rhythm‘ n Blues outfit The Holmes Brothers in the fall of 97. The concerts were so much fun that a spontaneous recording session was organized in the sparse free time between shows. The result couldn’t have been better and Hans decided to invite more outstanding musical friends including Linda Tillery & The Cultural Heritage Choir, backing vocals, Pee Wee Ellis on sax and Blue Groove bandmembers Jon Sass on tuba and Alee Thelfa on drums/percussion. Lifeline also sees Hans first cooperation with Insingizi Emnyama, a male choir from Zimbabwe who give a wonderful african twist to the song "Soul On Fire" – a real intercontinental musical effort that includes musicians from the Americas, Asia, Europe and Africa.
A wish came true when blueslegend Charles Brown lent his voice to Hans‘ song "Love Sweet Love" – the first time Hans has left the lead vocalist role to another person.
Another "first" on Lifeline is the inclusion of "Blue Seagull" – the first instrumental piece on a Theessink cd.
Hans had planned to record some tracks with bluesmandolin-player Yank Rachell – a longtime source of musical inspiration. Sadly Yank passed away before they got together. "Mandolin Man" is dedicated to Yank Rachell and his music.
Like on many earlier cd’s Hans once again covers a lot of ground on "Lifeline". Stylistically he moves between the hypnotizing one-chord blues sound of "Missing You" and the more sophisticated swing- sound of "Love Sweet Love" – from the archaic Blind Willie Johnson classic "Soul Of A Man" to the country-tinged, fully arranged, "Ready For The Ride". Hans is a master when it comes to creating the right musical atmosphere for each song. He knows about the beauty of simplicity and is well aware of the importance of space in music. There’s no room for click-tracks or drummachines on Hans‘ recordings. His musical approach follows the human pulse and heartbeat with a strong sense of earthy groove.
On "Lifeline" Hans once again proves why he belongs to that select group of artists that have obtained total credibility and that he has succeeded in embracing american blues- and roots music like few others. As a matter of fact: He’s getting better all the time and with "Lifeline" Hans Theessink has managed to add a mature masterpiece to a long series of outstanding releases.
Hans has become one of the most sought-after live performing artists of the international blues scene. He’s played around the globe at festivals, clubs and on numerous radio- and tv-shows and will most likely continue to do so as long as there’s an audience out there. "If the groove is right you can’t go wrong".
Official Website: Hans Theessink
Stones In My Passway
Hans Theessink Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I got stones in my passway
And my road seem dark as night
I have pains in my hearts
They have taken my appetite
I have a bird to whistle
And I have a bird to sing
And I have a bird to sing
I got a woman that I'm loving
Boy, she don't mean a thing
My enemies have betrayed me
Have overtaken poor Bob at last
My enemies have betrayed me
Have overtaken poor Bob at last
An' here's one thing certainly
They have stones all in my pass
Now you trying to take my life
And all my loving too
You laid a passway for me
Now what are you trying to do
I'm crying please
Plea-ease let us be friends
And when you hear me howling in my passway, rider
Plea-ease open your door and let me in
I got three legs to truck home
Boys, please don't block my road
I got three legs to truck home
Boys, please don't block my road
I've been feeling ashamed 'bout my rider
Babe, I'm booked and I got to go
In Hans Theessink's song "Stones In My Passway," the singer expresses his emotions as he struggles through life's challenges. The song depicts a man who is experiencing hardship and feels weighed down by his troubles. He compares his path through life to a dark road, and describes it as being filled with stones in his passway. This imagery suggests that the path he's on is both difficult to navigate and strewn with obstacles. Additionally, the man is plagued by physical and emotional pain. He has lost his appetite, which could be interpreted as a physical manifestation of his emotional distress, and his heart is heavy with pain. Despite these troubles, the song also includes some hopeful elements, such as the bird he has to whistle and sing, which could represent the man's ability to find solace and joy in small things, or his creative spirit, which might be helping him to work through his struggles.
Throughout the song, the man addresses his enemies directly, expressing feelings of betrayal and anger. He accuses them of taking everything from him, including his sense of safety and security, and he begs them to leave him be. The chorus of the song, "Please don't block my road," underscores the singer's plea for mercy and understanding from his enemies, while the lyrics about his beloved woman not meaning a thing to him anymore suggest that he has lost his sense of connection and belonging in the world. This sense of isolation and loneliness comes to a head in the final lines of the song, when the singer says he feels ashamed about his rider and that he is "booked and...got to go." This could suggest that the man has been forced to leave his home, or it could be a metaphor for his sense of feeling trapped and unable to move forward.
Line by Line Meaning
And my road seem dark as night
I feel lost and hopeless as if I am traveling in complete darkness.
I got stones in my passway
I am facing obstacles that are causing me pain and hindering my progress.
And my road seem dark as night
I feel lost and hopeless as if I am traveling in complete darkness.
I have pains in my hearts
My troubles are causing me emotional pain and distress.
They have taken my appetite
My worries and troubles have caused me to lose interest in food.
I have a bird to whistle
I have something small and simple that brings me joy and comfort.
And I have a bird to sing
I have something small and simple that brings me joy and comfort.
Have a bird to whistle
I have something small and simple that brings me joy and comfort.
And I have a bird to sing
I have something small and simple that brings me joy and comfort.
I got a woman that I'm loving
I have someone special in my life that I care for deeply.
Boy, she don't mean a thing
Despite my love for her, she does not reciprocate those feelings.
My enemies have betrayed me
Those whom I considered my friends have turned against me and caused me harm.
Have overtaken poor Bob at last
My troubles have finally caught up with me and I can no longer escape them.
An' here's one thing certainly
Of one thing I am absolutely sure.
They have stones all in my pass
The obstacles I am facing are causing me great pain and difficulty in moving forward.
Now you trying to take my life
Someone is actively trying to harm me or cause me pain.
And all my loving too
They are not only trying to harm me, but also destroy the things that are important to me.
You laid a passway for me
My enemies have laid a trap for me to fall into.
Now what are you trying to do
I am confused and unsure of my enemies' motives and intentions towards me.
I'm crying please
I am begging for mercy and compassion from my enemies.
Plea-ease let us be friends
Despite their betrayal, I still hope to make amends and find common ground with my enemies.
And when you hear me howling in my passway, rider
If my enemies hear me in distress, I am asking for their help and understanding.
Plea-ease open your door and let me in
I am asking for my enemies to show me kindness and hospitality.
I got three legs to truck home
I have a long and difficult journey ahead of me, and I am not sure if I will make it.
Boys, please don't block my road
I am asking for help and support from those around me to overcome my obstacles.
I've been feeling ashamed 'bout my rider
Despite my love for her, I feel inadequate and unworthy of her affections.
Babe, I'm booked and I got to go
As much as I may want to stay, I have to keep moving forward on my difficult journey.
Contributed by Henry F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.